Philosophy 

The EVMS Clinical Psychology Internship Program adheres to an apprentice-based model to create a psychology workforce prepared to function effectively in inter-professional relationships across healthcare settings. The competencies emphasized reflect the real-life skills a psychologist will require for ethical and effective professional practice. The educational activities are individualized to fit with the varying backgrounds, aptitudes, abilities and styles of learning of the psychology interns; yield explicit expectations that are aligned with the general competencies a psychologist needs as well as specialty specific competencies; result in accountability across psychology interns, faculty, program directors and institutions to insure incremental learning (i.e. psychology interns are reaching benchmarks and, ultimately, competence); develop from real-world experiences; and foster the intern's self-assessment.

Clinical training occurs within inpatient and outpatient pediatric and adult medical settings within an academic medical center. Participation in clinical research is also encouraged, and professional development is emphasized to prepare psychology interns for leadership roles in healthcare settings. The internship is designed to create the competencies necessary for interns to provide evidence based assessments, interventions and consultations within integrated healthcare models upon completion of the program. Supervised clinical experiences are provided that allow for the consolidation of the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for entry-level practice of professional clinical psychology that adheres to the professional, legal, and ethical standards of the field. All aspects of training are designed to promote awareness, understanding and sensitivity to issues of multicultural diversity.

Program Overview

The EVMS Clinical Psychology Internship Program's main goal is to create a psychology workforce prepared to provide integrated care in Patient Centered Medical Homes. The program subscribes to an apprenticeship training model focused on preparing psychology interns to provide evidence-based assessments and treatments within the context of environments that require inter-professional interactions.

Specific goals include further development in assessment and psychotherapy skills with a wide range of client populations through involvement in diversified inpatient and outpatient training activities. Interns are expected to develop leadership and consultative skills within an academic medical center setting, and learn to function effectively in inter-professional relationships. Interns are offered the opportunity for professional development through attendance at lectures, seminars and workshops, and optional opportunities for involvement in clinical research projects during the training year. Clinical settings are largely based in healthcare environments and provide an opportunity to integrate ethical, cultural, and administrative considerations.

A psychology intern can expect to complete the internship with solid clinical training and a realistic sense of competence commensurate with this level of training. Within this context, opportunities for individualized training experiences are realized through the choice of major rotations (i.e. two 3 full day training experiences of 6 months duration each), participation in minor rotations (i.e., 1-day training experiences of a duration congruent with the training goals of the minor), and opportunities to provide outpatient treatment to in patient populations of the psychology intern's interest (1/2 day training experiences throughout the duration of the internship).

The EVMS Clinical Psychology Internship Program is part of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Eastern Virginia Medical School. The internship program was founded in 1976 as one of the graduate training programs of Eastern Virginia Medical School. It has maintained full and continuous accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation (CoA) of the American Psychological Association since 1983. The APA Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation Education Directorate is located at 750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242 (T: 202-336-5979). 

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Introduction

The Clinical Psychology Internship Program is part of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Eastern Virginia Medical School. The predoctoral internship in psychology was founded in 1976 as one of the graduate training programs of the Eastern Virginia Medical School. It has maintained full and continuous accreditation by the American Psychological Association since 1983, and provides training for six to seven interns each academic year.

General Description

The Internship subscribes to an apprenticeship model of training which encourages the growth of individual strengths, provides a variety of teaching styles and professional models, and emphasizes the development of the scientist-practitioner. Specific training goals include further development of assessment and psychotherapy skills with a wide range of client populations through involvement in diversified inpatient and outpatient activities.

Interns are also expected to develop leadership and consultative skills within a medical center setting, and function as part of a multi-disciplinary treatment team. Professional development through lectures, seminars, and workshops, and opportunities for clinical research are provided during training. Clinical settings also provide for an opportunity to integrate ethical and administrative issues into an appreciation for treatment issues.

The intern can expect to complete the year with solid general clinical training and a realistic sense of competence commensurate with this stage of training. The major rotation sequence focuses on the development of basic clinical skills. The intern may explore specialty areas through the choice of elective minor rotations and in outpatient work.

Curriculum

The intern completes two major rotations, each lasting six months, and typically consisting of assignment to adult or pediatric medical facilities. The intern spends approximately 24 hours per week in the major rotation. The major rotations provide opportunities for conducting personality, intellectual and neuropsychological assessments; participating in a multi-disciplinary treatment team; and providing group, family and/or individual psychotherapy.

Each intern completes a minor rotation in a primary-care domain tailored to meet the individual intern’s needs. Minors are generally limited to eight hours per week. Minor rotations can be developed in virtually any area within the medical school, but must be approved by the internship director(s). Minors offered in the past have included inpatient consultation-liaison services for primary-care physicians, outpatient primary-care psychology, child and adolescent neuropsychology, eating disorders, obesity, sleep disorders, geriatric primary-care psychology, clinical research projects and outpatient psychotherapy concentrations.

All interns carry a limited outpatient caseload which provides an opportunity for longer term therapy than that permitted by six-month rotations. Efforts are made to assign supervisors based on the intern's interests with respect to therapeutic modality and patient population.

Hour-long seminars are taught or facilitated by full-time and community members of the Medical School faculty. Series vary from year to year and have typically included behavioral medicine, child and adolescent assessment and psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy, sleep disorders, neuropsychology, ethics, professional development and advanced personality assessment.

Application Information

Application and interview information and procedures are available here.

For more information, contact:

Director, Clinical Psychology Internship
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
P.O. Box 1980
Norfolk, VA 23501

757-446-5881
757-446-5918 (Fax)
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