SUNY Poly, Sitrin Health Care announce jointly funded neuropsychology teaching position

SUNY Polytechnic Institute has announced a new partnership with Sitrin Health Care that will create a full-time research and teaching position in neuropsychology.

Both organizations will jointly fund the position, SUNY Poly said in a news release.

A search committee that includes both SUNY Poly and Sitrin representatives will work together to select a candidate for the job.

The faculty member will teach neuropsychology courses at SUNY Poly in Marcy and lead new clinical-research efforts at Sitrin Health Care in New Hartford.

The faculty member will conduct neuropsychological resident assessments at Sitrin, while providing and assisting in the development of new treatments.

The instructor will leverage the research conducted at Sitrin in teaching neuropsychology courses in SUNY Poly’s community and behavioral-health department.

The individual will also help lead an expansion of SUNY Poly’s overall educational program in the neuropsychology discipline.

“By co-funding this cross-institutional position, we provide a critical connection between current health-care practices and challenges, the new frontiers of neuropsychological research, and the training of future healthcare providers,” Robert Geer, senior VP and COO at SUNY Poly, said in the school’s release.

Sitrin and SUNY Poly have in the past collaborated on initiatives resulting in “groundbreaking” research in residential long-term care and veteran medical rehabilitation, Christa Serafin, president and CEO of Sitrin, said.

“We are honored to continue our relationship with SUNY Poly to expand the studies of neuropsychology, which will immeasurably enhance Sitrin’s treatment plan for persons with Huntington’s disease and ALS,” Serafin added.

New program, courses
Sitrin in early 2016 will open upstate New York’s “first and only” neurodegenerative disease-specialty program.

Sitrin NeuroCare, a 32-bed long-term care program, will use a “multi-disciplinary” approach to care for residents with Huntington’s disease and ALS, two terminal diseases that don’t currently have a cure.

The visiting professor will conduct duties at Sitrin primarily within the NeuroCare program, according to the release.

SUNY Poly’s new courses in neuropsychology will be available through its community and behavioral-health program, which focuses on the sociological and psychological factors associated with physical, mental, and social health.

The degree is designed to meet the needs of students with interests in the health-related fields of medicine, dentistry, nursing, community health, health psychology, medical social work, and rehabilitation counseling.

The program allows students to customize a program of study from electives in both psychology and sociology to meet their academic and career goals.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com