Psychology Internship Program Handbook

VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System 

Psychology Internship Program

Department of Veteran Affairs 
Ioannis A. Lougaris VA Medical Center

APPIC MATCH Number Program Code: 143911

Applications Due: Wednesday, November 4, 2025, 7:59 p.m. Pacific

The information provided in this brochure is designed to provide a general description of our program and medical center setting. We look forward to answering any specific questions you might have by e-mail or telephone. 

Contact Information

The program Training Director is Nicola De Paul, Ph.D. 

Email nicola.depaul2@va.gov; phone 775-326-2920 
VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System 
Reno, Nevada  
Mental Health Service (116)  
975 Kirman Avenue 
Reno, NV 89502 
 
https://www.va.gov/sierra-nevada-health-care/

Accreditation Status

The pre-doctoral internship at the VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System is fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association. Our most recent APA accreditation site visit was in December of 2019, and we were subsequently reaccredited for 10 years.

Contact information for the APA Commission on Accreditation is: 

Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation 
American Psychological Association 
750 First Street, NE 
Washington, DC  20002-4242 
202-336-5979
TDD/TTY: 202-336-6123
Fax: 202-336-5978
apaaccred@apa.org

Application & Selection Procedures 

OUR APPIC INTERNSHIP MATCHING PROGRAM CODE # IS 143911. 

Our internship offers full-time, generalist training in the practice of professional psychology within a multidisciplinary Veterans Affairs medical center. We accept 4 interns per year. Our program is fully accredited by the American Psychological Association and complies with all standards and regulations of the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC), as well as APPIC Match Policies and Procedures. The 2026-27 training year begins on Monday, July 13, 2026 and ends on July 9, 2027.

Our program utilizes the APPIC Application for Psychology Internship (AAPI) process. This means students only need to complete one application for all APPIC registered sites. The AAPI is available through the APPIC web site, www.appic.org. Please go to the APPIC web site for more information on accessing and completing the online application, as well as application deadlines.

Please be aware that the “Academic Program’s Verification of Internship Eligibility and Readiness” form is to be submitted ELECTRONICALLY to the internship site by your graduate training director. Instructions regarding this part of the application process are contained in the online AAPI.                                                          

Completed applications are initially reviewed by the Training Director to screen for basic eligibility. Enrollment in an APA-approved doctoral program in clinical or counseling psychology and completion of the dissertation or project proposal are required. Applicants must be students in an APA-, CPA, or PCSAS-accredited or provisionally-accredited PhD or PsyD program in Clinical or Counseling Psychology and be approved for internship by their program’s Director of Clinical Training. Other eligibility requirements are listed below.

After initial review by the Training Director, applications meeting basic eligility requirements are reviewed by two staff psychologists and then ranked according to a number of criteria, including number of practicum hours, assessment and intervention experience; variety and quality of practicum placements; and letters of recommendation. Applicants’ cover letters and responses to essay questions on the AAPI are also reviewed to gauge the “goodness of fit” between the student and our training site. We seek applicants who have a strong academic foundation and who have mastered basic skills in standard assessment and intervention techniques from their practicum experience.     

Veterans are a diverse population and typcially present with complex and co-occurring medical and psychiatric symptoms. We prefer applicants who demonstrate an interest in this population through their past exposure to similar training experiences and articulation of such interest in terms of future career goals. See the section at the end of this brochure Program Tables - Admissions, Support, and Placement Data, for more information.

As part of the application process, we hold interviews by invitation only. All our interviews will be conducted online. If you cannot make arrangements for videoconference-based interviews, we will attempt to schedule telephone interviews. Instructions for interviews will be sent when applicants are notified of interview invitations. If interviewees desire a visit to our facility, we will make every effort to accommodate your visit, but in-person visits will not be considered in our selection process.

We greatly value diverse experiences and backgrounds as the building blocks of a rich training environment. As such, the program emphasizes respect for trainees, patients, and staff members representing all forms of diversity, including (but not limited to) ethnicity, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, veteran status, and political affiliation. Interns are entitled to equal treatment in selection decisions and freedom from harassment or unfair treatment. If an intern feels that any form of discrimination is occurring, he/she is encouraged to discuss this with the Training Director and/or follow the grievance processes which are outlined in our program handbook and/or VA Equal Employment Opportunity policies. 

The program seeks to obtain a diverse intern class while selecting the most qualified candidates, and individuals from diverse backgrounds are particularly encouraged to apply. The VA is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and the training program follows institutional guidelines in this regard. 

Our agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify Dr. De Paul, the internship Training Director, by telephone or email. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Invitation to Interview

Applicants will be notified regarding invitiations to interview with us no later than Friday, December 5, 2025 via e-mail. If you do not have an e-mail address, you will need to phone the Training Director to inquire as to your status. Dr. De Paul’s phone is 775-326-2920.

Video Based: We will only be conducting virtual interviews via videoconference. 

 Open House: You will join other applicants in a group Open House in the morning and will participate in group Q&A sessions with the Training Director, current Psychology Interns, and rotation supervisors. 

 Individual Interviews: You will participate in two individual interviews, which will be scheduled with program faculty and current interns. The interviews are evaluated according to several factors, including your responses to questions about difficult situations you’ve handled in the past, questions about difficult diagnostic dilemmas and treatment challenges you’ve faced, and how well our site aligns with your training needs and interests. You will be presented with a case description so that you can respond to structured questions about diagnostic impressions, assessment strategies you might consider using to assist with diagnosis, and possible treatment modalities or further referral you might recommend.

INTERVIEW DATES FOR 2026-2027 TRAINING YEAR: 

If you are invited for an interview, we will ask that you make a firm commitment to one of the dates listed below. 

Alternative dates may be considered on a case-by-case basis and must be scheduled within three business days of the regularly scheduled interview dates (no exceptions will be made). Failure to take part in a scheduled video interview will result in your application being withdrawn from consideration. 

Please block your calendar for the full day on your selected interview date. All interview activities will take place between 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM PST. 

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Thursday, January 15, 2026

Our program is participating in the APPIC Match Program, so you will need to obtain an Applicant Agreement Package from National Matching Services, Inc in order to register for the Match. You can download the Applicant Agreement form at https://natmatch.com/psychint/. If you do not register, you will not be eligible to match with any APPIC programs. We recommend that you carefully review the official APPIC Match Policies and the Internship Matching Program Schedule of Dates, which are also available at https://www.appic.org/.

If you have questions regarding APPIC procedures, their telephone number is . The number for National Matching Services is . 

For your application to be complete we must receive the following materials by November 4, 2025: 

• Online APPIC Application for Psychology Internship (AAPI).
• Your Curriculum Vitae – to be submitted as part of online AAPI.
• Three letters of recommendation – to be submitted as part of online AAPI.
• Graduate school transcripts – to be submitted as part of online AAPI.
• Your Academic Program Verification of Internship Eligibility and Readiness form.
• submitted by your academic program’s Director of Training as part of the online AAPI.

Any inquiries about our application process can be submitted to: 
Nicola De Paul, PhD 
Training Director 
Mental Health Service (116)  
VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System  
975 Kirman Avenue 
Reno, NV 89502  
Phone: 775-326-2920 or Email: nicola.depaul2@va.gov 

All application materials must be submitted electronically, as part of the online AAPI. 

Please read all relevant instructions to ensure transcripts, letters of recommendation, and the Academic Program Vertification of Internship Eligibility and Readiness forms are submitted in a timely manner. 

Please carefully review the Eligibility Requirements for All VA Psychology Internship Programs. Failure to meet eligibility requirements will result in your application being withdrawn from consideration. 

Applications not completed by 11:59 pm EST (8:59 pm PST) on November 4, 2025 will not be considered, even if portions of the application have been submitted prior to that date and time.

As a member of the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Predoctoral Internship Centers (APPIC), our program follows all APPIC policies regarding the intern selection process. This internship site strictly abides by the APPIC policy that no person at this training facility will solicit, accept, or use any ranking related information from any applicant. You are encouraged to read or download the complete text of their regulations governing program membership and the match process from APPIC’s Website. Our privacy policy is clear: We will not collect personal information about you when you visit our website. We do not require self-disclosure of sensitive personal information during our interviews.

Eligibility Requirements for all VA Psychology Internship Programs

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) adheres to all Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action policies.  As a Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Health Professions Trainee (HPT), you will receive a federal appointment, and the following requirements will apply prior to that appointment: 

U.S. Citizenship. HPTs who receive a direct stipend (pay) must be U.S. citizens.  Trainees who are not VA paid (without compensation-WOC) who are not U.S. citizens may be appointed and must provide current immigrant, non-immigrant or exchange visitor documents. 

U.S. Social Security Number.  All VA appointees must have a U.S. social security number (SSN) prior to beginning the pre-employment, on-boarding process at the VA.

Selective Service Registration.  Male applicants born after 12/31/1959 must have registered for the Selective Service by age 26 to be eligible for U.S. government employment, including selection as a paid or WOC VA trainee. For additional information about the Selective Service System, and to register or to check your registration status visit https://www.sss.gov/. 

Fingerprint Screening and Background Investigation. All HPTs will be fingerprinted and undergo screenings and background investigations. Additional details about the required background checks can be found at the following website: https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/10450.html.

Drug Testing. Per Executive Order 12564, the VA strives to be a Drug-Free Workplace.  HPTs are not drug-tested prior to appointment but are subject to random drug testing throughout the entire VA appointment period. You will be asked to sign an acknowledgement form stating you are aware of this practice. 

