Rate My Professor Sam Flannery

Sam Flannery serves as a Professional Practice Fellow in the Department of Psychology within the Division of Sciences at the University of Otago. He earned his Bachelor of Science (BSc), Master of Science (MSc), and Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Psychology (PGDipCIPs), all from the University of Otago. In his professional capacity, Flannery is the Director of the Clinical Psychology Centre, known as Te Pūtahi Mātai Hinengaro, a key training hub in the Department of Psychology. This centre functions as a referral-based mental health service for the Dunedin community, specializing in the assessment and treatment of behavioural, emotional, and health-related psychological issues affecting both children and adults. Services are provided by senior postgraduate students in clinical psychology under close supervision from registered clinical psychologists. Flannery himself is a Registered Clinical Psychologist and plays a vital role as a Clinical Supervisor at the centre, contributing to the intensive training programme alongside colleagues such as Dr Amanda Clifford, Rachel Drew, and others. His leadership ensures the centre's operations align with postgraduate clinical training objectives.

Flannery's academic research centers on cognitive neuropsychology, with a particular emphasis on deficits in Parkinson's disease. During his MSc studies, he conducted a longitudinal investigation documented in his 2017 thesis, 'Longitudinal Assessment of Cognitive Deficits in Parkinson's Disease Using a Computerised Battery.' This work evaluated cognitive impairments in Parkinson's disease patients at two time points one year apart, employing a computerized neuropsychological battery to assess performance relative to standard clinical measures. The findings were published as the lead-authored peer-reviewed article: Flannery, S. L., Jowett, T., Garvey, A., Cutfield, N. J., & Machado, L. (2018). Computerized testing in Parkinson's disease: Performance deficits in relation to standard clinical measures. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 40(10), 1062-1073. Additionally, Flannery has supported research efforts on forward and backward spatial recall in Parkinson's disease and related cognitive studies, as acknowledged in departmental publications. His contributions highlight the utility of digital tools in evaluating cognitive function in neurodegenerative conditions.