Application Deadline: November 15th

THE TRAINING PROGRAM

TRAINING PHILOSOPHY

Training in Psychology has been offered at this medical center since the 1950's. Our Psychology Internship Program has been fully accredited by the American Psychological Association since 1979.  Our philosophy of training reflects a basic belief that the experiences provided the intern should be for the purpose of learning, with the provision of services to the medical center being important, but secondary. Our goal for the internship year is to provide each intern with individualized experiences and training, as well as increasing amounts of responsibility and autonomy commensurate with demonstrated abilities, so that sufficient preparation for the role of professional psychologist will be achieved by the end of the internship year.

The psychology training program is a generalist internship, focused on enabling each intern to gain the basic clinical skills in assessment, psychodiagnostics, psychotherapy and consultation necessary for the practice of professional psychology. Still, the breadth and flexibility of the training program provides interns well versed in the basics of psychology an opportunity to develop and pursue their interests in specialty areas. We recognize that service delivery is only one part of the psychologist's role; therefore, we provide opportunities for our interns to become well acquainted with the other aspects of the practice of psychology offering diversified applied training, Opportunities include understanding ethical and legal responsibilities, networking with peers and other professionals, gaining experience with administration, and functioning as a scientist-practitioner, consultant, and/or instructor.

We believe that interns completing our program of training will have gained a solid foundation of knowledge and experience on which to anchor their professional lives by expanding the directions of professional interest and practice. Those planning a career in psychological service delivery should have the necessary tools to proceed competently and responsibly in a wide range of diagnostic, treatment and rehabilitation settings. Others choosing careers in areas such as education, research, and administration can be confident that the internship will have significantly contributed to their professional goals.

PROGRAM STRUCTURE

Psychology internship training at the CAVHS is offered in three specialty tracks: General Clinical/Counseling Track, Health Psychology Track, and Neuropsychology Track. Eligibility and training in the Health and Neuropsychology Tracks are consistent with the APA Division 38 and Division 40 guidelines, respectively, for predoctoral training in those areas.

Each intern will gain experience in a variety of areas, as is appropriate to a generalist internship; however, the specific structure of the rotations will depend on the track designated by the intern, as well as the individual’s interest, training needs, and program requirements. All interns are required to spend 10% of their time each week in didactic training.

The primary goal of this internship is to provide training in the general practice of professional psychology, with specialty training available to those interns who are interested and have a good grasp of basic psychology skills. For that reason, the following three tracks are offered:

GENERAL CLINICAL/ COUNSELING TRACK	Interns on this track will spend six months on the Integrated Mental Health Rotation working with mental health patients (see Rotation). Additionally, the intern will have experience with medical populations and will have the opportunity to learn neuropsychological screening. Applicants desiring this track are expected to have basic clinical skills and an interest in general clinical or counseling psychology. Interns who choose this track and have a solid grounding in the basics of professional psychology will be given opportunities to develop greater depth of skills or breadth of experiences in specialty mental health areas.
HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY TRACK	This track meets the requirements for Division 38, Health Psychology, of the American Psychological Association (see Guide to Internships in Health Psychology**) and can provide a wide variety of experiences in behavioral medicine and health psychology. Interns on this track will spend six months working on the two health psychology rotations (see rotation descriptions). Additionally, Health Psychology interns will work in a variety of mental health and rehabilitation areas. Experience with neuropsychological assessment and/or cognitive screening is also available. Applicants to this track are expected to have basic clinical skills and an interest in Health Psychology. Specific prior training in behavioral medicine is not required.
NEUROPSYCHOLOGY TRACK	This internship is listed by the American Psychological Association Division 40: Clinical Neuropsychology** as meeting the criteria for predoctoral training in neuropsychology (See APA Division Internship Program Listing).  Interns on this track will spend six months working primarily with neurologically impaired patients, with many cases supervised by a Board Certified (ABPP** /ABCN** ) neuropsychologist. The additional six months will be split between medical and psychiatric populations, although neuropsychological testing can be available on these rotations. Applicants with good basic clinical skills, including proficiency in the administration and scoring of the Wechsler IQ and memory tests, and Halstead-Reitan Battery, will be given highest priority. Practicum experience in neuropsychology or past work experience (e.g., as neuropsychology technician) is required. Course work in neuropsychology is preferred, but may be waived with sufficient practical experience.