Affiliation Agreement. To ensure shared responsibility between an academic program and the VA there must be a current and fully executed Academic Affiliation Agreement on file with the VHA Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA). The affiliation agreement delineates the duties of VA and the affiliated institution. Most APA-accredited doctoral programs have an agreement on file.  

TQCVL. To streamline on-boarding of HPTs, VHA Office of Academic Affiliations requires completion of a Trainee Qualifications and Credentials Verification Letter (TQCVL). An Educational Official at the Affiliate (university or professional school) must complete and sign this letter. 

Health Requirements.  Among other things, the TQCVL confirms that you, the trainee, are fit to perform the essential functions (physical and mental) of the training program and immunized following current Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines and VHA policy. Required are annual tuberculosis screening, Hepatitis B vaccine, and the annual influenza vaccine. If you decline the flu vaccine you will be required to wear a mask while in patient care areas of the VA. 

Primary source verification of all prior education and training is certified via the TQCVL. Training and Program Directors will be contacting the appropriate institutions to ensure you have the appropriate qualifications and credentials as required by the admission criteria of the training program in which you are enrolled.

Additional On-boarding Forms. Additional pre-employment forms include the Application for Health Professions Trainees (VA 10-2850D) and the Declaration for Federal Employment (OF 306). 

Proof of Identity per VA. VA on-boarding requires presentation of two source documents (IDs).  Documents must be unexpired and names on both documents must match.  

Information on eligibility is also available at: https://www.va.gov/oaa/hpt-eligibility.asp

Additional information regarding eligibility requirements:

Trainees receive term employee appointments and must meet eligibility requirements for appointments as outlined in VA Handbook 5005 Staffing, Part II, Section B. Appointment Requirements and Determinations. See 5005-112 at the following link for more information:  https://www.va.gov/vapubs/search_action.cfm?dType=2

Health Professions Trainees (HPTs) are appointed as temporary employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs. As such, HPTs are subject to laws, policies, and guidelines posted for VA staff members.  There are infrequent times in which this guidance can change during a training year which may create new requirements or responsibilities for HPTs.  If employment requirements change during a training year, HPTs will be notified of the change and impact as soon as possible and options provided. The Training Director will provide you with the information you need to understand the requirements and reasons for the requirement in timely manner.

Program Overview 

The VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System serves one of the largest geographical areas in the VA system. This area includes much of northern Nevada and northeastern California (some 380,000 square miles) with an estimated Veteran population of close to 53,000. Our system also includes outpatient VA clinics located in Minden, NV, Fallon, NV, and Susanville, CA.

The internship is a generalist program designed to prepare clinical and counseling psychologists for competent and responsible professional work in the postdoctoral year or in entry-level positions. Clinical experience is supplemented by a variety of educational offerings and the opportunity to participate in leadership activities and/or clinical research, quality improvement, or program evaluation.

Clinical experience is gained during three four-month-long clinical rotations and year-long supplemental placements. The rotation system is designed with enough flexibility that interns can obtain depth and breadth of experience, depending upon one's training needs. Prior to selecting rotations, interns receive current information about the experiences available in each rotation and are aided in reviewing their own individual goals (as well as areas of strength and growth needs) and prior experience in the interest of obtaining a well-rounded internship

Mission of the program     

Training provided through the psychology training programs supports the mission of VASNHCS, "to dedicate our talents and efforts to improving the lives, health, and well-being of our Veterans, our team, and our partners," and the national VA Missions of patient care, education, research, and service as a backup national health care system.

The training program has a specific mission, as captured in the following statement:

It is the mission of the Psychology Internship Training Program at the VASNHCS to ensure that Veterans and others across the nation have continuing access to highly qualified psychological staff, thoroughly trained in serving Veterans and others in need of psychologists' services, from a generalist perspective, with a scholar-practitioner orientation, based in diverse clinical experiences and a sensitivity to and knowledge about the influence on these services of ethnic, cultural, and individual differences.

Philosophy of the program     

The internship program is based on a generalist model of training, with a scholar-practitioner orientation. As such, interns are expected to engage in a wide variety of clinical activities during their internship year which complement and expand upon earlier experiences, as well as provide for new and varied experiences. It is expected that interns will seek current scientific knowledge and use the professional literature to support and enhance their practice. Practical skills should have a strong psychological knowledge base as their underpinning. Interns may work with special populations or with specialized techniques, but the emphasis of their training at the VA SNHCS is to develop broad, general clinical skills, which can be adapted to various practice settings once they complete their degree. The philosophy of the training program is not tied to a specific theory. Rather, the philosophy is open-ended, inclusive, and developmental. It is designed to offer the intern a broad range of clinical experiences and challenges.

The intern is expected to seek out and be exposed to a wide array of patients and problems and will work with a variety of programs and supervisors. The intern is expected to refine already-acquired skills and develop greater expertise in the general areas of assessment and therapy. Given the geographic and cultural diversity of the Sierra Nevada VA population, interns are also expected to have exposure to clinical experiences with patients who represent a cross-section of our region and to acquire sensitivity to and knowledge of cultural differences, as well as other individual differences that influence the way services are provided. 

The training program represents the highest values and highest quality of care provided by the psychology department. Interns’ values, enthusiasm, commitment to going above and beyond, and unique cultural perspectives enhance our team’s diversity and commitment to excellence. These characteristics serve to increase the overall quality of patient care provided to our Veteran population. Supervisors will provide knowledge, skills, practical guidance and support as the intern handles diagnostic and therapeutic issues, while further integrating clinical experience with academic knowledge.

Each intern’s specific learning goals are an important part of the internship experience.  While the internship strives to provide variety and breadth of experiences, we aim to develop a training plan which balances each intern’s unique needs and interests with our overall commitment to provide broad generalist training. The Executive Committee will evaluate all intern training plans to ensure the selected experiences support each intern’s training plan, training needs, and the program's training philosophy.

The aims and competencies for the internship mirror the training philosophy as follows:

• Intern competency in the professional role (including self-awareness), ethics, and legal knowledge in a clinical/medical center setting.
• Intern competency in diversity skills (especially understanding and treatment of rural Veterans and other underserved populations).
• Intern competency in assessment and case conceptualization skills.
• Intern competency in interventions skills.
• Intern competency in sharing and application of psychological knowledge via teaching and consultation.
• Intern competency in evaluation, including integration of research and practice.

These areas translate into the following aims in six areas: general professional and ethical behavior; individual and cultural diversity; theories and methods of effective psychological assessment and diagnosis; theories and methods of effective psychotherapeutic intervention; teaching and/or training; research and/or program evaluation. Each of these core aims is translated into specific areas of knowledge and competencies.

While the graduate program assumes the initial and major responsibility for didactic and clinical preparation, the internship has the responsibility to expand such learning. In addition to didactics and lectures as means by which to accomplish this, internship learning may include peer consultation, co-therapy, clinical case conferences, interprofessional meetings for therapeutic planning and treatment coordination, observation of faculty providing clinical services, and use of audio and/or video recordings.

VASNHCS and the psychologists on its professional staff place high priority on clinical services and quality of care. The quality of care for the patients seen by the intern is an integral part of the training philosophy, identifying the need for high quality training to ensure the provision of high-quality care. Though training takes priority over simple production requirements, preparing the intern for the demands of a changing health care arena (including those related to productivity, efficiency, and accountability) is seen as a critical part of the internship training experience. Consequently, the intern is expected to be a productive and contributing member of the professional staff, and to the extent that training goals should reflect the realistic demands of practice, issues of productivity, accountability, and professional engagement will be routinely addressed with the intern. Clear expectations will be set by each rotation supervisor for productivity and timeliness of service delivery within that rotation.

The internship program strives to include the most current strategies of assessment and treatment. The internship program further advocates for the provision of psychological services in non-traditional settings and to non-psychiatric populations for non-psychiatric problems to the extent that a solid psychological knowledge base exists to support these systems. The internship program does not require that services be limited to manualized interventions but does expect interns are able to discuss the psychological knowledge relevant to the treatment to be used and expects all interventions are evidence-based.   

The internship program is greatly enhanced by the "natural" resource of the realistic, day-to-day demands on VA psychologists.  Psychologists receive a wide range of referrals for assessment, therapy, and consultation. In addition, the organization has great demands for flexibility in scheduling, definition of roles, and tasks to be completed. Interns are treated as much as possible like any other professional psychologist within the system. Specific training activities may be developed to allow the intern to observe or participate in alternative roles and functions to the traditional clinical roles. In addition, the amount of clerical and administrative activities demanded of the intern should be comparable to, but no more than, those expected of the faculty. Wherever possible, interns should have access to the same clerical support as their immediate supervisors. Interns are expected to conform to the organizational demands, learning the same flexibility and adaptive skills as their psychologist role models. This approach enables interns to be adequately prepared for entry level engagement as a professional psychologist. 

Interns have worked hard in graduate school to become professionals; the program expects interns will conduct themselves in a professional manner throughout the training program. This includes a wide range of behaviors including (but not limited to) using effective interpersonal skills, engaging in mature resolution of interpersonal conflict, being timely to work duties, being attentive during didactics and meetings, and attending to the administrative and clinical duties of a professional position. Examples of not engaging in a professional manner include: using cell phones to text non-business related information or watching You Tube videos during work-related obligations, engaging in toxic gossip, being non-attentive in didactic seminars, procrastinating on documentation, doing other work during virtual meetings (inclusive of keeping webcams off in order to multitask), not being on time for work or other obligations, and not engaging in a collegial manner within the facility. As a program, we know that part of the development of an intern is learning how to function as a professional. The Training Director, staff, and mentors are available to help interns problem-solve difficult situations and further develop a professional skill set. 

