In addition to formal in-person supervision, opportunities for didactics and participation in behavioral research lab activities are available. Further, priority is placed on attendance and active participation in extern didactics offered through the division and hospital.
Potential experiences are as follows:
- Outpatient psychotherapy with children and families with a typical case load of three to six weekly patients. Common referral issues include difficulty adjusting to diabetes diagnosis, adherence to medical regimen, anxiety, depression, parent-adolescent conflict and family communication difficulties.
- Consultation during outpatient diabetes and endocrine clinic appointments (e.g. Type 2 Diabetes Clinic, Turner Syndrome). Attending clinics may include participant-observation experiences with medical providers, nurse educators and dietitians working with children/families. Brief psychological consultations are often requested during clinic as well.
- Co-leading behavioral and psychosocial group for parents and teens with diabetes as well as assisting with programming designed to help support families with diabetes (e.g., Family Night, Off to College/Transition Workshop).
- Didactics and research opportunities are available including:
- Participating in research lab meetings
- Discussing relevant research regarding diabetes management in children and teenagers with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
- Opportunities for research and didactics depend on days of week of externship and could also include:
- Extern didactics
- Multidisciplinary diabetes team meetings
- Clinical research meetings
- Behavioral health grand rounds
- Pediatric grand rounds
