Clinical Psychology Externships

The Division of Psychology at Northwestern Medicine offers a range of Clinical Externships in Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychology. Clinical Externships are made available to students currently enrolled in accredited PhD or PsyD programs in Clinical Psychology.  For the 2026-2027 recruitment year (to start July 1, 2026), we offer the following Clinical Externship opportunities:

1. Advanced Practicum in Clinical Neuropsychology
2. Inpatient and Outpatient Psychological Assessment & Intervention Externship

All Clinical Externships at Northwestern Medicine follow the Chicagoland Coordinated Externship Offers and Deadlines process.  

Advanced Practicum in Clinical Neuropsychology

Northwestern Medicine offers advanced practicum (externship) training in the practice and science of clinical neuropsychology in a fast-paced multidisciplinary outpatient setting. The externship is housed within the general Neuropsychology service within the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Northwestern Medicine, one of the nation’s top academic medical centers located in downtown Chicago.

Externs receive intensive training in neuropsychological sequelae of medical, neurologic, and psychiatric illness and clinical experience in the neuropsychological assessment of patients presenting with a variety of neurologic, neoplastic, cardiovascular, toxic/metabolic, psychiatric, and developmental disorders, traumatic brain injuries, and systemic conditions with mental status changes. Under the supervision of postdoctoral fellows and attending neuropsychologists, externs work as part of a multidisciplinary team and participate in all aspects of patient care including neuropsychological evaluation, case conceptualization, and report writing. The majority of the caseload is outpatient, with an opportunity to participate in bedside inpatient assessment occasionally.

The medical center offers a rich spectrum of educational activities including weekly neuropsychology case conferences and Psychiatry, Neurology, and Neurosurgery Grand Rounds. Externs participate in weekly individual and group supervision, didactics, and journal club presentations. There are also opportunities to participate in supervised research with one of the faculty members.

This externship is an unpaid position. Externs are expected to commit to commit approximately 20 hours per week for at least 12 months, beginning July 1, 2026. Strong applicants are students who are: (1) currently enrolled in a graduate training program in clinical psychology, (2) pursuing specialty training within a neuropsychology emphasis or concentration area in their program, (3) have a foundational knowledge of functional neuroanatomy and common neuropsychological syndromes, and (4) have at least 1 year of practical neuropsychological assessment experience.

This externship follows the coordinated Chicagoland externship application timeline, and we are expected to accept 2-3 external candidates for the 2026-2027 training year.

Applications should be submitted via email to Kristina Johnson, PhD – Kristina.johnson@nm.org 

Application materials should include:

• Brief statement of interest
• Curriculum Vita
• Names and contact information of three professional references

Inpatient and Outpatient Psychological Assessment & Intervention Externship

The Clinical Neuropsychology Service and the Outpatient Psychotherapy Clinic in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Northwestern Medicine is offering an opportunity for doctoral students in clinical psychology to develop competencies in psychological and neuropsychological evaluation, as well as psychological intervention. Students will have the opportunity to participate in three clinics as part of this practicum:

1. Learning, Attention, Development, and Diagnostic (LADD) Clinic: The LADD clinic provides outpatient neuropsychological assessment for adults referred for concerns with neurodevelopmental and other mental disorders. Evaluations often include primary referral questions for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Specific Learning Disorders, Intellectual Disability, and co-occurring mental disorders (e.g., anxiety, depression, PTSD, substance use). Additional patients are referred for diagnostic clarity with complex presentations, including serious mental illness and severe emotional disturbance, as well as general personality and psychological assessment. Evaluation protocols are flexible to address the presenting problem, but typically include clinical interviews, structured diagnostic interviews, symptoms checklists, personality tests (self-report and performance-based), academic achievement tests, adaptive functioning, intellectual and cognitive tests, memory tests, and tests of executive functioning.
2. Inpatient Assessment Clinic (IAC): The IAC provides psychological evaluations for patients who are admitted to the Norma and Ida Stone Institute of Psychiatry Inpatient Unit. Referrals for evaluation come from psychiatric attendings and residents and are typically focused on diagnostic clarity, including mood disorders, personality disorders, and serious mental illness and severe emotional disturbance. Evaluation protocols typically include clinical interviews, structured diagnostic interviews, personality tests (self-report and performance-based), and occasionally intellectual or cognitive tests.
3. Outpatient Psychotherapy Clinic: Students have the opportunity to provide outpatient psychotherapy to patients. The number of patients is flexible to meet the needs of the students, but typically around three patients at any given time. Additional opportunities in specialty clinics (e.g., recovery from early psychosis program, focus forward clinic, gender pathways program, collaborative behavioral health program), may be available. Find more information here.

The LADD and IAC are run by Jason J. Washburn, PhD, ABPP, Professor and Chief of the Division of Psychology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.  Dr. Washburn will provide primary training and supervision, along with support from the broader Clinical Neuropsychology Service.

Dr. Jaclyn Weisman is an Assistant Professor and Clinical Coordinator for the Outpatient Psychotherapy Clinic for doctoral students and psychiatry residents. Dr. Weisman assists students with psychotherapy case assignments and provides a weekly case consultation group. Individual supervision for psychotherapy patients is provided by a variety of licensed clinical psychologists working within Northwestern Medicine. A minimum of three hours of supervision (one individual, two group) are provided per week, with additional individual supervision for evaluation cases provided by Dr. Washburn as needed. 

For students completing all three components of the externship, trainees will be assigned approximately one outpatient evaluation case per month with approximately three psychotherapy cases at any given time. Trainees will have opportunities for inpatient cases based on the availability of referrals and trainees. All services are provided at Northwestern Medicine’s downtown campus. Our outpatient clinic is in the Arkes Pavilion at 676 North Saint Clair St. (11th Floor, Suite 1100) in downtown Chicago. The inpatient unit is in the Galter Pavilion at 675 North Saint Clair St (13^th floor).

As part of the practicum, students have the opportunity to participate in the weekly Neuropsychology Seminar and Consultation Group for the broader Clinical Neuropsychology Service. Students will also participate in a weekly Case Consultation group along with Northwestern Clinical Psychology interns and other practicum students. All practicum students will be provided with intensive assessment training in the tests at the beginning of the practicum.

This practicum is designed for students who have foundational coursework in Psychological Assessment. No prior psychological testing or neuropsychological experience is required, and training will be provided on the specialized tests administered as part of this practicum. This practicum will provide opportunities for students to develop assessment competencies in test selection, administration, scoring, and interpretations of tests, as well as report writing and feedback.

The practicum will require a commitment of 20 hours per week for 12 months, starting July 1st.

To apply, please provide a brief cover letter explaining your interest in work in this clinic, your CV, and at least one letter of recommendation to Dr. Washburn at j-washburn@northwestern.edu. This practicum follows the Coordinated Externship schedule.