Training versus service     

The VA hires interns for the purpose of training them for practice in clinical psychology, not to meet staffing needs. Accordingly, training goals (both those identified as areas of interest of the intern as well as those programmatically identified as needed) will take precedence over treatment program needs. The Executive Committee expects each supervisor to provide experiences for the intern in keeping with that principle. For example, the supervisor will monitor the intern's patient-load weekly and provide oversight related to either having too few clinical cases to obtain satisfactory clinical training or from clinical overload that might interfere with good training. As previously noted, one of the primary objectives of the training program is to prepare the intern for the realities of practice. Thus, areas of productivity, efficient use of time, compliance with agency demands and expectations, and accountability will be routinely monitored and included among areas evaluated across the training year.

Trainee self-disclosure

Consistent with the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct, psychology trainees at VASNHCS are generally not required to self-disclose sensitive topics (e.g., sexual history, history of abuse and neglect, psychological treatment or conditions, and relationships with parents/family members, peers, and spouses or significant others) during application to the program or during the course of training. The primary exception is in situations in which a trainee's personal problems or condition could reasonably be judged to put patient care, the trainee, or clinical and educational operations at risk. This policy is designed to balance the importance of trust and personal privacy in the supervisory relationship with the supervisor's responsibility for care of the patient and for the safety of all staff members and trainees. In cases when self-disclosure of personal information is necessary, the required disclosure is limited to circumscribed information related to managing the specific clinical, safety, or patient care concern. It should also be noted that disclosure might be included as an optional exercise in a learning experience. For example, trainees are sometimes invited to engage in discussion about their various cultural identities as part of diversity exercises or case conceptualization.

Diversity and multicultural statement     

VASNHCS recognizes and values that psychology staff and trainees will have an opportunity to work with Veterans from a multitude of diverse backgrounds who differ in terms of culture, age, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national origin, religion and or belief system, ability, body size, income and many other forms of diversity. As such, the program emphasizes respect for trainees, patients, and staff members representing all forms of diversity, including (but not limited to) race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, Veteran status, and other group identities.  VASNHCS values diversity and expects all staff and trainees to demonstrate that value in all actions. It is the training program policy that psychologists and psychology trainees cannot exempt themselves from working with any of these or other diverse groups of persons for political, religious, or other reasons as it would constitute a form of unfair discrimination against a group of people. Interns are entitled to equal treatment in selection decisions and freedom from harassment, or unfair treatment.  If an intern feels that any form of discrimination is occurring, they are encouraged to discuss this with the Training Director and/or follow the program grievance process.  In addition, the intern may elect to utilize the VA EEO process (see below VA policy). The intern can request confidential assistance in accessing the EEO program from the Training Director, Lead Psychologist, any member of the Executive Committee, or any other faculty member. We strive to recognize and oppose social injustice in its various forms including prejudice, oppression, exploitation, harassment, and other forms of unfairness.

Overview of the Training Year

Training Year 
The 2026-27 training year begins on Monday, July 13, 2026 and ends on July 9, 2027.

Rotation calendar    
For the 2025-2026 internship year, the 4-month rotations are scheduled as follows:

 1st rotations – July – November            
2nd rotations – November - March 
3rd rotations – March – July  

Paperwork Checklist

1. Signed acknowledgement of Program Policy and Procedures Manual (due by start of rotations)
2. Rotation Goals and Supervision Contract (completed within the first two weeks of the start of each rotation)
3. Supervisor evaluations completed by trainees for each rotation on a quarterly basis (due at end of each quarter)
4. Competency evaluations completed by primary supervisors for clinical rotations (due at mid- and end of each rotation)
5. Record of completion of one Diversity Presentation and two Ethics & Diversity Journal Club Presentations (due at end of 3rd rotation)
6. Record of 6 completed Comprehensive Assessments (due one month before end of 3rd rotation)
7. Record of 3 completed Psychotherapy Cases (due one month before end of 3rd rotation)

Internship Requirements

1. Completion of clinical rotations with satisfactory evaluations meeting MLAs
2. Diversity presentation observed by training faculty
3. Completion of six psychological assessment reports (at least one cognitive and one personality)
4. Completion of three complete episodes of psychotherapy care (must use an evidence-based therapy)
5. Participation in didactics seminars and required meetings
6. Satisfactory engagement in group supervision
7. Minimum of 10 hours of direct clinical service hours weekly (520 hours total)
8. Four hours of supervision (at least two individual face-to-face with psychologist) weekly
9. Serve as Lead Intern for one 3-month term. 

Internship Weekly Time Allocation   

•  Primary rotation*: 21 - 24 hours a week (approximately half in direct clinical care), 11 - 12 hours clinical, 10 - 12 hours admin
  • Halftime rotation (if applicable) *: 12 - 14 hours a week (approximately half in direct clinical care), 6 - 7 hours clinical, 6 - 7 hours admin
  • Detail rotation (if applicable) *: 4 hours a week (approximately half in direct clinical care), 2 hours clinical, 2-hour admin
• Assessment Clinic: 4 hours, 2 clinical and 2 admin/supervision
• Psychotherapy Clinic: 4 hours, 2 clinical and 2 admin/supervision
• Didactics: (10am – 12pm), 2 hours
• Seminars: (1pm – 2pm) 1 hour
• Group Supervision: (8am – 9am, 2pm – 3pm) 2 hours
• Huddles, Mentoring, and Additional Training Program duties: 2 hours
• Additional supervision/consultation/tape review: 1 hour

 *Weekly individual supervision is embedded in rotation time allocation (APA requires two individual hours of supervision for interns and two additional hours of group/other supervision weekly)

Snapshot of Weekly Schedule

Administrative organization

Training Director (TD) 

The Training Director at VASNHCS is a halftime position that is selected by committee following the VASNHCS policy and procedures for staff recruitment and selection. The Training Director reports to the Deputy Chief of Mental Health (with input from the Lead Psychologist if the Deputy Chief for Mental Health is not a psychologist) and collaborates closely with the Lead Psychologist and the Designated Education Officer (facility DEO). The Training Director is responsible for the overall functioning of the psychology training programs.

Executive Committee (EC)   

The Executive Committee formulates training policies and procedures. Its task is to serve the needs and goals of the psychology discipline, psychologists serving as supervisory staff, and trainees, regarding training issues.

Training Council (TC)      

Supervising psychologists of any trainee engaged in clinical service attend the monthly supervisor Training Council meeting. The focus of this meeting is peer consultation of supervision and discussion of trainee progress (at a minimum this will include review of the trainee’s progress at the mid- and endpoint of each rotation). 

Program Resources

Mentors     

Mentors function as advisors for interns regarding any aspect of the training year and/or professional development. They offer information, support, and an empathic ear. They may be a resource for professional development. The mentor is not to be involved in the formal evaluation of the intern in any manner. 

Supervisors         

Supervisors are the internship program's most important training resource. They provide modeling, instruction and specific feedback. Supervisors facilitate interns' interactions with other facility personnel and facilitate the acceptance of the intern as an important contributor to the treatment program. Because all supervisors have patient care responsibilities, interns gain skills and knowledge working side-by-side with staff members. Styles of supervision and techniques utilized vary from rotation to rotation. Licensed psychologists with hospital privileges are eligible to be primary supervisors. Supervisors throughout the training program use a developmental approach within a competency-based supervision model, scaffolding learning experiences as appropriate for the individual intern and providing feedback that is anchored within the expected competencies. 

In compliance with APA requirements, a supervisor must engage in live supervision (either video/audio recording or in-person) of the interns’ clinical work during each evaluation period. 

Note: Interns are required to always have an on-site supervisor available. 

Learning Experiences

Orientation 

During the first two weeks of training, interns are introduced to the structure, policies and procedures of the internship program, as well as important aspects of the mental health service and the medical center. Each intern meets individually with the Training Director(s) to assess the strengths and limitations in their prior training, and to plan how the intern's training needs might be met during the internship year. Each intern completes a baseline strength and needs assessment and/or simulated clinical experience to help determine individual training needs. Trainees complete a rotation preference list. The Training Director (in consultation with members of the training faculty) uses this information to finalize rotation placements by the end of Orientation.

Rotation structure         

The internship year is divided into three 4-month rotations along with two year-long placements (psychotherapy and assessment).  This division of time is designed to allow for breadth of experience, while still providing sufficient time within a setting to achieve depth of experience. The simplest rotation schedule would consist of three primary 4-month and two supplemental 12-month placements, thereby maximizing depth of experience. 

Primary rotation 

Primary rotation placements are requested by interns, while final assignments are made by the training program. There are a wide variety of available placements, each with different strengths and limitations. Interns are encouraged to request rotations that will broaden their experience and skills. It is likely that each intern will find there are many rotations that can fulfill their training needs. 

Assessment rotation

Psychological assessment is an essential competency of the professional psychologist. The training program ensures that, prior to graduation, all interns have had experience in producing professional level assessments relevant to their training goals, career directions, and in a manner that prepares them to become a VA psychologist. 

Over the course of the training year, interns are required to complete a minimum of six comprehensive psychological evaluations. Interns select or are assigned an Assessment Supervisor at the beginning of the training year. 

