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Psychology training programs

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Psychology training at VA Boston with affiliates BU School of Medicine and Harvard Medical School., across the practicum, internship and fellowship levels.
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Welcome to psychology training at VA Boston Healthcare System and our training partnerships with academic affiliates Boston University School of Medicine and Harvard Medical School. We are a premier destination for general and specialized training in health service psychology across all levels, including practicum, internship and fellowship.

The VA Boston Psychology Internship Training Program and the VA Boston Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship Program -- both the Clinical Psychology and Clinical Neuropsychology programs -- are accredited by the American Psychological Association.*
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Psychology Internship Training Program

The VA Boston Healthcare System Psychology Internship Training Program is a yearlong training program located among the campuses of the VA Boston Healthcare System. The internship is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association.* The internship is a member of the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC) and is one of 12 internship members of the Academy of Psychological Clinical Science (APCS).

The internship seeks candidates from APA-accredited and Canadian Psychological Association (CPA)-accredited programs in Clinical, Counseling, or Combined psychology; or Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS)-accredited programs in Clinical Science. Our training program provides a wide variety of opportunities to work with Veterans on three different VA campuses.

Structure

Interns will train in two rotations: a “Primary” (Match 8-month) rotation, as well as a “Secondary” (4-month) rotation, which is selected to assure a sufficient breadth of experience for our interns. Because each rotation has a distinct APPIC match (program) number, the results of the Match assure interns their assignment to a specific 8-month rotation. Assignments to the four-month rotation, selection of research mentors, and the opportunities for adjunctive training experiences (ATE) and supervisors, are guided by our interns' other interests and training needs, which are discussed in detail after the Match results (and 8-month rotation) are known. All interns have complementary training experiences, including: ATE, which may involve work in a different clinic or with a different population than those found within the intern’s two major clinical rotations; scholarly inquiry / research activities; and a weekly seminar series. Depending on their interests and qualifications, interns also may arrange to do a research externship, which would expand opportunities and available time for scholarly inquiry activities.

Rotations

For 2023 – 2043, intern training takes place within the following 12 rotations, spread across three VA Boston medical center campuses:

  • Addictions and Co-Occurring Disorders at Jamaica Plain
  • Behavioral Medicine at Jamaica Plain
  • Center for Returning Veterans at Jamaica Plain
  • General Mental Health at Jamaica Plain and Brockton
  • Geropsychology at Brockton and Jamaica Plain
  • Neuropsychology at Jamaica Plain and West Roxbury
  • Primary Care Behavioral Health at Jamaica Plain and Brockton
  • PTSD Clinical Team at Jamaica Plain
  • Rehabilitation Psychology at West Roxbury and Brockton
  • Substance Use Disorder - Spectrum of Treatment at Brockton
  • Trauma and Addictions Recovery at Brockton
  • Women’s Trauma and Recovery Team at Jamaica Plain
Application information
  • Minimum Number of AAPI Hours: 400 (combined Intervention and Assessment hours)
  • Minimum Number of Years of Graduate Training Required: 3
  • Application Due Date: Closed Nov. 1, 2022
  • Candidates should identify up to two and no more than (2) rotations in their cover letter as potential Primary or “Match” rotations; in effect, this constitutes a request for their application to be reviewed by those two specific potentials 8-month rotations.
Diversity and culturally-informed care

As a training program, we have a strong commitment to providing high-quality training in culturally responsive clinical care, to attracting interns from diverse backgrounds, and to creating an inclusive and welcoming training culture. Our patient population is diverse and interns will have opportunities to work with Veterans with diverse identities, including (but not limited to) Veterans of Color and LGBTQ+ Veterans. Applications are welcomed from candidates committed to culturally-responsive care. We also welcome applications from candidates from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences, including those historically underrepresented in psychology.  We are very interested in learning more about your lived and/or professional experience related to diversity and culturally responsive care, and we encourage you to provide some brief information about this in your cover letter.

Learn more about our Internship Training Program by downloading our new 2023-2024 Training Brochure! (PDF)
Internship admissions, support and initial placement information (PDF)

Contact:

Colleen Sloan, Ph.D.

Director of Training,
VA Boston Psychology Internship Training Program

Phone: 857-364-5983

Email: colleen.sloan2@va.gov

*APA Accreditation Information

Questions related to the program’s accredited status should be directed to the Commission on Accreditation:

Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
American Psychological Association
750 1st Street NE
Washington, D.C. 20002

Phone: 202-336-5979
E-mail: apaaccred@apa.org
https://accreditation.apa.org/

Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship

The Fellowship Program at the VA Boston Healthcare System is a multiple practice program including the substantive traditional practice of Clinical Psychology and the specialty practice of Clinical Neuropsychology. Both programs are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association*. Our next Site Visit will be in 2024. Please note that we are in the process of seeking accreditation in the specialty practice area of Clinical Health Psychology. Fellows admitted to the Behavioral Medicine Track of the accredited Clinical Psychology Program will be required to meet competencies of both the accredited Clinical Psychology Program and competencies consistent with APA accreditation in Clinical Health Psychology.

