About the program

The Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental & Related Disabilities (LEND) post graduate degree fellowship in speech-language pathology is a full-time position that lasts for 12 months, and is primarily clinical in nature. This experience includes all clinical hours and requirements for completion of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association fellowship experience. Primary clinical training occurs at the Child Development & Rehabilitation Center (CDRC) Clinics at Doernbecher Children's Hospital/Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, Oregon, with training and mentorship provided by our faculty of speech-language pathologists. Clinical fellows engage in multidisciplinary team assessments in rotations through our Craniofacial, Feeding, Autism, Down Syndrome, Child Development, and Neurodevelopment Clinics. The fellowship also includes intervention and treatment opportunities for children with communication disorders in the CDRC clinics.

In addition to clinical experience, the clinical fellow will also participate in:

• Interdisciplinary training in the LEND program
• Weekly interdisciplinary seminars with topics related to community outreach, family issues that affect children with developmental disabilities, leadership, and policy development
• Engagement in a family mentoring experience
• Engagement in a leadership/community engagement project
• A research project and presentation under the guidance of a mentor
• Leadership and teaching opportunities
• Opportunities for continuing education

The Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities program at the CDRC aims to provide training leadership in clinical care and coordination, family systems, education, public policy, community resources, and advocacy for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities, utilizing an interdisciplinary model. Our annual LEND program includes faculty and a cohort of approximately 16 long term trainees from 12 disciplines, including speech-language pathology.

This fellowship is co-sponsored by the Division of Speech-Language Pathology and the Institute on Development & Disability at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, Oregon.

How to apply

Applicants must be a US Citizen or have a permanent residency Visa, have the minimum of a master's degree in speech-language pathology, a conditional license to practice in the state of Oregon (can be arranged after acceptance into the program), and meet all the requirements for clinical certification except the Clinical Fellowship. Oregon Health & Science University is committed to building a culturally diverse educational environment, and successful candidates must be committed to working with diverse community populations. Applicants must be able to pass a background check and a drug screen.

Applicants must submit:

1. A letter of intent, not to exceed two pages, including;
   • Interest and goals related to this fellowship position
   • Background as it relates to the position description and activities outlined above, including experience working with pediatric populations and diverse populations as well as experience with leadership, advocacy, community engagement and/or research
2. A resume, not to exceed two pages; and 
3. Two letters of recommendation, at least one from a clinical supervisor or recommender who has observed clinical experience/skill

We request that the letter of intent and resume be submitted by the candidate via email to Hannah Sanford-Keller at sanfordh@ohsu.edu.

We request that all letters of recommendation be submitted by the recommender via email to Hannah Sanford-Keller at sanfordh@ohsu.edu. Please include the first and last name of the candidate in the heading of the email.

Complete Applications must be received by February 1, 2024, 12 pm PST to be considered.

Terms

Modest stipends will be available for the 2024-25 academic year. Stipends are contingent upon continued grant funding, and fellowships are funded by a grant through the Health Resources and Services Administration's Maternal and Child Health Bureau. Compensation inquiries can be sent to Hannah Sanford-Keller at sanfordh@ohsu.edu. The beginning date for the fellowship is the first week of September.

Once selected, trainees will be required to demonstrate that they have health insurance and that they have received all required vaccinations, to include COVID-19 vaccination.

Fellows are required to provide proof of up-to-date vaccinations, and if the full panel required by OHSU is not current, then they will need to update vaccinations at their expense. Current required vaccinations include: Diphtheria+Tetanus (within the last 10 years), Polio, Rubella, and Rubeola, or proof of prior disease. COVID-19 vaccination is also required. Additionally, Hepatitis B vaccination is encouraged, but not required. For more information about required vaccinations, please contact Nicole Valdivia Nava navan@ohsu.edu.

Fellows are required to provide proof of personal medical insurance coverage prior to starting training, and must maintain that coverage over the course of the training period. Additional financial support is added to the stipend to assist with obtaining insurance (see Stipend/Benefits).

Inquiries should be addressed to

Hannah Sanford-Keller, M.S., CCC-SLP
Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics
LEND Training Coordinator, Speech-Language Pathology
Institute on Development and Disability
LEND Program
707 S.W. Gaines Street
Portland, OR 97239-3098
503-494-2737
Fax: 503-494-6868
sanfordh@ohsu.edu