Clinical Psychology Training Programs

Welcome to our web page!

The Psychology Training Community at the VA Portland Health Care System (VAPORHCS) appreciates your interest in our clinical psychology internship program and our postdoctoral psychology fellowship program. We invite you to browse through our website and brochures to learn more about our training programs.  The VAPORHCS psychology staff values collegial working relationships with our psychology trainees as well as the opportunity to teach and provide supervision.  We look forward to reviewing your application!

Our internship has been accredited by the American Psychological Association* since 1978 (the most recent site visit occurred in 2017) and continues a strong commitment to fostering clinical skills and professional identity in interns. Internship applications for the 2024-2025 training year must be submitted through the AAPI online no later than Friday, November 3, 2023 at 11:59PM. Following review of the applications, a portion of applicants will remain under consideration and will be invited to attend our Open House on Thursday, January 4, 2024. We will also be conducting virtual video interviews the week of January 8th, 2024.

This academic cycle we are recruiting for three psychology fellowship positions. A one-year fellowship opportunity in Health Psychology or Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) as well as a two-year advanced fellowship in Mental Illness Treatment and Research (MIRECC).  Our separately accredited two-year specialty fellowship in Clinical Neuropsychology typically recruits for one position each year. Due to staffing changes we will not be recruiting for this fellowship for the 2024-2025 academic year. We expect to return to typical recruitment for the 2025-2026 cycle. Please see our main brochure for detailed information regarding fellowships. All Fellowship applications for the 2024-2025 training year must be submitted through APPA CAS by December 15, 2023 at 11:59PM.
 
In July 2016, our postdoctoral fellowship program was accredited until 2023 by the American Psychological Association as a postdoctoral residency in clinical psychology. In November 2018, our Clinical Neuropsychology program received specialty accreditation on contingency from the American Psychological Association until 2023. 

Note: Please check back for further details on fellowship recruitment timelines. We are awaiting national recommendations from APPIC and will then update materials accordingly.

Thank you!    

Covid-19 Pandemic Response

In discussing our response to the COVID-19 pandemic, our program would like start by first express our heartfelt hopes for safety, continued and or sustained health, and support for you and your loved ones during such a difficult and uncertain time for all applicants, trainees, and staff. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic starting in 2020, the training program, in concert with support from our local medical center leadership, continues to evaluate and comfort of trainees working in the hospital. For a period in 2020 we maintained an all virtual program with an effort to maintain most of our training activities without significant disruption. In 2021, our clinic moved to a hybrid model with limited patient contact. Currently trainees see many Veterans via telehealth for individual and group therapies, assessments (when the assessment can be modified to telehealth modality), and attending and participating in didactics and supervision via virtual media technologies.  As of Summer 2022, trainees and staff are generally working a mix of on-site and telework schedules, and the exact nature of these hybrid schedules vary based on clinic needs and training goals. That said, the number one focus for us is the health and safety of our Psychology Trainees.  Our belief is that as we transition our services, we will continue to provide competent care for our nation’s Veterans.

We will continue to provide high quality training in professional psychology while simultaneously keeping our trainees’ health and wellness at the forefront.  We will continue to update this status and our training materials as the situation evolves. As tracks have been differentially impacted by changes in service delivery, tracks have listed any COVID-19 specific changes in their sections of the brochure. If you have any specific questions about the impact of COVID-19 to a specific track or a training activity, we encourage you to call us or reach out via e-mail. We would be happy to discuss this with you.  We want you to feel as fully-informed as you can be as you consider our program.  Please continue to take care of yourselves and let us know how we can assist and support you.

• Please note that, as the pandemic evolves and state and local guidelines change, our program may add or remove modifications.  Please feel free to contact the training directors if you have additional questions.      

* Links will take you outside of the Department of Veterans Affairs website. VA does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of the linked websites. The link will open in a new window.

American Psychological Association
Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
750 First Street, NE • Washington, DC • 20002-4242
Phone:
TDD/TTY:
Fax:
Email: apaaccred@apa.org

Learn more about American Psychological Association Accreditation 

Questions  about the internship or its application process should be addressed to:

Questions about the fellowships or its application process should be addressed to:

Questions about the practicum or its application process should be addressed to: