The Psychology Internship Program at the Minneapolis 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 2011). The Minneapolis VAMC had been an internship site under the auspices of the University of Minnesota's APA-accredited doctoral psychology programs since the mid-1940's until independent APA accreditation was granted in 1979. The program is a member of Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers ( APPIC) and abides by it's guidelines.
Training Philosophy and Model
The philosophy of our program is scientist-practitioner. Our program endorses the view that good clinical practice is based on the science of psychology. In turn, the science of psychology is influenced by the experience of working with real patients. As a consequence, our approach to training encourages clinical practice that is evidence-based and consistent with the current state of scientific knowledge. At the same time, we hope to acknowledge the complexities of real patients and the limitations of our empirical base. We aim to produce psychologists who are capable of contributing to the profession by investigating clinically relevant questions through their own clinical research. While individual interns may ultimately develop careers that emphasize one aspect of the scientist-practitioner model more than the other, our expectation is that clinicians will practice from a scientific basis and that scientists will practice with a clinical sensibility.
The primary focus of the internship year is training. Delivery of patient care is an essential vehicle through which training occurs, but is secondary to the educational mission of the internship. Toward this end, interns are encouraged to plan their internship experiences in a manner that maximizes their individual training goals (for example, interns choose their own rotation placements in order to meet their individual training needs).
Our training model is developmental. Interns move from close supervision, mentorship, and intensive instruction to relatively autonomous functioning over the course of the year. Interns take an active and responsible role in developing their training plan and in adjusting it to meet their needs and emerging interests. Through this model, graduating interns develop the competencies and sense of professional identity needed for entry-level positions in psychology.
Our training program is sensitive to individual differences and diversity and is predicated on the idea that psychology practice is improved when we develop a broader and more compassionate view of what it is to be human -- including human variations and differences.
Interns are expected to be active participants in shaping their training experiences in a variety of ways. Interns are required to take responsibility for their own learning by identifying individualized training goals, by self-observation, self-evaluation, and participation in continuing education. Interns are also expected to participate in the development and improvement of the training program itself by providing feedback and evaluation of supervisors and training experiences.
Generalist training is an important foundation for professional competence. Our program is based on the view that a psychologist must be broadly competent before she or he can become a skillful specialist. The internship year is designed to help interns master the common principles and practices that form the foundation of clinical patient care. The acquisition of specific skills, techniques, and conceptual models are considered as means in the service of this aim, rather than as ends in themselves.
Training Goals
The Training Program Model and Philosophy are expressed in the following training goals:
Interns will develop competence in psychological evaluation and assessment of adults with a variety of diagnoses, problems, and needs. Although interns receive supervised training using a wide range of techniques, emphasis is placed on their developing competence in diagnostic interviewing and the administration and scoring of psychometrically-validated instruments assessing personality.
Interns will develop competence in the provision of psychological interventions to adults with a variety of diagnoses, problems, and needs. Interns are exposed to a range of therapeutic orientations, techniques, and approaches and are expected to develop competency in general psychotherapy skills. An emphasis is also placed on developing competency in at least one empirically-supported modality.
Interns will develop competence in providing consultation and supervision and in translating psychological principles to colleagues, trainees, and others. Interns should be able to provide colleagues and trainees with feedback and guidance and to translate psychological principles and findings to professionals from different disciplines.
Interns will demonstrate professional behavior consistent with professional standards and ethical guidelines. They will have a mature understanding of professional ethics as well as issues of ethnic, cultural, gender, and sexual diversity.
Interns will develop maturing professional identities and senses of themselves as "Psychologists." They are expected to be aware of their continuing developmental professional goals (including an area of specialization) and areas needing further development and to possess realistic career plans (as judged by their supervisors), evidenced by vocational or training choices to be pursued upon completion of the program.
Interns will be skilled in the interface between science and practice by applying scientific knowledge to the clinical setting, being educated consumers of empirical research and participating in active research projects or progam evalution, and having competence in one or more empirically-supported methods.
Time Commitment
The internship requires a one-year, full-time training commitment, with interns averaging 40 to 50 hours a week on site.
Supervision
Each week, interns can expect to receive at least 2 hours of individual supervision and at least 2 hours of group supervision at regularly scheduled times. Style and modes of supervision vary. Videotapes, audiotapes, observation, role-plays, process notes, and co-therapy are among the tools used to aid in supervision. Interns receive supervision on their clinical work and reports, their case presentations in team meetings and seminars, their consultative/supervisory work, and their overall professional conduct. Interns should expect to be assigned readings and literature reviews as part of their supervision.
Mentorship
Each intern is assigned a mentor/advisor for the training year. The mentor’s role is to help the intern negotiate the internship program, integrate feedback from various supervisors, and plan for post-internship goals. Mentors meet with interns at least once per training trimester.
Evaluations
Our goal is to produce graduates who are prepared to assume different roles as professional psychologists. The training goals stated above describe the competencies that we feel are essential for this overarching goal and evaluations are necessary to guide and determine our progress in obtaining this goal. When the training year begins, interns are evaluated in several fundamental areas, including diagnostic interviewing, MMPI-2 interpretation, and WAIS-III administration and interpretation. We also conduct baseline self-evaluations which correspond to our training goals as described above. The level of competence displayed will contribute to the intern’s subsequent training goals and plans for the year.
Interns are formally evaluated near the end of each training activity. Evaluations are discussed with interns and may be modified by mutual agreement before being placed in the training files. Interns also are asked to evaluate themselves, their supervisors, and the training program on a regular basis.
Consistent with APA Guidelines and Principles, we have identified clear minimum levels of achievement:
In order for Interns to maintain good standing in the program they must:
By the end of the first training trimester, successfully pass the benchmarks of proficiency with the MMPI-2, WAIS-III, and diagnostic interviewing.
For the first and second training trimester, obtain ratings of at least a "2" "Close supervision and substantial training required" in at least 80% of items for each Goal/Competency area on Trimester Evaluations and the Adjuctive Training Experience Evaluations.
Demonstrate progress in those Goal/Competency areas where less than 80% of items on Trimester Evaluation and the Adjuctive Training Experience Evaluation have been rated at a "4" or higher "Little supervision needed".
Not be found to have engaged in any significant Ethical transgressions
In order for Interns to successfully complete the program, they must:
Successfully meet the benchmarks on the basic proficiency ratings for the MMPI-2, WAIS-III, and diagnostic interviewing.
By the end of the last training period, obtain ratings of at least a "4" "Little supervision needed" in at least 80% of items in each Goal/Competency area on Trimester Evaluation and the Adjuctive Training Experience Evaluation .
Not be found to have engaged in any significant Ethical transgressions
Procedures for due process in cases of problematic performance are in place, as are grievance procedures to be followed by interns and staff alike. A copy of this document may be obtained by clicking on the link above or by using the e-mail address found in the application section of this brochure.
Self Disclosure - The Minneapolis VA Medical Center’s Predoctoral Internship does not require Interns to disclose personal information in the context of their training unless the supervisor feels that such personal information is needed in order to evaluate or obtain assistance for a student whose personal problems are preventing the student from performing professional activities competently or whose problems are posing a threat to the student or others.
Our privacy policy is clear: we will collect no personal information about you when you visit our website.
