The goal of the Psychology Internship Training Program is to prepare Interns for competent entry into the increasingly complex roles of Clinical or Counseling Psychologists. The program adheres to a Practitioner-Scholar model. The training of new psychologists is regarded as a serious responsibility by our staff with significant investment of time and energy in all facets of the Training Program.

The didactic and clinical experiences of this program are designed to facilitate the professional attitudes, competencies and personal resources essential to the provision of high quality patient care in contemporary psychological services. As mentors, the staff seeks to demonstrate and encourage Intern participation in the professional roles of clinician, consultant, team member, supervisor, evaluator, researcher and crisis intervenor. The professional growth and development of Interns is enhanced by consistent supervision, varied clinical responsibilities with diverse patient populations, and continued didactic training. At a minimum, Interns are expected to achieve competencies in assessment/ diagnostics, a variety of therapy modalities (i.e. individual therapy, group therapy), treatment planning and consultation, as well as demonstrate a clear understanding of the ethical and professional responsibilities of a psychologist. Issues of diversity and individual differences are addressed as they relate to each of these competencies. Each rotation description specifies primary and secondary competency objectives that may be fulfilled by that training opportunity.

Graduate Achievements/Placements

Of particular interest to applicants is the successful transition of our graduating Interns to professional positions. Former Interns are now employed in a variety of institutional and private practice settings in the Tampa Bay area, as well as in several other areas of the country. In addition, several of our Interns have elected to do post doctoral fellowships after completion of their Internships and our Interns have been very successful in obtaining fellowships in several programs across the country.

Professional Employment in the VA

One of the goals of professional training in the VA is to establish a pool of well-trained, competent psychologists for potential employment in the VA. To this end, the Office of Personnel Management maintains a Student Registry, which allows for more rapid placement of VA trained Psychology Interns in GS-11 psychologist positions. Application to this register occurs during the third and fourth rotations and eligibility continues for one year following award of the doctoral degree. As a VA Intern, you are able to access VA vacancy listings and initiate employment inquiries both locally and nationally. We encourage active exploration of VA employment opportunities and assist our Interns with formal and informal networking activities.

Accreditation

The Psychology Internship Training Program at the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System is an APA accredited program, which offers pre-doctoral training to clinical and counseling psychology students from APA accredited universities and schools of professional psychology. Bay Pines has trained pre-doctoral Interns since 1971 and has been fully accredited by APA since 1981. For additional information, the APA can be contacted at: