Universal Psychology Postdoctoral Directory

Elements of quality clinically focused postdoctoral training

Positions: One (1) post-doctoral fellowship position in paediatric clinical neuropsychology is offered through The Department of Psychology at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario. The two-year, full-time training positions begin on September 5, 2023. Our program is a member of the Association of Postdoctoral Programs in Clinical Neuropsychology (APPCN) and is designed to conform to the Houston Conference training guidelines.

 Training Setting: The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), affiliated with the University of Toronto, is Canada's most research-intensive hospital and the largest centre dedicated to improving children's health in the country. The Department of Psychology at SickKids includes 32 psychologists, 11 psychometrists, and 30 research staff and trainees providing clinical services and conducting research within the hospital.

 Research Opportunities: In addition to the clinical training, there are many opportunities for clinical research within existing clinical research programs. Demonstration of scholarly activity is a required exit criteria for the fellowship. Research at SickKids ranges from understanding the core neurocognitive deficits associated with neurodevelopmental disorders or acquired brain injury, to identifying the relations between neuroimaging measures of brain structure/function and neurocognitive outcome, to assessing the neurocognitive outcomes of treatments or interventions.

 Patient Population: Clinical training consists of neuropsychological assessment and consultation for a wide range of paediatric conditions seen in a tertiary health care centre (ages 0-18 years). Rotations are offered to provide both depth and breadth of training. Rotations are available within the following programs:

Neurology

  - Stroke, Epilepsy Surgery Program, Epilepsy Classroom, Neonatal Neurology, Neurology General Consultation, Neurosurgery

Genetics/Metabolics

Solid Organ Transplant

Hematology/Oncology

  - Brain Tumour, Leukemia/Lymphoma, Sickle Cell Disease, Long-Term Follow-Up for Cancer

Training staff: There are 8 staff paediatric neuropsychologists who provide supervision in our training program. Four are board certified (ABPP-CN).

Start Date: September 5, 2023  

Current Salary and Benefits: Salary is $48,000 CAD in the first year and $50,000 CAD in the second year, with an additional annual stipend of $5,000 CAD. Fellows are eligible for the modified SickKids benefits package (health and dental), 3 weeks paid vacation, nine statutory holidays recognized by the hospital, and one week paid professional development leave.

Location: SickKids is located in downtown Toronto. With over 2.5 million residents, it is the fifth most populous municipality in North America. Toronto lies on the shore of Lake Ontario, the easternmost of the Great Lakes. It is the cultural, entertainment, and financial capital of the nation. Toronto is a clean, safe, cosmopolitan city with a wonderful network of parks, recreational, and cultural facilities and is consistently rated as one of the world’s most livable cities.

Eligibility: Applicants should be graduates of CPA/APA accredited clinical or school psychology programs and have completed a CPA/APA accredited internship in clinical psychology. It is expected that applicants will have internship-level training in pediatric psychology and neuropsychology. Prior coursework in Functional Neuroanatomy, Clinical Neurology, Basic Neuroscience, and/or Neuropathology is preferred. Applicants who bring diversity to the program (e.g., fluency in French, other languages, or experience with under-served populations) are especially encouraged to apply. All degree requirements must be completed before the start date.

Match: Our program is an APPCN Match Participant; applicants must therefore register with National Matching Services, Inc (www.natmatch.com) to participate in the APPCN Resident Matching Program. This residency site agrees to abide by the APPCN policy that no person at this facility will solicit, accept or use any ranking-related information from any fellowship applicant. 

COVID-19 Considerations: Invited interviews will be conducted virtually in January or early February 2023.  On-site interviews are offered, but not required.  A hybrid model of care (virtual and in-person) is currently being offered and trainees are actively involved in all aspects of neuropsychology assessment and consultation, following the hospital's infection control practices. The SickKids Psychology Department is highly committed to providing high quality training.