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Psychology Training Program

Welcome to Psychology Training at Kansas City VA Medical Center. We provide psychology training across all levels, including practicum, internship, and psychology residency training.

Psychology Internship Program

The Psychology Internship Program at the Kansas City VA Medical Center is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association (APA) through 2033 (contact information below). The internship program at KCVA is offering three internship positions.  We have two different training tracks: a generalist track with several options for major rotations and a PTSD track. Please see the recruitment materials below for specific program, application, and eligibility information.

Application Due Date: November 17, 2024


APPIC MATCH NUMBERS: 

  • Generalist Track – 234011 (2 positions) 
  • PTSD Track – 234012 (1 position) 

Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship Programs

The Kansas City VA Medical Center’s Clinical Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship Program is accredited until 2028 by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association (contact information below).  Applications need to be submitted using the APPA CAS website.  Our program includes two postdoctoral positions, one for each of our training tracks: 

  1. General Clinical Psychology with Health Psychology Emphasis
  2. General Clinical Psychology with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Emphasis OR General Clinical Psychology with Serious Mental Illness (SMI) Emphasis 

Please see the recruitment materials below for specific program, application, and eligibility information. 

 

Application Due Date: December 14, 2024

 

APPA CAS Information: 

  • Health Psychology Emphasis - APPA CAS Program ID: 459303; Program Code 30510 (1 position) 
  • SMI Emphasis or PTSD Focus - APPA CAS Program ID: 459299; Program Code 30510 (1 position)

Stipends and Benefits

INTERNSHIP

Stipend: Interns receive a competitive stipend paid in 26 biweekly installments. VA internship pay is locality adjusted to reflect different relative costs in different geographical areas. Currently, stipends range from $27,000 to $34,000 annually.

Benefits: Internship appointments are for 2080 hours, which is full time for a one year period. Start dates for the internships range from June 17 to September 1, with the specific start date determined by the individual program. VA interns are eligible for health insurance (for self, spouse, and legal dependents). While most interns will not be eligible for life insurance, vision, or dental benefits, eligibility is based on prior federal service.

Holidays and Leave: Interns are eligible for federal holidays throughout the calendar year, although they do not qualify for holiday or premium pay.  In addition, most interns will be in Leave Catagory 1, meaning they will accrue 4 hours of sick leave and 4 hours of annual leave for each full two-week pay period, for a total of between 96 and 104 hours of each during the year. If an intern has prior federal service, their leave category will be determined based on their service computation date.

Authorized Absence: According to VA Handbook 5011, Part III, Chapter 2, Section 12, employees, including trainees, may be given authorized absence without charge to leave when the activity is considered to be of substantial benefit to VA in accomplishing its general mission or one of its specific functions, such as education and training. Application of this policy varies from site to site, so questions for a specific program must be directed to the Training Director.

Liability Protection for Trainees: When providing professional services at a VA healthcare facility, VA sponsored trainees acting within the scope of their educational programs are protected from personal liability under the Federal Employees Liability Reform and Tort Compensation Act 28, U.S.C.2679 (b)-(d).

 

POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP

Stipend: Postdoctoral fellows receive a competitive stipend paid in 26 biweekly installments. VA fellowship stipends are locality adjusted to reflect different relative costs in different geographical areas. Currently, stipends range from $46,334 to $59,575 annually.

Benefits: Most fellowship appointments are for 2080 hours, which is full time for a one year period. Start dates for the fellowships range from July 1 to September 1, with the specific start date determined by the individual program. VA fellows are eligible for health insurance (for self, spouse, and legal dependents). Some fellows will be eligible for life insurance, vision, or dental benefits; eligibility is based on prior federal service and the individual’s service computation date. 

Holidays and Leave: Fellows may be eligible for federal holidays throughout the calendar year. In addition, most fellows will be in Leave Category I, meaning they will accrue 4 hours of sick leave and 4 hours of annual leave for each full two-week pay period, for a total of between 96 and 104 hours of each during the year.  If a fellow has prior federal service, their leave category will be determined based on their service computation date.

Authorized Absence: According to VA Handbook 5011, Part III, Chapter 2, Section 12, employees, including trainees, may be given authorized absence without charge to leave when the activity is considered to be of substantial benefit to VA in accomplishing its general mission or one of its specific functions, such as education and training. Application of this policy varies from site to site, so questions for a specific program must be directed to the Training Director.

Liability Protection for Trainees: When providing professional services at a VA healthcare facility, VA sponsored trainees acting within the scope of their educational programs are protected from personal liability under the Federal Employees Liability Reform and Tort Compensation Act 28, U.S.C.2679 (b)-(d).

 

PSYCHOLOGY EXTERNSHIP/PRACTICUM TRAINING

The Kansas City VA accepts around 5-6 externs each training year.  Training experiences are available in numerous rotations, including general mental health, assessment, PTSD, health, and substance use disorders. Externship experiences are without compensation.

Liability Protection for Trainees: When providing professional services at a VA healthcare facility, VA sponsored trainees acting within the scope of their educational programs are protected from personal liability under the Federal Employees Liability Reform and Tort Compensation Act 28, U.S.C.2679 (b)-(d).

Accreditation

Commission on Accreditation (CoA)
Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
Education Directorate
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242

 

Contact

Kristen Davis-Durairaj, Psy.D. 
Psychology Internship and Postdoctoral Fellowship Training Director
kristen.davis-durairaj@va.gov
816-861-4700, ext. 55320

Anne Merrill, Ph.D.
Externship Training Director
anne.merrill@va.gov


Kansas City VA Medical Center
4801 Linwood Blvd.
Kansas City, MO 64128

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