Psychology Internship

Education and Seminars

The Medical School and the College of Health Professions maintain a strong commitment to the education of psychology interns. A number of educational opportunities are offered throughout the training year both on a short and long-term basis.

Psychological and Neuropsychological Evaluation and Diagnosis:  A weekly review of commonly utilized assessment techniques, professional issues in evaluation, differential diagnosis, and case material. Integration of theory and practice and the scientific basis of evaluation are emphasized. Readings from current journals are frequently provided to supplement the material presented in the seminar. Interns are encouraged to bring case material from assessments they are conducting to obtain suggestions from the other interns and instructor. Practice sessions are included to gain experience with measures that are new to the intern.

Psychology and Medical Ethics: A monthly seminar is held that conceptualizes current mental health ethics within a broader framework of biomedical ethics. While didactic, much of the seminar is devoted to the use of cases to highlight ethical dilemmas and to encourage sound ethical judgment.

Child/Pediatric Psychology:  A monthly seminar devoted to issues in the conceptualization, diagnosis, and evidence-based treatment of child and adolescent clients. Contemporary research findings and controversies are highlighted, and guest speakers are frequently invited to present their area of expertise.

Professional Development:  A monthly seminar devoted to issues that the intern faces when moving from the role of a student to that of an independent professional psychologist.  Topics may include an overview of the medical/hospital culture, multidisciplinary team dynamics, applying for post-doctoral positions or first jobs, available careers in research, passing the licensure examination, how insurance affects practice, defining the first five years of your career, the process of board certification, etc. 

Visiting Professor Series:  Speakers from both within the Health Sciences Center and from other local institutions will present on (at least) a monthly basis on a variety of issues.  Interns are expected to contribute to this seminar by either presenting their own research or through the recruitment of 2 speakers in areas of interest to the internship. Past topics have focused on pediatric and adult psychopharmacology, aging, coping with chronic diseases, dyslexia and reading disorders, cultural issues in psychology, dissociative disorders, and working with GLBT clients.

CORE Seminar Series: Throughout the year, CORE invites prominent guest speakers to present their research and stimulate conversation among trainees, supervisors, and experts in their fields. The environment of this seminar provides a unique opportunity to cultivate clinical research ideas and collaborations.

CORE Research Meetings and Journal Club: This group consists of all members of CORE. It meets monthly to review literature on relevant topics, present proposed research projects and grants for feedback, as well as present findings of studies underway.

General Internship Journal and Book Club: A monthly forum is provided to discuss an assigned journal article or book. Interns rotate in acting as the discussion leader for each meeting. Articles are chosen to highlight new areas of practice, assessment, and conceptualization and are focused on areas of inexperience for the intern class, to encourage the interns to “stretch” and challenge themselves beyond their usual zones of comfort. Books chosen are usually treatment manuals outlining new empirically-supported treatments or the extension of empirically supported treatments to new populations. Starting in September, the Journal and Book Club meets monthly in order to allow interns sufficient time to read and critically evaluate the material.