Neuropsychologist – Fellowship Program Director, UAB Division of Neuropsychology 

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. or Psy.D. in Neuropsychology
• Postdoctoral Fellowship in Neuropsychology
• Board Eligible/Board Certified in Clinical Neuropsychology

Our division offers a wide range of adult outpatient neuropsychological assessment services. Led by Division Director, Dr. Ron Lazar, our highly trained staff is skilled in assessing persons referred for a variety of conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, dementia with Lewy body, frontotemporal lobe dementia, mild cognitive impairment, brain tumors, epilepsy, stroke, traumatic brain injury, pre/post-surgical evaluation, and a host of other neurological conditions.

We offer outpatient neuropsychological assessment support to neurologists, neurosurgeons, and other physicians within the University of Alabama at Birmingham Medical Center, as well as to referring physicians in the surrounding community and nationwide. The division also provides comprehensive pre- and post-operative neuropsychological assessments for the UAB Epilepsy Center’s surgery program and the UAB Movement Disorder’s deep brain stimulation surgery program.

Geriatric & Adult Neuropsychology – Minor Internship Rotation, Medical Psychology Assistantship/Practicum

Since the fall of 1991, the Department of Neurology has offered clinical psychology interns and medical psychology graduate students at UAB a minor training rotation or assistantship/practicum, respectively, in geriatric and adult clinical neuropsychology.

In this minor rotation, interns and students receive training in the neuropsychological assessment of older adult patients with a wide variety of neurological and psychological disorders.

Clinical Neuropsychology Fellowship

Since the fall of 1991, the Department of Neurology has offered clinical psychology interns and medical psychology graduate students at UAB a minor training rotation or assistantship/practicum, respectively, in geriatric and adult clinical neuropsychology.

In accordance with the Houston Conference Guidelines Policy Statement on Specialty Education and Training in Clinical Neuropsychology, the clinical neuropsychology postdoctoral fellowship at UAB is a two-year, full-time training program designed “to provide the clinical, didactic and academic training to produce an advanced level of competence in the specialty of clinical neuropsychology and to complete the education and training necessary for independent practice in the specialty.”

In accordance with the Houston Conference Guidelines, specific training goals/objectives of the fellowship include:

Advanced skill in neuropsychological evaluation, treatment and consultation to patients and professionals sufficient to practice on an independent basis.

• Advanced understanding of brain-behavior relationships.
• Scholarly activity (through submission of journal articles for publication, scientific presentations, and grant writing)
• Eligibility for state or provincial licensure or certification for the independent practice of psychology.
• Eligibility for board certification in clinical neuropsychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology.
• Research, both fundamental and clinical, and therapeutic trials enable the staff to offer patients innovative treatments and students and house staff a caring and scholarly educational approach.

Department of Neurology

The nationally ranked UAB Department of Neurology is home to eight comprehensive divisions and seven centers offering an array of clinical activities. Over 26,000 patients are cared for annually through state-of-the-art subspecialty care and innovative treatments. Our residents have the opportunity to work in various neurology fields with 50 clinical and research faculty members.

The Department of Neurology at UAB offers an array of clinical activities in hospital and ambulatory care of patients. The department is staffed with individuals who have both clinical and research expertise to present a traditional clinical neurology experience to the students while also demonstrating the expanding treatment options created by the major advancements in clinical and basic neuroscience.

In addition to available general clinical care, specialized services are established in stroke, critical care, epilepsy, dementia and behavioral neurology, movement disorders, headache, clinical neurophysiology, neuroimaging, neuroimmunology, neuro-oncology, neuromuscular disorders, muscle and nerve histopathology, and neuropsychology.

Department of Neurology Statistics: 

• 24,000 outpatients seen annually at The Kirklin Clinic
• Over 2,000 annual admissions to UAB Hospital
• $8 million in annual research funds
• More than 100 ongoing research projects and clinical trials
• Neurology residents currently in 4-year training program: 24
• Advanced Fellowship Trainees: 8
• UAB Neurosciences were ranked among the top programs in the country in 2011 by U.S. News & World Report

University of Alabama, Birmingham

From its origins as a fledgling medical complex and modest “extension center” of the University of Alabama in the mid-20th century, UAB has evolved into one of the most dynamic and productive universities of the 21st century. In four short decades since becoming an autonomous campus in 1969, the institution has risen to global renowned for its intensely collaborative research and patient care, novel academic programs, and robust culture of innovation.

Central to UAB’s ascent has been the longtime partnership with the community to drive the economic and cultural renaissance of Birmingham, which is now a thriving nexus for research, health care and technology transfer. Once known as the “Magic City” for its booming steel trade, the Birmingham metro area and UAB have now built a boomtown of a different sort, working a different kind of magic, and successfully mining a resource much more precious in the 21st century: The intellectual capital to keep Alabama and the U.S. competitive in today’s global, knowledge economy.

