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This web site is intended for psychology interns who are considering the VA for internships. Veterans can find VA health care information at the VISN 2 website. |
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| Program Components |
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Internship Structure
We currently offer five internship positions, all emphasizing a strong scholar-practitioner skill base for psychologists working in large medical settings. There are three training tracks available: the General internship track (comprising 3 of the 5 internship positions), and specialty tracks in Geropsychology and Neuropsychology (1 internship position each). Up to fifty percent of the internship year may be in a specialty area, with the remaining time devoted to enhancing fundamental clinical skills.
The training year is divided into 6 month rotations. Specialty track interns (Geropsychology and Neuropsychology) typically complete a full-time rotation for the first 6 months in their specialty area. Otherwise, rotations are scheduled half-time concurrently for 6 months for all General track interns and for the second half of the year for specialty track interns. Specific rotation assignments are carefully chosen and individualized based on intern experience, training goals, and rotation availability. We have historically been quite flexible in adjusting planned training assignments during the year, in response to intern requests. To the extent possible, interns planning to go on to post-doctoral specialization will be placed within rotations to support their need for experience in the planned area of specialization early in the training year. Candidates must apply to our internship within one or more of our three tracks, but all training rotations are available to all interns, regardless of track.
General Internship Track
The General Track has proven to be an excellent opportunity for predoctoral interns interested in conventional mental health settings (called "behavioral health" in our system) or in a broad range of medical psychology settings. Rotation assignments are based primarily on intern preference, though we also balance assignments to assure breadth of clinical experience, in accord with interns' identified professional development objectives.
Sample General Training Track Rotation Assignments:
Sample 1:
| July Through January |
January - July |
Rotation 1: Behavioral Health Clinic
Rotation 2: Neuropsychology |
Rotation 3: Home Based Primary Care
Rotation 4: Psychosocial Rehab & Recovery Center |
Sample 2:
| July Through January |
January - July |
Rotation 1: Behavioral Medicine
Rotation 2: Behavioral Health Clinic/Acute Inpatient |
Rotation 3: PTSD
Rotation 4: Center for Integrated Healthcare |
Geropsychology Specialty Emphasis Track
Interns in the Geropsychology Track will have the opportunity to learn about and work with geriatric populations for the first half of the training year. Specialty track interns select from all other available rotations in requesting rotation assignments for the second half of the training year.
Sample Geropsychology Track Rotation Assignments:
| July Through January |
January - August |
| Rotation 1: Geropsychology (full-time)
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Rotation 3: Behavioral Health Clinic
Rotation 4: Community Living Center |
Neuropsychology Track Rotation Assignments
Interns in the Neuropsychology Specialty Emphasis Track will have the opportunity to gain entry level competence in Neuropsychology during the first half of the training year. As above, Neuropsychology specialty track interns may select from all other available rotations in requesting rotation assignments for the second half of the training year.
Sample Neuropsychology Track Rotation Assignments:
| August Through February |
March - August |
| Rotation 1: Neuropsychology (full time)
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Rotation 3: Community Living Center
Rotation 4: Primary Care
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Supervision and Mentors
The intern's relationships with training faculty form the backbone of the VAWNYHS Predoctoral Training Program. Based on rotation selection, interns work with a minimum of three different supervisors during the course of the year. In addition, interns form a mentoring relationship with one training faculty member for the primary purpose of enhancing professional development. In addition, multiple other activities and modalities supplement training rotations in rounding out the internship training experience, as illustrated in this schematic.
Supervision
The program abides by APA guidelines regarding supervision. This amounts to a minimum total of four hours per week. Interns meet with individual rotation supervisors for a minimum of two hours per week. It is also expected that supervisors will spend an additional hour working with interns in case conferences, co-therapy, or informal conversations regarding patient care. Additionally, interns attend group supervision for one hour each week. Group supervision provides an opportunity for interns to discuss topics pertinent to all rotations in a collegial environment. Examples of group supervision discussion topics are professional development, minority issues, and ethics.
Mentors
Each intern is required to select a member of the Psychology staff to be a non-supervisory mentor for the training year. These identified mentors have proven to be consistently valuable to interns, as a) information sources for career development, b) advisors in addressing developmental, interpersonal or systemic issues, and c) advocates, in rare instances, when needed.
Intern Seminars and Meetings
Interns attend weekly 2-hour didactic seminars, whose broad content is carefully selected and revised annually based on intern feedback, developing program objectives and available expertise. View 2012-2013 Psychology Seminar Series. In addition, our training program values career-long continuing education. Psychology faculty and interns have the opportunity to attend a variety of teaching conferences, seminars and workshops. , including hospital teaching rounds, presentations sponsored within the community by the SUNY Buffalo School of Medicine and affiliated medical centers, and VA-sponsored trainings. Interns may also apply to the Director of Training to use training hours to attend other workshops or seminars, either local or out of town.
Internship Project
All interns are required to complete and present a project during the course of their training year. The purpose of the project is to expand on rotation clinical activities to further integrate scientific perspective into clinical practice or to engage in program development and outcome assessment. Past projects have most frequently included collaboration with supervisors on research studies, program consultation, design of new clinical programs in response to specific systems objectives, and implementation of new clinical programs, such as therapy groups. Note that the project should be seen primarily as an opportunity for expanded learning experience on the internship and is not intended to be a great evaluative or time burden for interns.
Research Opportunities
Research participation is not required; however, research opportunities are readily available, and interns are welcome to participate in on-going research projects. Training faculty interests are included in staff descriptions. In addition, interns can complete their own projects during the course of the year. Applicants who are interested in pursuing research interests are encouraged to discuss this with the Director of Training.
Internship Funding and Benefits
The VHAWNYHS Predoctoral Psychology Internship Program is funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Academic Affiliations via an annual earmarked allocation to the Medical Center. Stipends are provided to qualified students in APA accredited programs in clinical and counseling psychology, currently at $24,566 for the 2080 hour training year from July to July. Interns are able to participate in employee health insurance programs. There are several options for healthcare coverage and employees pay a portion of the cost via automatic deductions in each paycheck. The cost of coverage is dependent on the health insurance plan selected by the employee. Interns typically train during normal administrative hours (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), although some rotations may have opportunities for evening hours. Interns accrue sick time and vacation time at a rate of 4 hours each per biweekly pay period. Interns are not expected to train on site more than 40 hours weekly without express permission of the Director of Training. Training time is credited for attendance at professional conferences, research and employment interviews.
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