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Social Work Health Profession Trainee Program

The paid stipend Social Work Trainee Program at VA Palo Alto health care offers a comprehensive training and educational experience in a supportive environment for master's level social work students.

This program equips students to handle the unique challenges social workers encounter in the workplace. Typically, the program runs from the start of the academic year (after Labor Day) to the end of the academic year (end of April). Trainees must be in their final year of master's level education and available to work 24 hours per week. Currently, there are no weekend or swing shifts.

Many universities and colleges with social work programs have affiliation agreements allowing students to complete field placements at VA facilities. To find out if your school has an affiliation agreement with VA Palo Alto health care, please reach out to your local university or college field placement coordinator.

Contact Alexis Tovar, Social Work Education and Training Coordinator, for more information.

About VA Social Work Programs

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) runs the largest and most comprehensive clinical training program for social work students in the country, training over 1,500 students annually. VA Palo Alto health care will provide students with exposure to:

  • A multi-campus health care system
  • Training in evidence-based therapies
  • Twice-monthly educational seminars for trainees
  • VA-sponsored onsite conferences
  • State-of-the-art clinical programs
  • Culturally diverse social work service of over 200 social workers
  • A wide range of programs including geriatrics and extended care, homeless programs, substance abuse services, psychosocial rehabilitation, residential care services, inpatient medical/surgical units, outpatient primary health care, mental health, behavioral health, polytrauma, spinal cord injury/disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder treatments, military sexual trauma, women Veterans, and blind rehabilitation.