In an effort to make even greater advances in the five pillars of our mission–Education, Research, Patient Care, Service and Economic Development–UAB is currently engaged in the most comprehensive strategic planning process in its history. The Plan establishes top strategic priorities and builds around areas of excellence so that its greatest strengths will be effectively harnessed for the greater good, at home and around the globe.

UAB School of Medicine

The School of Medicine has approximately 750 students, 900 residents and 1,300 full-time faculty in 25 academic departments. It is the home of The Kirklin Clinic, a multi-disciplinary medical home, and the University Hospital, which is one of the largest academic hospitals in the country. The SOM faculty also serve at the new Children’s of Alabama hospital. The School of Medicine is centralized in a large university complex that spans more than 80 city blocks, with much of that space dedicated to clinical facilities, research laboratories, classrooms, and surgical suites. The program also extends to regional campuses in Huntsville, Montgomery, and Tuscaloosa to expand its academic reach and responsibilities, helping educate physicians in rural and underserved areas of the state.

The school was established as the Medical College of Alabama in 1945 and renamed as the University of Alabama School of Medicine in 1969. The regional campuses at Tuscaloosa and Huntsville were established in 1972, and the Huntsville campus joined UAB in 1995. The Montgomery regional campus was established in 2012 with classes beginning in 2014, and the Montgomery Internal Medicine Residency program has been affiliated with the school since 1978. The Selma Family Medicine Residency program was established in 1977. In total, the various UAB campuses have trained 2,126 physicians in the last 10 years.

Location – Birmingham, AL

The astonishing pace of Birmingham’s growth during the period from 1881 through 1920, earned the city its nicknames “The Magic City” and “The Pittsburgh of the South.” Today, Birmingham ranks as one of the most important business and banking centers in the Southeastern U.S. Birmingham is the cultural and entertainment capital of Alabama with its numerous art galleries in the area. Birmingham is also home to the state’s Alabama Ballet, Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Birmingham Ballet, Birmingham Concert Chorale, and Opera Birmingham. Birmingham hosts numerous cultural festivals showcasing music, films, and regional heritage such as the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival which brings filmmakers from all over the world to Birmingham to have their films viewed and judged.

Culinary Culture

Birmingham chefs Frank Stitt, Chris Hastings and Chris Dupont have helped put Birmingham on the culinary map. From fine dining to local dives, Birmingham has a plethora of restaurants to choose from. Frank Stitt III is the owner and executive chef of Highlands Bar and Grill, Bottega Restaurant, and Chez Fon in Birmingham, Alabama. He was inducted into the James Beard Foundation’s “Who’s Who of Food and Beverage” in 2011. He was also named the “Best Chef in the Southeast” in 2001 and was a 2008 finalist for the national “Outstanding Chef” award. He has also been recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Southern Foodways Alliance for his elevation of Southern cuisine and his early advocacy of locally grown food.

Living in Birmingham

With a cost of living below the national average, Forbes has ranked the Birmingham metro as “America’s Most Affordable City” for 2015. Birmingham is primarily recognized for its affordable housing. During the fourth quarter of 2014, the median sales price for a home was $130,000. Also highlighted in by Forbes is the city’s quality of life, its medical research industry and the number of large companies setting up plants nearby – some 70 foreign countries, including Mercedes Benz and Honda, have facilities in and around Birmingham.

Birmingham’s Industry & Economy

As the largest city in Alabama, more than 3,000 new jobs and $370 million in capital investment announced in 2014, the Birmingham region is realizing its potential as a powerhouse in Alabama and the Southeast. In fact, Birmingham’s 3.8% GDP growth from 2011 to 2012 outpaced not only Alabama’s other metros, but also the nation, which averaged growth of 2.5%. Boasting an excellent transportation infrastructure; low cost of living and doing business; unprecedented collaboration and support among local business leaders; a world-class research institution at the University of Alabama at Birmingham; a thriving technology and innovation ecosystem; and a 21st century workforce, the economic development climate in Birmingham has been the recent focus of media across the country. Forbes Magazine recently ranked the Birmingham metro area 6th among large cities experiencing a manufacturing boom, resulting in a growth in employment over recent years. Other recent Birmingham accolades include:

• “Silicon Valley of the Southeast” by Network World
• “1 of 15 Up and Coming Downtowns” by Forbes
• “Hotspot for Digital Crime Fighting” by TechRepublic
• “Top 30 Best Cities for Young Entrepreneurs” by Under30CEO