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Mental Health Clinical Center Psychology Training Program

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Mental Health Clinical Center Psychology Training Program
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The VA Maryland Health Care System (VAMHCS) offers psychology externship, internship, and fellowship training programs.
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The VA Maryland Health Care System (VAMHCS) is committed to implementing and maintaining a comprehensive Psychology Training Program that will ensure high quality training of psychological services based in the scientist-practitioner model. 

The Psychology Training Program models and instills strong ethical, professional practice, and scholarly values. An emphasis is placed on ensuring that training for psychological services adheres to the policies and procedures outlined by the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Academic Affairs (OAA), VAMHCS, American Psychological Association (APA), and the Association of Post-Doctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC). 

Please note, psychology training positions within the VAMHCS are limited to trainees who are enrolled in or have completed APA-accredited, CPA-accredited, or PCSAS-accredited doctoral level graduate programs in psychology.

Training Verification

Please allow 48 hours for responding to requests for training verification. 

Contact:

Moira Dux, Ph.D.
VAMHCS Psychology Training Program Director
Phone: 410-637-1383 (office) and 443-421-5922 (mobile)
Email: moira.dux@va.gov  

Jovan Bess, B.S.
VAMHCS Psychology Training Program Support Assistant
Email: Jovan.Bess@va.gov

 

Externship Program

Externship practicum opportunities are available to advanced doctoral students from American Psychological Association (APA)-accredited graduate training programs only. Extern positions are currently offered at multiple sites (Baltimore VA Medical Center, Baltimore VA Annex, Perry Point VA Medical Center, and various VA Community Based Outpatient Clinics). Please view the attached brochure for application procedures, externship faculty, and a complete listing of volunteer practicum opportunities offered for the current academic year.

Application due date: Tuesday, February 1st, 2022

Contact:
Arthur Sandt, Ph.D.
Coordinator, Psychology Externship Program
Phone: (410) 605-7369
Email: Arthur.Sandt@va.gov

Psychology Externship Program Brochure (PDF)

Internship Program

The VA Maryland Health Care System/University of Maryland School of Medicine Psychology Internship Consortium is fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association. The next site visit will be during the academic year 2025.

The VAMHCS/UM SOM Psychology Internship Consortium adheres to the scientist-practitioner approach to training. The Consortium applies this model by grounding the content and process of training in research, with the purpose of developing well-rounded and competent psychologists. As one of the few internship training programs recognized by the Academy of Psychological Clinical Science (APCS), the Consortium is particularly interested in applicants from graduate programs that place an equally strong emphasis on scientific study and broad clinical training. For the scientist component, it is expected that applicants have a combination of peer-reviewed publications and professional presentations that clearly demonstrate their skills as a psychological scientist. For the practitioner component, it is expected that applicants have solid foundational training and skills across a broad range of clinical populations, evidence-based practices, and in a wide range of objective psychological assessments. Each of these requisite skills must be clearly addressed in the application and in letters of recommendation. 

To round out existing scientific and clinical skills, extensive efforts are made to tailor the internship training experience to each individual intern's needs and allow a reasonable amount of focused specialization in each intern’s area of emphasis.  Graduates of our program may pursue careers in research or clinical service, but in either case, their training will have prepared them to make a meaningful contribution to the effective care of patients.

For more detailed program information and eligibility requirements, please review the Consortium Brochure below.

Psychology Internship Consortium Brochure (PDF)

Detailed Program Information and Eligibility Requirements

Please click on the following link to view a video that highlights VA-based training tracks:
VA Maryland Health Care System Internship - Training Tracks

Please click on the following link to view a video that highlights UM-based training tracks:
University of Maryland Psychology Internship - Training Tracks

 

Application due: NOVEMBER 7th 11:59 PM EST

Contact: 

Moira Dux, Ph.D.
Psychology Training Program Director
VAMHCS/UM SOM Psychology Internship Consortium
Phone: 410-637-1383 and 443-421-5922 (mobile)
Email: Moira.Dux@va.gov (preferable)

The VAMHCS/UM-SOM Consortium Training Tracks

VA Comprehensive (2 slots available)
APPIC program code: 134711

VA Health Psychology (2 slots available)
APPIC program code: 134713

UM School Mental Health Program/Center for School Mental Health (3 slots available)
 APPIC program code: 134716

 VA Neuropsychology (3 slots available)
APPIC program code: 134717

VA Serious Mental Illness (2 slots available)
 APPIC program code: 134718

VA PTSD/Trauma Recovery Program (2 slots available)
APPIC program code: 134719

UM Clinical High Risk for Psychosis (1 slot available)
APPIC program code: 134714

UM Child Inpatient and Pediatric Consult-Liaison (1 slot available)
 APPIC program code: 134715

Postdoctoral Fellowship Program in Clinical Neuropsychology

The Postdoctoral Fellowship in Clinical Neuropsychology at the Baltimore VA Medical Center is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association. The next site visit will be during the academic year 2024.

The Neuropsychology section will recruit two postdoctoral fellows for the upcoming training cycle. The successful candidates will have completed a specialty training program in neuropsychology or completed an internship with a primary concentration in neuropsychology.

Application procedures are outlined in the program brochure which can be accessed via the link below.

Neuropsychology Postdoctoral Fellowship Program Brochure (PDF)

Application deadline: DECEMBER 30, 2022

Interviews/Recruitment:
Two fellows will be recruited for the 2023-2025 cycle. Interviews will occur virtually over a video-based platform in January of 2023. This fellowship does not participate in the APPCN match.

