Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Rehabilitation Psychology Grant

The Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Rehabilitation Psychology at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab offers a one-year, full-time program with a potential extension to two years. This fellowship provides extensive clinical training in rehabilitation and neuropsychology, focusing on individuals with complex medical conditions. Trainees will engage in individual and group therapy, neuropsychological evaluations, and interdisciplinary collaboration, preparing them for successful careers in rehabilitation psychology. The program emphasizes evidence-based practices and offers supervision and didactic opportunities.

The organization opened its doors to a $550 million, 1.2-million-square-foot research hospital in March 2017. The facility is the first-ever “translational” research hospital in which physicians, scientists, innovators, technologists and clinicians work together with patients in the same space, applying novel research in real time during rehabilitation. The central goal of the translational approach is to develop new research and insights to help patients gain more function, achieve better outcomes and enjoy greater ability and independence. Shirley Ryan AbilityLab is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization.
U.S.
Training Opportunities for Psychology Professionals
Our psychology department at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab offers rehabilitation Post-Doctoral Fellowships and Externships (Pre-Doctoral Advanced Practicum in Rehabilitation Psychology) for individuals interested in pursuing a career in rehabilitation psychology.
Fellows and externs will gain experience in rehabilitation and neuropsychology — working with patients who experience medically complex conditions, such as amputation, brain injury, burns, cancer, spinal cord injury, stroke and transplants in inpatient rehabilitation. Fellows and externs also will have rotational options in outpatient settings, including DayRehab, the Pain Management Center, and Outpatient Neuropsychology.
Minor Rotations
DayRehab: Trainees will have the opportunity to provide initial psychological evaluations and individual psychotherapy to both adult and pediatric patients participating in intensive outpatient rehabilitation. These patients are seen at DayRehab as they acclimate into their homes and communities following, but not limited to, cancer rehabilitation, organ transplant, spinal cord injury, stroke and traumatic brain injury. DayRehab allows the extern to work therapeutically with patients for an extended period, as typical lengths of stay range from two to four months.
Pain Management Center: Trainees will provide CBT and ACT-focused psychoeducational groups. Patients from the Pain Management Center experience arthritis pain, chronic low back pain, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), fibromyalgia and neck pain. Trainees will gain clinical experience working on an interdisciplinary team consisting of medical doctors, psychologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists and vocational rehabilitation counselors via co-treats, consultations and team conferences.
Faculty
The Shirley Ryan AbilityLab staff includes rehabilitation psychologists, health psychologists, neuropsychologists, clinical psychologists, and social workers. Our staff is licensed in the state of Illinois and can assist the fellow in navigating applications for licensure.
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab is currently accepting applications for a one-year, full-time postdoctoral fellowship in rehabilitation psychology with the option of extending to two years based on the fellow’s professional goals and performance during the first year. The fellowship prepares candidates for a successful career in rehabilitation psychology by fostering competence in treating a variety of presenting concerns, including but not limited to amputation, burns, cancer, cardiac, cerebral palsy, chronic pain, functional neurological/movement disorder, general deconditioning, Guillain-Barre syndrome, Locked-in syndrome, multiple sclerosis, organ transplant, orthopedic, pulmonary, spinal cord injuries, stroke, traumatic brain injuries, and non-traumatic injuries. Our clinical fellowship meets Baltimore Conference Guidelines for Rehabilitation Psychology. We are members of the Council of Rehabilitation Psychology Postdoctoral Training Programs (CRPPTP).
Clinical Experiences and Rotation Opportunities
The Fellow will spend the majority of their time in clinical service delivery. The fellow will have the ability to foster knowledge of evidence-based interventions in several rehabilitation settings. Diverse responsibilities include individual and family therapy, group therapy, co-treatments with allied health disciplines, neuropsychological evaluations, consultations, capacity evaluations, suicide assessments, teaching and training, and staff support. Depending on the fellow’s interest, engagement in inpatient and outpatient neuropsychological evaluations are available. The Fellow is able to explore applied patient-related research options as well.
Minor rotations available include our DayRehab Program, Pain Management Center, Functional Neurological/Movement Outpatient Clinic, Outpatient Neuropsychology Clinic, and Acute Concussion Clinic.
Supervision and Training
The fellow will receive two hours of face-to-face individual supervision weekly throughout the year. Additionally, the successful candidate will have the opportunity to obtain experience with supervising advanced practicum students and co-facilitating group supervision. The fellow has the option to assist in the development of teaching materials/didactics for practicum students.
Didactic and Professional Development Opportunities
Weekly didactic presentations are provided by the psychology and PM&R team. The fellow will also attend the PM&R weekly lectures, hospital’s grand rounds, Schwartz rounds, and neuroradiology rounds. These rounds will assist in the development of the fellows’ understanding of rehabilitation psychology, neuroanatomy and imaging, PM&R, and ethics.
Salary and Benefits
Salary is competitive, currently exceeding NIH based salaries. Fellows receive all benefits of a Shirley Ryan AbilityLab employee, including medical/dental/vision insurance, retirement, and other fringe benefits (e.g., flex spending account, basic life insurance).

Eligibility

Qualifications
Prior experience in a medical setting (practicum or internship), with preferred experience in a rehabilitation setting. All degree requirements, including dissertation defense, must be completed prior to beginning the fellowship. Eligible candidates must have completed their PhD or PsyD in Psychology from an APA-accredited graduate program that includes completion of an APA-accredited internship.