Psychotherapy rotation 

Psychotherapy Intervention is an essential competency of the professional psychologist. The training program ensures that, prior to graduation, all interns have had experience in providing evidence-based psychotherapy relevant to their training goals, career directions, and in a manner that prepares them to become a VA psychologist. 

Over the course of the training year, interns are required to complete a minimum of three complete episodes of care using evidence-based psychotherapy treatments. Interns select or are assigned a Psychotherapy Supervisor at the beginning of the training year. 

Group Supervision, Didactics, & Seminars

Check-in with Training Director: Wednesdays from 8:00 to 8:30 a.m. Interns meet with the Training Director weekly to process their experience throughout the internship year, discuss professional development considerations, share informal feedback or concerns with the Training Director, prepare for post-internship opportunities, and process their professional identity development. *Note: Interns meet the Training Director from 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. on the 1st Wednesday of each month. The location of these meetings is selected by the interns and is typically held in the canteen on campus or at a local coffee shop of the interns’ choice. * 

Clinical Group Supervision: Wednesdays from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.  Interns participate in weekly group supervision to supplement the individual supervision they will receive on their assigned rotations. This group supervision time is an opportunity to consult with peers and psychology staff on clinical and professional concerns from all rotations. The purpose of group supervision is to enrich their ability to engage in peer consultation, learn to provide supervision, and assist in their strengthening of clinical abilities and professional development. While the faculty supervisors maintain the structure of these group supervision experiences, the group experience is increasingly “owned” by the interns as the training year progresses, with the expectation that the interns will identify and ask for what they need as they move into increasing complex clinical situations and move towards professional independence. Interns are also asked to take increasing responsibility for providing feedback and peer-supervision to one another as they discuss complex cases and the application of ethical models of decision making. 

Note: Group supervision is primarily provided via telehealth by licensed psychologist faculty who are not located on the Reno campus and the faculty supervisor will change every four months. 

General Didactics: Wednesdays from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Interns attend seminars that cover the Profession Wide Competencies required by APA: Research, Ethical and Legal Standards, Individual and Cultural Diversity, Professional values, attitudes, and behaviors, Communications and interpersonal skills, Assessment, Intervention, Supervision, Consultation and interprofessional/interdisciplinary skills. Didactics also address the Program Specific Competency, Working with Military Veterans, and other areas relevant to health services psychology.  Many of our didactics are focused on evidence-based interventions and include complementary experiential exercises. These interactive didactic experiences cover a range of topics that address foundational and disorder specific evidence-based interventions, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, the Unified Protocol, CBT-Insomnia, PAP Desensitization therapy, CBT-Chronic Pain, Hypnosis, and the assessment and treatment of PTSD, Substance Use Disorders, and Sexual Disorders.

Assessment: 3rd Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. This series will guide interns through in-depth exploration of various aspects of assessment. Topics include best practices in diagnostic interviewing, providing feedback to patients, and focus on various types of assessments – general diagnostic testing, ADHD assessment, neuropsychological evaluation, medically-related testing such as pre-surgical assessments, personality assessment, assessment of malingering, and much more.

Fact Finding (Neuropsychology Focused Interns Only): 3rd Wednesday from 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. Neuropsychology-focused interns will meet with the neuropsychologists monthly to complete fact-finding exercises designed to begin the process of preparing interns for fact-findings like what may be encountered during oral examinations for board certification in neuropsychology. Fact findings will focus on rapid collection and synthesizing of information from a hypothetical patient’s biopsychosocial history, presentation, and neurocognitive test profile to generate differential diagnoses (including consideration of neurological localization of any issues), and recommendations.

Professional Development Seminar: 1ST Wednesday from 1:00 p.m. to 2 p.m. This weekly activity is facilitated by the Training Director (or another faculty supervisor) and provides the interns with an opportunity to process their professional development goals, explore the formation of their professional identities, explore considerations related to job or post-doctoral training experiences, and gain experiencing providing candid feedback to each other and the faculty supervisor. Opportunities include panels with past alumni and faculty. Seminar sessions are intended to support the interns in achieving the professional development milestones inherent within the internship training year. Specifically, these sessions include exploration of job versus post-doctoral training opportunities, CV and cover letter writing, mock interviewing, EPPP preparation, and crafting a professional identity. 

Ethics & Diversity Journal Club:  2nd Wednesday from 1:00 p.m. to 2 p.m. Journal Club is held once per month and facilitated by the Training Director or another faculty member. Faculty facilitate Journal Club discussions early in the training year, then facilitation of Journal Club is transitioned to the interns. Each intern is required to facilitate two journal club discussions. When serving as facilitator, the intern is responsible to select a recent and/or seminal article that highlights ethical decision making, research, theory, and the application of best practices in ethical decision making and diversity/culturally sensitive treatment of Veterans and/or other historically underserved or underrepresented populations. Intern facilitators are responsible for sharing their selected article at least 1 week prior to their facilitated discussion. The facilitated discussion may include a critical analysis of the article’s contributions to the field, strengths, biases, and limitations. 

Supervision Theory & Practice Seminar: 3rd Wednesday from 1:00 p.m. to 2 p.m. Each month the interns will meet with the Training Director or another psychologist to explore the process of providing supervision. The time is focused on exploring the process of providing supervision. Topics include ethical principles of competency-based supervision, best practices in clinical supervision, consultation about current (or past) experiences with peer supervision, and reviewing the competency-based supervision model discussed by Carol Falender and Edward Shafranske in their book, Clinical Supervision: A Competency-Based Approach (2021). Simulated supervision experiences (e.g., review of video vignettes, case studies, role play) are also integrated into the Seminar to ensure that all interns can develop supervision skills consistent with the APA Supervision Competencies. These experiences occur within a group setting and each intern is invited to observe, evaluate, and provide direct feedback to each of their peers’.

Diversity Project/Seminar: 2nd Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 11 a.m. Each month interns will meet with a staff member who will provide oversight and mentorship for their self-directed diversity projects. Each intern will gain experience in teaching on a diversity topic which incorporates psychological/teaching theory, research, and/or clinical practice. Diversity presentations can be made at a psychology/all mental health staff meeting, facility grand rounds, VA conference, or workshop for VASNHCS staff. Each intern is responsible for conducting a literature review focused on a specific diversity topic impacting the Veteran population in general and medical or mental health care at VASNHCS in particular. The final presentations include a comprehensive overview of the literature, a review of best practices, limitations in the existing literature, and actionable recommendations for the faculty/facility to consider promoting adherence to evidence-based recommendations for diversity best practices in the field of psychology as it applies to Veterans’ mental health. 

Lead Intern (required): 3-month rotational assignment. Serving in the lead intern role provides each intern the opportunity to develop leadership experience and exposure to higher level decision making within the training program. Responsibilities include attending the Executive Committee and representing the trainee perspective, eliciting feedback from the other interns when programmatic concerns arise or curriculum changes are considered.

Rotation assignment 

During orientation, interns are asked to reflect upon their strengths and growth edges to determine their internship training needs. In addition, each intern meets individually with the Training Director to discuss their goals as well as strategies for accomplishing these goals during the year. The Training Director can be a valuable resource in identifying placements that will help interns round out their experiences. Finally, new interns will complete a baseline strength and needs assessment during orientation week as another mechanism to assess training needs. The Training Director will use the intern’s self-assessment (in consultation Training Council, and Executive Committee) to put together a recommended training plan for the intern. 

Rotation Training Experiences

We anticipate the following rotations will be offered in the 2026-27 academic year:

Mental Health Clinic: During this rotation, interns have an opportunity to conduct interviews, outpatient group and individual psychotherapy, and complete psychological assessments for referral questions related to personality, ADHD, or Learning Disorder. Interns will continue working on their differential diagnosis skills, building their repertoire of evidence-based treatments in both individual and group modalities, working on formulation of and ongoing case conceptualization, as well as continuing fine-tuning their clinical skills through close individual supervision. Given the general nature of MHC, it provides an especially ideal setting for the further development of differential diagnosis and case conceptualization competencies. The MHC is comprised of team members from multiple disciplines, including psychologists, social workers, nurse practitioners, and psychiatrists. Interns are encouraged to interact and consult with other disciplines during formal program meetings as needed. 

Behavioral Medicine Consultation and Liaison Service (BMed): During this rotation, interns will have the opportunity to work with a variety of staff within this fast-paced medical setting. The psychologists on this team respond to consultation requests from the inpatient Medicine, Surgery, ICU, and Community Living Center units. Interns on this rotation will conduct brief neuropsychological screening evaluations, utilize interview and questionnaire data to evaluate psychiatric symptoms, and generate reports describing their findings to assist physicians, nurses, and other treatment team members in planning for patient discharge and ongoing outpatient care. Interns will also participate in daily rounds where team members discuss current patient status, and there will be ample opportunity to interface with attending physicians and resident physicians, as well as other team members from medicine, surgery, geriatrics, and palliative/hospice care. Interested interns may also work with the psychologist covering Home Based Primary Care or with the social workers covering the Emergency Department. 

PTSD Clinical Team (PCT): During this rotation, the intern will be trained in and conduct intake evaluations and psychotherapy with patients who are referred to the PTSD Clinical Team (PCT) for evaluation of PTSD and trauma/stressor-related disorders. Psychotherapy groups which may be open to intern participation and co-facilitation currently include Cognitive Processing Therapy and Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation (STAIR). Interns also conduct individual psychotherapy, which often focuses on teaching coping skills for PTSD. Interns who demonstrate strong foundational psychotherapy skills may be approved to provide individual trauma focused psychotherapy (Cognitive Processing Therapy or Prolonged Exposure). The intern will attend our weekly interdisciplinary team meetings. Training focuses on developing strong differential diagnostic and treatment planning skills.