Contact:

Anjeli B. Inscore, Psy.D., ABPP-CN
Track Coordinator
Phone: (410) 637-1391
Email: anjeli.inscore@va.gov
 

Postdoctoral Fellowship Program in Clinical Psychology

The Postdoctoral Fellowship in Clinical Psychology at the Baltimore VA Medical Center is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association. The next site visit will be during the academic year 2024.

Application deadline: December 30th, 2022

Application procedures are outlined in the program brochure which can be accessed via the link below.

Clinical Psychology Fellowship Brochure (PDF)

The VAMHCS Postdoctoral Fellowship Program in Clinical Psychology has four divisions:

1. Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, Emphasis in PTSD in Returning Veterans

A successful candidate for the Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship Program will have a history of specialty training in PTSD and readjustment concerns. The candidate will demonstrate a commitment to the scientist-practitioner model of psychology as evidenced by history of research on traumatic stress and clinical training in empirically supported treatments for PTSD.

Contact:

Melissa Decker Barone, Psy.D.
PTSD Track Coordinator
Phone: 410-637-1224
Email: Melissa.Barone@va.gov

 

2. Clinical Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship with an Emphasis in HIV and Liver Diseases

This fellowship integrates health psychology and neuropsychology to address the complex behavioral, cognitive, and physical needs of Veterans with HIV and hepatitis C (HCV) and other liver diseases. A competitive candidate will have completed training in health psychology and/or neuropsychology, preferably with experience in working with HIV and/or HCV populations. A successful candidate will also demonstrate a commitment to the scientist-practitioner model of psychology as evidenced by history of research and training in empirically supported treatments relevant to the focus of the fellowship. Application procedures are outlined in the brochure. Except under very unusual circumstances, all application materials must be submitted through the APPA CAS.

Contact:

Meagan Layton, Ph.D.   
Track Coordinator, HIV/Liver Diseases
Office: 410-605-7415;
VA mobile: 443-421-6015
Meagan.Layton@va.gov

 

3. Clinical Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship with an Emphasis in Primary Care – Mental Health Integration

This fellowship has a focus in health psychology within the primary care setting. The PC-MHI fellow will address the complex behavioral, mental and physical needs of Veterans in the primary care setting. A competitive candidate will have completed training in PC-MHI and health psychology. Application procedures are outlined in the brochure. Except under very unusual circumstances, all application materials must be submitted through the APPA CAS. 

Contact:

Melisa Schneider, PsyD
PC-MHI Track Coordinator
Phone: 410-642-2411 ext. 22988
Email: Melisa.Schneider@va.gov

4. Clinical Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship with an Emphasis in Substance Use Disorders

This fellowship emphasizes the functional and contextual basis of addictive behaviors and its interaction with the complex behavioral, mental, and physical needs of Veterans who present with substance use disorders (SUD). A successful candidate will have training and interest in both SUD and contextual-behavioral therapies, and preferably have experience working with Veterans with addictions issues. Embodiment of the scientist-practitioner model, including utilization of empirically-supported assessment and intervention and engagement in clinically-oriented research, is strongly valued.

Contact:

James Finkelstein, Psy.D.
Co-Track Coordinator
Phone: 410-605-7427
Email: James.Finkelstein2@va.gov 

Arthur Sandt, Ph.D.
Co-Track Coordinator
Phone: 410-605-7369
Email: Arthur.Sandt@va.gov

VA Advanced Fellowship Program in Mental Illness Research and Treatment

VISN 5 Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC)

The VA Advanced Fellowship Program in Mental Illness Research and Treatment at the VISN 5 MIRECC has one post-doctoral fellowship position and one post-residency fellowship position in Mental Illness Research and Treatment. The goal of these two-year fellowships is to train psychologists and psychiatrists to become leading clinical researchers in the area of serious mental illness. The fellowship program provides opportunities for excellent training in psychosocial treatment development, family and community interventions, health services and implementation research, and research in psychopharmacology. Fellows engage in supervised clinical training, and in delivering clinical services both in settings that serve Veterans with serious mental illness as well as in other programs within fellows’ areas of interest. In addition, fellows participate in educational activities with local, VISN-wide, and national reach within VA and benefit from academic experiences focused on biostatistical methods, health informatics, grant writing, and overall career development. Fellows spend approximately 65% of their time in research-related research and clinical activities, 25% of their time in clinical service and training activities, and 10% of their time in didactic and administrative activities. We are committed to ensuring a range of diversity among within our Fellowship and welcome applications from candidates representing different geographic areas, ages, racial and ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientations, disabilities, and life experiences. We are one of 25 sites in the national VA Advanced Fellowship Program in Mental Illness Research and Treatment and are affiliated with the University of Maryland, School of Medicine, providing an outstanding collaborative and interdisciplinary setting for fellows interested in research on interventions and recovery among individuals with serious mental illness. Our Fellowship Program follows the broad organizational structure of the national program, which aims to provide clinical research activities in concert with clinical experiences over a two-year time frame. 

https://www.mirecc.va.gov/visn5/research/fellowship.asp

Contact:

Melanie Bennett, Ph.D.
Fellowship Director
(410) 637-1859
Melanie.Bennett@va.gov

Psychology Training Program Policies

Trainee Due Process and Grievance Procedures (PDF)
Psychology Training Program SOP (PDF)
Psychology Trainee Scope of Practice (PDF)