Layne Bennion Ph.D.

Education

1985 B.A. in Psychology, Utah State University; Minor: Japanese.
1988 M.S. in Family & Human Development, Emphasis: Marriage and Family Therapy, Utah State University
1995 Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, University of Virginia
1993 APA-approved Internship in Clinical Psychology, Wilford Hall Medical Center
1999 Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Clinical Neuropsychology, 2 years, University of Virginia Health Science System
License: Clinical Psychology, AL #854 since 1996.

Biography

Dr. Bennion is a retired USAF clinical psychologist and clinical neuropsychologist with three deployments (Diego Garcia 2001-02, Baghdad International Airport (BIAP), Iraq 2003-04, Kirkuk Iraq 2006-07) and military postings at Lackland AFB in TX, Onizuka Airstation in CA (now Moffet Field), Keesler AFB in MS, RAF Lakenheath in the UK, and Joint Base Andrews in MD. In 1999-2001, he completed a two-year post-doctoral fellowship in clinical neuropsychology at University of Virginia Health Sciences System.

While in uniform, he served in many leadership roles including: Clinic Chief (outpatient mental health clinic; multiple assignments), Chief of Neuropsychological Services (multiple assignments), Chief of Mental Health Team (3 deployed teams), acting Director of Training (internship), acting Head of Psychology Training Faculty, Director of Externship Training, Family Advocacy Officer, and Alcohol Drug Abuse Prevention Program Manager. He also served 7 months as staff Neuropsychologist at National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE) at Walter Reed National Medical Center MD.

During his time in the USAF, Dr. Bennion always had an active clinical treatment case load (therapy). He completed over 2,000 psychological and neuropsychological assessment cases and for the past 15 years has worked as a part-time or full-time neuropsychologist. After retiring from the USAF, Dr. Bennion worked as Staff Neuropsychologist and then Chief Neuropsychologist, Intrepid Spirit One NICoE Satellite (TBI Clinic) at Ft Belvoir VA. Prior to his USAF time, Dr. Bennion served approximately 4 years in the Virginia Army National Guard as an enlisted field medic. As USUHS faculty, he continues clinical work through part-time practice at the TBI Clinic at Ft Belvoir VA.

Over the course of his career, he has been a clinical supervisor for 6 unlicensed psychologists, ~30 interns, ~12 externs, and ~15 neuropsychology or CADAC technicians.

His areas of interest include: neuropsychological, cognitive and personality assessment; medical and graduate-level education and remediation for struggling learners; enhancement of cognitive functioning; and mild traumatic brain injury.

Dr. Bennion’s roles and responsibilities are split between the MPS department and SOM (School of Medicine). Within MPS, he is primarily involved in teaching and assisting with the pSyTORM lab. Within SOM, he directs the Academic Success Program which offers a range of group and individualized support services to academically struggling learners.

Career Highlights: Positions, Projects, Deployements, Awards and Additional Publications

Bennion, L.D. & Witter, J.M (2018). Combat-related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder & Traumatic Brain Injury. Chapter in by J.E. South-Paul, S.C. Matheny, E.L. Lewis Current diagnosis and treatment in family medicine. McGraw-Hill Education

Bennion, L. D., Durning, S. J., LaRochelle, J., Yoon, M., Schreiber-Gregory, D., Reamy, B. V., & Torre, D. (2018). Untying the Gordian knot: remediation problems in medical schools that need remediation. BMC medical education, 18(1), 120

Representative Bibliography

Self, K. J., Kroke, P. C., Waters, A. J., Goodie, J. L., & Bennion, L. D. (2023, January 23). Comprehensive and Qualifying Examinations: A Qualitative Review of APA-Accredited Doctoral Psychology Programs. Training and Education in Professional Psychology. Advance online publication. https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/tep0000438

Landoll, RR, Maranich, AM, Williams, PM, Bennion, LD. Visual Support Tools in Academic Advising: Use of Growth Curves in Undergraduate Medical Education. Workshop presented at MELS Conference (part of American Academy of Medical Colleges annual conference), 10 Nov 2022, Nashville TN.

Thornton, KB, Bennion, LD, Landoll, RR, De Hoyas, V, Maranich, AM, Williams, PM. Emotion Regulation and Academic Performance: The Unified Protocol as a Subclinical Intervention for Struggling Learners with Test Anxiety in Medical Education. Workshop presented at MELS Conference (part of American Academy of Medical Colleges annual conference), 10 Nov 2022, Nashville TN.

Landoll, R. R., Bennion, L. D., Maranich, A. M., Hemmer, P. A., Torre, D., Schreiber-Gregory, D. N., During, S.J. & Dong, T. (2022). Extending growth curves: a trajectory monitoring approach to identification and interventions in struggling medical student learners. Advances in Health Sciences Education, 1-14.

Goodie, J. L., Bennion, L. D., Schvey, N. A., Riggs, D. S., Montgomery, M., & Dorsey, R. M. (2022). Development and implementation of an objective structured clinical examination for evaluating clinical psychology graduate students. Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 16(3), 287.

Landoll, R. R., Bennion, L. D., & Maggio, L. A. (2021). Understanding excellence: a qualitative analysis of high-performing learner study strategies. Medical Science Educator, 31(3), 1101-1108

Tate, LL, Paxton-Willing, MM, French, LM, Law, WA, Bennion, LD, Sullivan, KW, Riggs, DS (2021) The effect of mTBI and PTSD symptoms on computerized cognitive performance: Results from a sample of treatment-seeking active duty US service members. Military Psychology, 33:1, 23-28

Bennion, L. D., Torre, D., Durning, S. J., Mears, D., Schreiber-Gregory, D., Servey, J. T., Cruess, D.F., Yoon, M. & Dong, T. (2019). Early identification of struggling learners: using prematriculation and early academic performance data. Perspectives on Medical Education, 8(5), 298-304.

Martin, J., Novak, L., Perera, K., Olsen, C., Kindt, M., LaCruix, J., Bennion, L.D., Lee-Tauler, S.Y., Gharhramanlou-Holloway, M. (2019). Suicide Typologies in the US Air Force: A Hierarchical Cluster Analysis. Suicide and Life‐Threatening Behavior, 49(6), 1707-1720.

Bennion, L. D., Self, K. J., Kroke, P. C., & Crone, B. C. (2019). Should We Teach Bender-Gestalt to Clinical Psychology Students? An Alternative View to Piotrowski’s 2016 Review. SIS Journal of Projective Psychology & Mental Health, 26(1)