Addictive Disorders Treatment Program (ADTP): The ADTP rotation consists of evaluations and interventions for veterans referred for substance use disorders and/or gambling disorder in an outpatient setting. Evaluation experiences will include screening appointments, intakes, and psychological assessment batteries, with particular emphasis on differential diagnostic skills and formulating appropriate treatment recommendations. Intervention experiences will primarily be in the group format, with treatment modalities ranging from CBT, Mindfulness-based, and 12-Step approaches.  Individual intervention opportunities may also be available, with particular emphasis on developing Motivational Interviewing skills. Other opportunities may include inpatient consults, inpatient groups, individual and/or group interventions for gambling disorder, and exposure to Suboxone (buprenorphine) treatment for opioid use disorder with medical staff. Interns will attend weekly case conference and staff meetings with the multidisciplinary ADTP team.

Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI): The PCMHI Program utilizes a blended model, combining a co-located, collaborative care model with care management to address the needs of a diverse patient population presenting in the primary care setting. During this rotation, the intern collaborates with primary care providers, RNs, and pharmacists on a regular basis. It is a busy, relatively fast paced program. Interns who succeed in this rotation learn to quickly assess patient needs via a focused assessment; present the case very concisely to a supervisor or to a physician to inform or to implement immediate plans for change; be available for “curbside” consultations and warm handoffs from medical providers; develop an overall treatment plan for behavioral health intervention, which may include a multidisciplinary approach; and provide brief, evidence-based treatment for a wide variety of both medical and behavioral components of health related issues. 

 Neuropsychological Assessment: During this rotation, the intern will conduct neuropsychological evaluations on veterans referred for testing for a variety of concerns including effects of traumatic brain injury and possible dementia. The intern will gain exposure to a variety of test batteries depending on the referral question and will also be responsible for writing a comprehensive neuropsychological report for each veteran they evaluate.

Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Program (PRRC):  During this rotation, the intern will provide services in our intensive outpatient program for veterans diagnosed with serious mental illness (SMI) such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.  The intern is fully involved in all aspects of the program and will have the opportunity to conduct intakes, complete individual recovery plans, provide individual and group therapy, and complete cognitive and personality screenings. The PRRC team works closely with the RANGE team, which provides community case management; interns will have the opportunity to work with this team in the community as well.  Interns will work on a multidisciplinary team including psychologists, social workers, psychiatrists, peer support, and nurse practitioners.  Interns will gain exposure to evidence-based treatments for SMI and will be given the opportunity to create groups of interest for this population. 

Mental Health Leadership and Administration (*only available as a detail or part-time rotation*): This rotation provides interns the opportunity to work with Mental Health Service leaders to develop an understanding of the administrative roles of psychologists within the VA system. Interns in this rotation will have the opportunity to participate in program development and process improvement projects as well as the opportunity to understand the collaborative relationship of senior leadership across services through participation in senior level meetings and possibly facility-level projects. Trainees will become familiar with and help examine data to identify opportunities for improvement and the support of best practices. Exploration of leadership styles and approaches will occur through readings, exercises, and discussions.

Supplemental Training Experiences

To ensure that all interns meet our basic goals for generalist training, the following requirements have been established for experience in providing psychological assessment and psychotherapy:

Assessment 

Interns will complete a minimum of 6 comprehensive evaluations and integrated reports by the end of the training year. This requirement may be completed within the context of the Neuropsychology Rotation. Interns who are not rotating through Neuropsychology will need to participate in a year-long training experience to meet the Assessment requirement. Intern’s year-long assessment experience is designed to ensure that all interns achieve mastery of entry-level assessment competencies, including: the ability to conduct a chart review and select appropriate testing instruments, the ability to conduct a comprehensive biopsychosocial interview, complex case conceptualization, familiarity with a broad range of neurocognitive, psychiatric, and personality diagnoses, the ability to target treatment recommendations to Veterans, families, and referring health care providers. 

Psychotherapy 

Interns are expected to complete a minimum of three longer-term (12 – 16 session) evidence-based psychotherapy cases during the training year. This requirement may be partially completed within the context of a specialty mental health rotation (Mental Health Clinic, PTSD Clinic, Psychosocial Rehabilitation & Recovery Clinic, Addictive Disorders Treatment Program) but most interns will need to participate in a year-long training experience to meet the Therapy requirement. Intern’s year-long psychotherapy experience is designed to ensure that all interns achieve mastery of entry-level psychotherapy interventions, including: foundational training in at least one evidence-based protocol, the ability to conduct a comprehensive mental health initial assessment, complex case conceptualization, collaborative treatment planning, ability to navigate the therapeutic relationship throughout an entire episode of care, ability to skillfully terminate an episode of care, ability to flexibly implement evidence-based protocols, etc. 

Long-Term Focused Experience or Detail 

Psychology interns can participate in one or more long-term supervised experiences to explore specific areas of clinical interest and in which to receive more in-depth training. Interns will be provided with a list of available supervisors and their specialty areas (e.g., PTSD, addictions, DBT, neuropsychology, geropsychology, ACT, eating disorders, Motivational Interviewing, pain management, smoking cessation, MOVE (weight loss program), SMI, personality assessment, etc.). Interns will be allowed to choose a supervisor based on availability, interest, gaps in training, or enhancement of current skills.

Program Aims and Competencies

The Psychology Internship at VASNHCS is a generalist program. It is our expectation that interns will use their internship year to broaden and extend their practice of health service psychology, rather than narrow their focus. While interns can refine skills already developed in graduate school, we strongly encourage interns to try new approaches, new techniques, and new perspectives, in pursuit of a well-rounded education. 

As a foundation for independent professional practice, interns should have demonstrated competence in the following areas by the completion of the internship year, as measured by supervisors' and self-evaluations. Many of these outcomes will build upon knowledge and skills already well developed during doctoral training. All internship placements will provide opportunities for further development of these 'cross cutting' competencies, though placements might emphasize some competencies more than others. Additionally, other program components (including didactics, supervision and clinical program development evaluation/special project) will provide added challenge and the opportunity for integration. 

When viewed in context of the entire sequence of training that begins with the first year of doctoral education, the internship year is a capstone experience that will provide interns opportunity to develop these intermediate to advanced competencies. 

The internship strives to assist interns in developing competencies consistent with the APA Profession-Wide Competencies and one Program-Specific Competency (See APA’s website for detailed information about the Required Competencies):       

1. Research
2. Ethical and legal standards
3. Individual and cultural diversity
4. Professional values, attitudes, and behaviors
5. Communication and interpersonal skills
6. Assessment
7. Intervention
8. Supervision
9. Consultation and interprofessional/interdisciplinary skills
10. Military Veterans

The VASNHCS internship upholds training in these APA Profession-wide and Program-specific competencies via the following six programmatic aims: 

1. Professionalism in conduct, ethics and legal matters: Throughout training, interns will professionally conduct themselves in accordance with APA Ethics, legal standards of State of Nevada and US Federal Government, and VA policies and procedures. At the completion of training, interns should demonstrate continued growth in professional development and identity. Interns should display professional and appropriate interactions with treatment teams, peers and supervisors, and seek peer support as needed. Interns will seek consultation or supervision as needed and use it productively. Trainees should demonstrate positive coping strategies with personal and professional stressors and challenges. Interns will maintain professional functioning and quality patient care. Interns should be responsible for key patient care tasks (e.g. phone calls, letters, case management), complete tasks promptly; have efficient and effective time management; demonstrate good knowledge of ethical principles and state law and consistently apply these appropriately, seeking consultation as needed. At completion of internship, trainees should demonstrate a growing ability to accomplish administrative tasks by any of the following: ability to utilize mental health databases; ability to participate as a high value member of a mental health team.

2. Cultural diversity skills: At the completion of training, the intern should consistently achieve a good rapport with patients from all types of backgrounds, be sensitive to the cultural and individual diversity of patients, be committed to providing culturally sensitive services; be aware of their own background and the impact on clients; and, be committed to continuing to explore their own cultural identity issues and relationship to clinical work. 

3. Assessment and conceptualization skills: At the completion of training, interns should be able to appropriately assess, evaluate and conceptualize a broad range of patients, including those with complex presentations and complicated co-morbidities.  Selection and use of assessment tools and/or evaluation methods should be appropriate to the clinical needs of the patient and the clinical setting, and responsive to the needs of other professionals. Assessment should be practiced in a culturally competent manner and conducted with an awareness of current ethical and professional standards. The intern may demonstrate advanced skill in assessment by providing consultation and/or instruction to other providers. Interns should develop skill in evaluating the outcome of treatment interventions with individual patients.

4. Intervention and consultation skills: At the completion of training, trainees should demonstrate the ability to effectively work with diverse populations and provide appropriate intervention in response to a range of presenting problems and treatment concerns. They should also demonstrate skill in applying and/or adapting evidence-based interventions with a specialized population and be able to provide clinical leadership when working with other providers. Interns should demonstrate effective consultation skills with other professionals and may provide counsel regarding difficult clinical matters in areas of their expertise. Trainees should demonstrate the ability to give presentations in a formal didactic setting. Interns should demonstrate emerging skills in supervision, as well as knowledge of, and sensitivity to, ethical, legal, and cultural issues in providing supervision. 

