CT LEND: An authentic interdisciplinary experience

December 22, 2016

The CT LEND has had an exciting new start this fall. Nine UCONN graduate students from various disciplines, two Yale Developmental-Behavioral Pediatric fellows, four community trainees, and four Human Services/Family Studies students from Goodwin College fill our conference room at UCONN Health each Friday. We welcome family faculty and several UCEDD staff members to each weekly seminar as well. Our true interdisciplinary cohort includes participants from an AUCD Auditory supplement and also a Diversity grant, several of whom are first generation college students.

In addition to the weekly didactic sessions, students have visited the Hospital For Special Care, University of Hartford Magnet School, and Yale Child Study Center, as well as participated in local events like the Fragile X Conference, a Medical Management series at the school of Social Work, an Autism Workshop sponsored by the Institute for System Genomics, and guest lectures from Dr. Carl Dunst, Dr. William McGaughey, and Dr. Allan Bergman. Students successfully completed group research projects on topics including post-hospitalization supports for children with ABIs, ASD prevalence in the Connecticut foster system, and prematurity and ASD. Students look forward to Spring clinical placements, independent research projects, and participation with CT KASA for the authentic opportunity to experience advocacy from the perspective of local children with disabilities.

If other state LEND trainees are travelling through Connecticut this year, please feel free to join us at a Friday seminar, or simply to visit the CT UCEDD!