The VA Boston Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship Program seeks candidates who have received a doctorate from an APA or CPA accredited graduate program in Clinical, Counseling, or Combined Psychology, or PCSAS accredited Clinical Science program. Persons with a doctorate in another area of psychology who meet the APA or CPA criteria for respecialization training in Clinical, Counseling, or Combined Psychology are also eligible. In addition, candidates must have completed an internship program accredited by APA or CPA or have completed a VA-sponsored internship.

Within the Clinical Psychology Training Program, we offer training in seven major areas of emphasis (“tracks”). 

For the 2023 - 2024 training year, we will be recruiting 14 postdoctoral fellows in seven areas

  • Addiction Recovery (previously Dual Diagnosis and Addictions and Co-Occurring Disorders)

  • Behavioral Medicine

  • Interprofessional General Mental Health

  • Geropsychology

  • LGBTQ+ Health Care

  • Post-Deployment Readjustment and Trauma-Related Disorders, and

  • Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Within the Clinical Neuropsychology Training Program, we offer broad neuropsychology training. For the 2023 – 2025 training years (please note the two-year training program), we will be recruiting two postdoctoral fellows.

Application Due Dates:

  • Clinical Neuropsychology Training Program: Thursday, December 1, 2022 at 12:00AM EST

  • Clinical Psychology Training Program: Thursday, December 15, 2022 at 12:00AM EST

To learn more about each of the above positions and the full application process, please download the training brochure of interest below. All applications will be submitted using the APPA CAS portal.

Available Materials to Download:

2023-2024 VA Boston Clinical Psychology Fellowship Training Brochure (PDF)
2022-2024 VA Boston Clinical Neuropsychology Fellowship Training Brochure (PDF)

APA requires the inclusion of the following information:

Clinical Fellowship Training Program - Postdoctoral Residency Admissions, Support and Initial Placement Data (PDF)
Clinical Neuropsychology Training Program - Postdoctoral Residency Admissions, Support and Initial Placement Data (PDF)

Contacts:

Staff profile
Amy Silberbogen
Staff profile
Laura Grande
*APA Accreditation Information

Questions related to the program’s accredited status should be directed to the Commission on Accreditation:

Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
American Psychological Association
750 1st Street NE
Washington, D.C. 20002

Phone: 202-336-5979
E-mail: apaaccred@apa.org
https://accreditation.apa.org/

Psychology Practicum Training Program

The Psychology Practicum Program provides focused clinical training to advanced graduate students (typically third year students or higher) in psychology. Training emphasizes provision of clinical services to Veterans in a variety of specialty areas, as listed below. Experiences are designed to be cumulative, with the student acquiring and developing appropriate levels of mastery in a variety of assessment and psychotherapeutic skills over the course of practicum. Supervision is extensive, with students receiving orientation to both VA Boston Healthcare System and Mental Health Service policies. Regularly scheduled meetings with an assigned supervisor are required.

The VA Boston Psychology Practicum Program is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming training culture, and practicum students will have opportunities to work with Veterans with diverse identities.

Rotations

For 2023-2024, practicum training takes place within the following nine rotations, spread across two VA medical center campuses. Please note, each rotation has required days for attendance that vary across rotations...

VA BOSTON HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, JAMAICA PLAIN CAMPUS:

  • PTSD Clinical Team
  • Women’s Trauma Recovery Team (WTRT)
  • Substance Abuse Treatment Program
  • Behavioral Medicine
  • Neuropsychology
  • Center for Returning Veterans

VA BOSTON HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, BROCKTON CAMPUS:

  • Inpatient Mental Health Services
  • Rehabilitation Psychology Program
  • Women’s Integrated Treatment & Recovery Program (WITRP)

Please also note that the listed practica do not meet Massachusetts requirements as Advanced Practicum, and as a result, will not qualify as clinical hours for Massachusetts licensure.

Application information
  • Open Date for Affiliate Students (Harvard and Boston University) – Monday, Nov. 28, 2022
  • Open Date for Non-Affiliate Students – Monday Dec. 5, 2022
  • Closing Date for all applications – Monday, Jan. 9, 2023
Cover letter from Dr. Ametrano, program director (PDF)
2023-2024 Practicum Program brochure (PDF)
2023-2024 application form (PDF)

Contact:

Staff profile
Rebecca Ametrano