5. Education and teaching skills: At the completion of training, trainees should demonstrate the ability to give presentations in a formal didactic setting; to teach skills to social work students, medical residents and allied health trainees in medical center training settings; and/or to educate and support other professionals in medical center settings. Trainees may also demonstrate the ability to use telemedicine and other technological modalities to provide mental health consultation to remote clinical sites; and may demonstrate emerging mentoring skills by providing consultation to colleagues. Trainees should demonstrate emerging skills in informal supervision, as well as knowledge of, and sensitivity to, ethical, legal, and cultural issues in providing supervision.   

6. Evaluation, scientific thinking, and integration of science with practice: At the completion of training, trainees should demonstrate the ability to base clinical decisions on the scientific literature, and to generate evidence-based principles to guide practice in areas that lack an empirical literature. Trainees should demonstrate an awareness of the limitations and cautions in translating evidence-based practices to individual cases, particularly in non-majority populations. Trainees should be able to demonstrate skills in translating scientific thinking and research into applied practice. 

Evaluation of intern progress

A variety of evaluation methods are used in the training program. Because feedback and instruction are most valuable when immediate and specific, supervisors and interns are expected to exchange feedback routinely as a normal part of on-going professional engagement. Additional evaluation procedures formalize this regular information exchange.

Intern self-evaluation and rotation evaluations       

Interns are asked to evaluate themselves as a regular part of the evaluation process. During orientation, interns meet individually with the Training Director to assess their prior training and to identify strengths and limitations that would impact their rotation choices.  At the beginning of all rotations, each intern establishes goals for their placement and provides a written copy to the supervisor and the Training Director. Each rotation, interns are asked to consider their progress in terms of their original goals for the rotation, modify their goals as appropriate, and plan for attaining these goals during the remainder of the rotation. 

At the mid- and endpoints of each rotation, each intern receives a written evaluation of their performance in the placement based on the competencies of the program. The written feedback is discussed with interns, and a copy placed in the intern's file. A developmental competency benchmark evaluation tool is used to evaluate intern progress throughout the training program (see competency evaluation forms for more information). The identified competency domains are identified within and at the end of each competency evaluation form. Copies are provided to both the intern and the supervisor, and a summary of the evaluations are sent to the Director of Clinical Training of the intern's graduate program at the mid-point and end of the training year. 

Supervisor's meeting and review (Training Council) 

On a monthly basis, and in conjunction with the exchange of feedback described above, the supervisors meet as a group to review interns' progress in fulfilling their training needs. The primary purpose of this meeting is to ensure that any difficulties or special training needs are identified at an early point in the rotation, so that remedial recommendations or assistance can be offered in a timely manner. Should the supervisor group develop any feedback for an intern because of the review, it is the responsibility of the intern's primary supervisor to discuss such feedback with the intern. The Training Director may also be helpful in communicating the feedback of the supervisor group. The supervisor group may make recommendations to interns regarding future training experiences. This group acts in an advisory capacity to the Training Director and Executive Committee.

Successful completion   

To maintain good standing in the internship program, interns need to satisfactorily engage in their individualized training plan, review their progress in weekly supervision, attend required administrative meetings and required didactic training, and comply with other administrative requirements of the internship program. By the end of the internship training year, interns need to have satisfactorily completed 1) their assigned rotations, 2) One Diversity Project presentation, 3) Two Journal Club presentations, 4) a minimum of Six psychological evaluations, 5) a minimum of Three complete episodes of evidence-based psychotherapy, and 6) successful/consistent engagement in weekly didactic seminars and supervision. All assessment reports, psychotherapy cases, and Diversity/Journal Club presentations should be finished two weeks prior to the end of internship. 

Minimal Level of Achievement (MLA)

The MLA for completion of Internship is “Readiness for Entry Level Practice” defined as: 

1. the ability to independently function in a broad range of clinical and professional activities. 

2. the ability to generalize skills and knowledge to new situations; and, 

3. the ability to accurately self-assess when to seek additional training, supervision, or consultation.

Satisfactory completion related to the MLA is defined as follows: 

Early in the internship year (by the end of the first rotation), the minimal level of achievement is a rating of 3 or higher on all competencies. Ratings of 1 will trigger a remediation plan. Ratings of 2 will trigger a review of the intern’s progress and may result in a remediation plan. 

During the middle of the training year (by the end of second rotation and middle of third rotation), the minimal level of achievement is a rating of 4 or higher on all competencies. Ratings of 2 will trigger a remediation plan. Ratings of 3 will trigger a review of the intern’s progress and may result in a remediation plan.

At the end of internship (by the end of third rotation), the minimal level of achievement required for program completion is a rating of 5 or higher on ALL competencies. 

Administrative Policies and Procedures

Psychology interns are considered temporary employees with VA. Thus, they are held to the standards of professional conduct and adherence to VA national and local policy the same as any employee. Applicable policy, directives, and procedures are outlined in both online training modules interns are required to review before the training year starts, known as “Mandatory Training for Trainees”, and in the Internship Handbook, which will be distributed electronically to each intern, and which is available on the local VA shared drive. We strongly recommend that our interns review the Handbook as the training year begins and thereafter as needed.

Compensation 

The anticipated federal stipend for 2025-26 is $33,984. Health professions trainees (HPTs) are directly paid by VA, including psychology interns, and as temporary employees (less than or equal to 2080 hours) the term may not exceed one year.

Leave

In addition to Annual Leave and Sick Leave, both of which accrue 4 hours each 2-week pay period, each Intern may be granted up to 5 days of Authorized Absence to attend professional conferences or workshops and/or to attend VA post-doctoral or VA employment interviews. Authorized Absences are granted at the discretion of the Psychology Training Director and approvals are contingent upon satisfactory performance and applicability of the event to psychology training. One day of Authorized Absence may be granted for graduation and dissertation defense activities.

Health Benefits

HPTs appointed for 90 days or more and who participate in training a minimum of 130 hours per month meet the eligibility requirements for Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB). More information is available at https://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/fastfacts/fehb/

HPTs do not, however, meet the eligibility requirements for the following entitlements:

o          Family Medical Leave, including Paid Parental Leave

o          Life Insurance (FEGLI)

o          Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAFEDS)

Telework

Interns are expected to be onsite when working. Interns are NOT approved to telework based on convenience or when traveling out of town to reduce the amount of leave required to cover their absence. Interns will be approved to telework when they are feeling well enough to work but are unable to come into the facility due to quarantine restrictions. If an intern is too ill to work, the expectation would be for them to use sick leave. Interns will not be approved to complete administrative duties from home when not feeling well enough to engage in clinical activities on campus. Interns may be approved to telework under inclement weather certain conditions when travel to the medical center is deemed unsafe. In the event of illness and/or inclement weather, interns must contact their direct supervisor(s) and the Training Director to request permission to telework. 

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Policies

VA is committed to ensuring EEO, promoting workforce diversity, workplace inclusion, and constructively resolving conflict to maintain a high-performing organization in service to our Nation’s Veterans.  We will vigorously enforce all applicable Federal EEO laws, executive orders, and management directives to ensure equal opportunity in the workplace for all VA employees.  This following summarizes VA’s EEO, diversity and inclusion, and No FEAR-related workplace policies. These are not specific policies unique to VASNHCS but instead are over-arching policies that encompass the entirety of the Department of Veterans Affairs and to which VASNHCS adheres. 

Due Process Policies

As health service psychologists, each individual member of the training staff is committed to seeking resolution in a manner that aligns with the APA Ethics Code, seeking to address difficulties in a manner that is forthright and contributing to professional resolution. The training program asserts that most problems are best resolved through face-to-face interaction between intern and supervisor (or other staff), as part of the on-going working relationship and in conjunction with the professional competence of communication and interpersonal skills. Unless it is inappropriate to do so, interns are encouraged to first discuss any problems or concerns with their direct supervisor (they may also use the mentor system for consultation when preparing to address a concern with a supervisor). In turn, supervisors are expected to be receptive to complaints, attempt to develop a solution with the intern, and to seek appropriate consultation. If intern-staff discussions do not produce a satisfactory resolution of the concern, several additional steps are available to the intern.

Informal mediation   

Trainees must first attempt to resolve problems at an informal level by speaking directly about concerns with all individuals involved (except in specific circumstances when this would not be appropriate). In seeking to resolve concerns informally, trainees are encouraged to identify the problem and resolution they are seeking. Either party (supervisor or trainee) may request the Training Director to act as a mediator, or to help in selecting a mediator who is agreeable to both the intern and the supervisor (e.g., Lead Psychologist, ACOS for Mental Health, Designated Education Officer). 

Formal problem complaints and resolution   

If informal avenues of resolution are not successful (or in the rare circumstances not appropriate), the trainee may initiate a formal problem resolution process by sending a written request for intervention to the Training Director (if the grievance is with the Training Director, the request can be submitted to the Lead Psychologist). The written grievance should include identification of the problem, identified attempts to resolve the problem, and identified options for resolution. Resolutions will seek to uphold guidelines and/or policies of APA, APPIC, and VA.

Intern Competency Concerns

The internship program aims to develop professional competence. There may be instances when the intern is lacking competence for eventual independent practice due to a serious deficit in skill or knowledge, or due to problematic behaviors that significantly impact their professional functioning. In such cases, the internship program will help interns identify these areas, and provide remedial approaches or recommended resources, to improve the intern's performance to a satisfactory degree. The problem identified may be of sufficient seriousness that the intern is not able to complete the internship unless the problem is remedied. 

Intern illegal behavior, unethical behavior, or conduct violations   

Illegal behavior, unethical behavior, or Veterans Affairs conduct violations by an intern should be brought to the attention of the Training Director in writing as soon as possible. Any person who observes such behavior, whether staff or intern, has the responsibility to report the incident. In addition to the training program policies and procedures described below, when these incidents are reported (during or after the completion of internship training at VA SNHCS) all national and local facility policies and procedures will be followed (e.g., supervisory inquiry, administrative investigation board), including the VHA Employee Code of Integrity the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists & Code of Conduct guidelines.

Consequences of Dismissal 

If a remediation plan is deemed unsuccessful and/or a conduct violation is of sufficient severity that the trainee consequently leaves the program, the Training Director (or any other individual acting on behalf of the program) will identify this in any requests for completion of credentialing paperwork, licensing paperwork, or other similar documents. 

Our Internship Handbook includes guidelines for remediation due to competency and conduct concerns as well as the process for interns to file a formal complaint or grievance if they believe they are not being evaluated fairly or if they believe they have been the target of discrimination or other unfair treatment by supervisors or other staff.

Facility and Training Resources

Interns are provided with office space in the medical center equipped with VA networked computers. All computers have access to the VA Computerized Patient Records System (CPRS), the VA VistA system, e-mail, internet, VA intranet, and the internet. Laptops and telephones are provided. Interns will receive access to electronic recording software, as needed, for the purpose of recording and reviewing psychotherapy sessions with their rotation supervisor. 

Textbooks on topics such as psychodiagnostics, psychotherapy, cultural and individual diversity, law and ethics, and psychopharmacology are also available to interns. The VA 

Virtual Library, a web-based resource, provides access to thousands of professional  journals and publications for research purposes. The Mental Health Service employs several full-time Medical Service Assistants (MSAs) who provide clerical and administrative support, but professional staff (including interns) are expected to enter their own written notes into CPRS (e.g., typing services are not provided by our clerical staff). Desktop computers include programs such as Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint, as well as VA proprietary software programs. Electronic communication between staff and teams occurs primarily through MS Outlook and MS Teams. The Mental Health Service maintains a “shared drive” where important forms and other information are archived and updated as needed. A folder specifically for internship-oriented forms, resources, and information is also accessible to interns.

Training Staff

Our psychology training staff members include the following psychologists (listed by rotation):

Addiction Disorders Treatment Team (ADTP) 

  Eric Diddy, Ph.D.  

• Graduate Program: Alliant International University-CSPP, Fresno, 2013
• Internship: Northern Arizona VA HCS
• Post-doctoral residency/fellowship: Oklahoma City VA HCS
• Current position: Staff Psychologist, Addictive Disorders Treatment Program
• Professional interests: substance use disorders, gambling disorder, PTSD, behavioral health, police/law enforcement evaluations, and Jungian psychology.
• Personal interests: Skiing, biking, kayaking, traveling, scuba diving, sports, and fitness. 

Behavioral Medicine, Liaison and Consultation (BMed) 

  James A. D’Andrea, Ph.D., ABPP 

• Graduate Program: Saint Louis University, 1994
• Internship: Long Beach VA Medical Center, Long Beach, CA
• Post-doctoral residencies/fellowships: VA Palo Alto HCS fellowship in Clinical Geropsychology - Palo Alto, CA,1996 and Stanford University School of Medicine fellowship in Medicine, Geropsychology, and Caregiver Research - Stanford, CA, 1997
• Current position: Staff Psychologist, Community Living Center; EBP Coordinator
• Professional interests: CBT for dementia caregivers, managing challenging dementia related behaviors in long-term care settings, Problem Solving Therapy, ethnogeriatrics, capacity evaluations in cognitively impaired older adults, surrogate decision making under conditions of uncertainty, and aging with a disability.
• Personal interests: Cross country glider flying in the Sierra, skiing, and a Francophile.  

Katherine (Katie) McKenzie, Psy.D. 

• Graduate Program: PGSP-Stanford PsyD Consortium, 2013
• Internship: VA Sierra Nevada HCS
• Post-doctoral residency/fellowship: Kaiser Permanente Dept of Chronic Pain Management, San Francisco, CA
• Current position: Lead Psychologist; Vet Center External Clinical Consultant; Program Manager for Behavioral Medicine, Liaison and Consultation; Psychology Training Program Executive Team Member
• Professional interests: Trained in Prolonged Exposure, ACT, TEAM-CBT, biofeedback, and certified in Cognitive Processing Therapy. Cognitive-behavioral therapies and acceptance-based practices. Advocacy for the profession of psychology and process improvement.
• Personal interests: Hiking, snowshoeing, Pilates, parenting “middle childhood” and its associated adventures 

 Carol Randall, Ph.D. 

• Graduate Program: University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 2010
• Internship: VA Sierra Nevada HCS
• Post-doctoral residency/fellowship: n/a
• Current position: Staff Psychologist, Behavioral Medicine Program, with concentration on the Mental Health Inpatient Unit (MHU).
• Professional interests include assessment and treatment of severe mental illness, neuropsychology, medical and health psychology, and the integration of spirituality and mental health.
• Personal interests: Spending time with family, camping, traveling, reading, and writing. 

Samantha “Sam” Schilling, Psy.D. 

• Graduate Program: Adler University, Chicago, IL, 2017
• Internship: Iowa City VA Medical Center
• Post-doctoral residency/fellowship: Raymond G. Murphy VA Medical Center (Albuquerque, NM)
• Current position: Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC) Psychologist
• Professional interests: Military psychology, health psychology, several EBPs (MI, CBT, ACT, and PST), death, dying, & bereavement, TBI, and the variety of dementias and neurodegenerative disorders (ALS, Huntington’s Chorea, etc.).   
• Personal interests: Cycling, hiking, running, reading, meditation, and bird watching.  

Healthy Living Team 

  Deborah Henderson, Ph.D.  

• Graduate Program: University of Nevada, Reno, 2006
• Internship: VA Sierra Nevada HCS
• Post-doctoral residency/fellowship: n/a
• Current position: Reno VA Health Behavior Coordinator, operating within the Whole Health framework. I am also the “MOVE!” Weight Management Program behavioral health provider; the facility’s Motivational Interviewing trainer; lead tobacco clinician; and a group facilitator for the Diabetes Education Program under Endocrinology.
• Professional interests: Behavioral health interventions for the prevention and management of chronic illness (with a particular interest in diabetes and weight management); behavioral interventions generally; ACT; and stress management.
• Personal interests: Spending time with my (really big) dogs; volunteering as a Master Gardener for the University of Nevada, helping to manage a demonstration and teaching garden; countless DIY home improvement projects; reading good books; and spending time with my husband. 

Housing and Urban Development – Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH)

Rachel Barry, Ph.D.

• Graduate Program: Palo Alto University, 2025
• Internship: VA Sierra Nevada HCS, Reno, NV
• Postdoctoral fellowship: N/A
• Current position: Staff psychologist with the Housing and Urban Development – Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program
• Professional interests: populations experiencing severe multiple disadvantages (homelessness, justice involvement, medical problems, etc.), social exclusion, SMI, addictive behavior (SUD, smartphones, etc), interpersonal processes, attachment & evolutionary theories
• Personal interests: Spending time outdoors, hiking, off-grid camping, yoga, hula hooping, dancing, reading, being a dog mom to my beagle & husky, volunteering, & advocacy  

Mental Health Clinic

Emily Artusio, Psy.D.

• Graduate Program: The Wright Institute, Berkeley, CA, 2019
• Internship: VA Sierra Nevada HCS
• Post-doctoral residency/fellowship: VA Northern California HCS
• Current position: Staff Psychologist, Mental Health Clinic; VA Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) National/Regional Consultant
• Professional interests: trauma treatment, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, CBT for phobias, Exposure/Response Prevention for OCD, disordered eating evaluations and treatment, personality assessment/diagnostic clarification, and ADHD assessment.
• Personal interests: hiking, yoga, reading literary/historical fiction, baking, camping, picnics, and hanging out at the lake.

Drew Carr, Ph.D.  

• Graduate Program: Fuller Graduate School, Pasadena, CA
• Internship: Loma Linda University School of Medicine
• Post-doctoral residency/fellowship: VA Greater Los Angeles –GRECC /UCLA NPI Behavioral Neurology
• Current position: Staff Psychologist, Mental Health Clinic; Psychology Training Program Executive Team Member
• Professional interests: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, clinical behavior analysis/FAP, spirituality, research/program development, dysexecutive syndromes and neuropsychological assessment/neurobehavior.
• Personal interests: snowboarding, hiking, live music, good food, nature, climbing and very small rocks. 

Nicola De Paul, Ph.D. 

• Graduate Program: Seattle Pacific University, 2014
• Internship: VA New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
• Post-doctoral residency/fellowship: Seattle VA, Seattle, WA
• Current position: Training Director; Staff Psychologist, Mental Health Clinic
• Professional interests: Employee well-being (psychological safety), behavioral sleep medicine, Unified Protocol, mindfulness, adapting evidence-based protocols for under-resourced settings, clinician teaching/development/training, and intern training.
• Personal interests: Time with my daughter, swimming & hiking, great coffee, walks, being outside, travel. 

Kylie Gelin, Psy.D. 

• Graduate Program: Pacific University, 2024
• Internship: VASNHCS, Reno, NV
• Post-doctoral residency/fellowship: New Mexico VA, Albuquerque, NM
• Current position: Staff Psychologist, Mental Health Clinic 

Mackenzie Kirkman, Ph.D. 

• Graduate Program: Marquette University, 2021
• Internship: Cincinnati VAMC
• Post-doctoral residency/fellowship: N/A
• Current position: Staff Psychologist, Mental Health Clinic
• Professional interests: Emotion dysregulation, mindfulness, DBT, suicidal behavior, intersectional perspectives on mental health
• Personal interests: Hiking, reading, Dungeons & Dragons, rock climbing, travel, trying to teach my cat to do tricks 

Christine Winter, Ph.D. 

• Graduate Program: University of Oregon, 1990
• Internship: Gouverneur Hospital NYC for training in psychodynamic process
• Post-doctoral residency/fellowship: n/a
• Current position: Staff Psychologist, Mental Health Clinic
• Professional interests: Autism spectrum disorder, DBT, couples therapy, and rural MH issues from 25 years practice in Wyoming.
• Personal interests: Fly fishing, snowboarding, soccer refereeing, and visiting wine country. 

John G. Wyma, Ph.D., ABPP 

• Graduate Program: California School of Professional Psychology, San Diego, 1987
• Internship: Dammasch State Hospital, Wilsonville, Oregon
• Post-doctoral residency/fellowship: n/a
• Current position: Telehealth Psychologist, Mental Health Clinic
• Professional interests: Psychology training; treatment of depression, anxiety, insomnia, chronic pain, and PTSD; and integration of psychology and spirituality/faith.
• Personal interests: Visits with my children and grandchildren; camping, hiking and fishing; astronomy; travel and exploring; music of all kinds; gardening; barbeque; and experimenting with my outdoor pizza oven. 

Mental Health Leadership and Administration 

  Cynthia J. Villaverde, Ph.D. 

• Graduate Program: Texas Tech University, 2011
• Internship: Salt Lake City VAMC
• Post-doctoral residency/fellowship: Dallas VAMC, specializing in substance use treatment
• Current position: Deputy Chief, Mental Health Service
• Professional interests: Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, depression, diagnostic assessment, motivational interviewing, addictive behaviors, harm reduction, and anger management.
• Personal interests: Spending quality time with my husband and children, completing home projects, spending time with my dogs, gardening, reading in hammocks, hiking, snowboarding, playing tennis, listening to music, and watching sports. 

  Neuropsychological Evaluation 

Sarah L. Anderson, Psy.D. 

• Graduate Program: Pacific University, Forest Grove OR, 2018
• Internship: Greenville VA HCC in Greenville, NC
• Post-doctoral residency/fellowship: Cleveland VAMC in Cleveland, OH
• Current position: Neuropsychologist, Behavioral Medicine Program; Psychology Training Program Executive Team Member
• Professional interests: Neuropsychology, assessment and management of dementia, movement disorders, cognitive rehabilitation, behavioral medicine for chronic medical conditions, and intern training.
• Personal interests: Hiking, music (including karaoke), theater, games of all sorts, trying new food, gardening, and fun times with family. 

Melissa Swanson, PhD 

• Graduate Program: Palo Alto University, 2009
• Internship: Central Arkansas VA Healthcare System (Little Rock)
• Post-doctoral residency/fellowship: University of Toledo Medical Center, Two Year Lifespan Neuropsychology Fellowship
• Current position: Neuropsychologist, Behavioral Medicine Program
• Professional interests: Neuropsychological assessment, older adults, dementia
• Personal interests: All about the outdoors (hiking, snowshoeing, kayaking, etc.). Also reading and music. 

PTSD Clinical Team (PCT) 

  Kathleen Beckman, Ph.D.  

• Graduate Program:California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP) San Francisco, 2019
• Internship: Sacramento VA Medical Center, Mather CA
• Post-doctoral residency/fellowship: N/A
• Current Position: Staff Psychologist, PTSD Clinical Team
• Professional interests: PTSD, service animals, alternative approaches to MH wellness, family systems theory, psychological assessment, research/program evaluation.
• Personal interests: Mountain biking, yoga, hiking, local history, hanging with my husband, watching birds, gazing at mountains.     

Adam Bradford, Psy.D.  

• Graduate Program: Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ, 2013
• Internship: Wichita Collaborative Psychology Internship Program, Wichita, KS
• Post-doctoral residency/fellowship: Stratton VA Medical Center, Albany, NY
• Current position: PTSD Clinical Team Program Manager; Psychology Training Program Executive Team Member
• Professional interests: PTSD coordination of care, grief and loss, TBI/PTSD psychological assessment/diagnostic clarification, fitness/alternative therapies for PTSD symptom reduction, virtual reality exposure therapy.
• Personal interests: Skiing, boating, kayaking, hiking, camping, weightlifting, home renovation, vlogging, writing, travel. 

Don Yorgason, Ph.D. 

• Graduate Program: University of Memphis, 2011
• Internship: Albuquerque, NM VAMC Southwest Consortium
• Post-doctoral residency/fellowship: Jackson, MS VAMC, Substance Use Disorders emphasis
• Current position: Substance Use Disorder Specialist, PTSD Clinical Team
• Professional interests: Addictive behaviors, cultural influences on treatment, PTSD, Motivational Interviewing, and psychotherapy process.
• Personal interests: Reading, playing music, home improvement projects, long-distance running, and family time. 

Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) 

  Lucas Broten, Ph.D.,  

• Graduate Program: Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, 2013
• Internship: Boys Town Behavioral Health, Omaha, NE
• Post-doctoral residency/fellowship: Boys Town Behavioral Health, Omaha, NE
• Current position: Program Manager, Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI)
• Professional interests: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, behavior change in health care settings, brief interventions, and treatment outcome research.
• Personal interests: Travel, camping, hiking, fishing and cooking. 

Andrew Jones, Ph.D., 

• Graduate Program: Illinois Institute of Technology, 2001
• Internship: Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, OH
• Post-doctoral residency/fellowship: n/a
• Current position: PMOP-MHI Staff Psychologist, Interdisciplinary Pain Management Team
• Professional interests: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, pain neuroscience education, chronic pain management
• Personal interests: family time, walking my schnauzer, improv comedic acting, watching whatever sport might be on at the time 

Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Programs (PRRC) 

  Jonathan Parker, PsyD 

• Graduate Program: Pepperdine University, 2021
• Internship: Portland VA
• Post-doctoral residency/fellowship: n/a
• Current position: Staff Psychologist, Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Program (PRRC)
• Professional interests: SMI, Self-compassion, ACT, CBT, learning new EBP’s, & mentoring
• Personal interests: Spending time with family, fine dining, muscle cars, fantasy football, watching sports. 

Michele Steever, Ph.D. 

• Graduate Program: University of Nevada, Reno, 2009
• Internship: VA Sierra Nevada HCS
• Post-doctoral residency/fellowship: n/a
• Current position: Program Manager, Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Program (PRRC)
• Professional interests: SMI, DBT, FAP, resilience, positive psychology
• Personal interests: Knitting, all things Disney, my Siberian cat Lily, and incorporating movie quotes into everyday conversation. 

Current and Past Trainees

Our current 2025-26 cohort:

• Pepperdine University
• The University of Nevada, Reno
• The University of Tulsa
• The Wright Institute

From 2024-25: 

• Palo Alto University
• The University of Rhode Island
• The Wright Institute

From 2023-24:

• Pacific University
• Cal Northstate University
• Ball State University
• The Wright Institute

From 2022-23:

• The Wright Institute
• University of Indianapolis
• CUNY – City College
• Xavier University

From 2021-22:

• Alliant/CSPP Sacramento
• Alliant/CSPP San Diego
• University of Nevada – Reno
• Pacific University 

We are proud that several of our former are currently serving as VASNHCS staff psychologists! Our interns typically secure a post-doctoral fellowship or entry-level position in a hospital/medical center upon graduation. Most interns are licensed within 2 years of graduation.

Snapshots of Reno/Tahoe

The Reno-Sparks area and surrounding Truckee Meadows, located at the base of the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada, has a population of about 456,000. At an elevation of 4,400 feet, Reno's climate is generally sunny and dry, with wide variations in temperature during a 24-hour period.

Reno is just minutes away from the majestic Sierra Nevada range, with its lush pine forests and crystal-clear lakes. Beautiful Lake Tahoe, about an hour’s drive from Reno, is known around the world for its year-round recreational opportunities. The Reno/Tahoe area contains the world’s largest concentration of ski resorts - 19 in all - and has an unusually long ski season most years. Yosemite National Park, an international treasure, is just a 3-hour drive from Reno, and numerous other opportunities for adventure and exploration are within an easy drive. There are bountiful high desert areas nearby, too, complete with ghost towns, mining sites, and historical communities such as Virginia City, the location of the Comstock gold strike of the 1850s. 

A wide variety of social and cultural activities are offered throughout the year in Reno. These range from big-name entertainment to community theatre, opera, ballet, community concerts, exhibits at Reno’s excellent art museum, and activities held on the University of Nevada-Reno campus. Popular annual events include the month-long ArTown festival, the Hot Air Balloon Festival, Hot August Nights, Burning Man, the Italian Festival, September’s National Championship Air Races, Best of the West Rib Cookoff, Street Vibrations, and much more. Many of our former interns from other states have elected to stay in Reno following internship due to the wonderful quality of life here.

Both Carson City, one of the nation’s smallest state capitals, and Virginia City, are just a short drive away. Northern California is easily accessible, with flight time to San Francisco less than an hour, and driving time to Sacramento only two hours.

Program Tables - Admissions, Support, and Placement Data

Date Program Tables are updated: 7/25/25