TVAMC Psychology Internship Program

Candidates for the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center (TVAMC) Psychology Internship Program must be U.S. citizens enrolled and in good standing at a clinical or counseling psychology graduate program accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) or Canadian Psychological Association (CPA). Applicants must be certified by their Director of Clinical Training as being ready for internship and preferably will have only minor, if any, dissertation requirements remaining. We prefer that applicants have a minimum of 1000 total hours of practicum experience (e.g., intervention, assessment, supervision, support); however, the quality of previous training experiences is valued more highly than the quantity. Preference is typically given to candidates from university-based programs who have had supervised assessment and therapy experience with a broad range of psychopathology across varied adult populations and settings; supervised training in objective psychological or neuropsychological test administration, interpretation, and report writing; and demonstrated interest and experience in research. As an equal opportunity training program, the TVAMC internship considers applications from qualified candidates of all backgrounds. We welcome and strongly encourage applications from candidates reflecting diversity in racial, ethnic, religious, sexual orientation, gender, disability or other identity status.

Our internship is an APPIC member program. To submit an application, please visit the APPIC website (www.appic.org) for instructions on how to complete the online APPIC Application for Psychology Internships (AAPI). Interested individuals who meet eligibility criteria should submit the following application materials:

• A cover letter indicating interests, including preferred rotations
• APPIC Application for Psychology Internships (AAPI Online)
• Curriculum Vitae
• Official graduate transcript(s)
• Standardized Reference Forms from three references

Instructions for the Applicant Agreement form required for the Match from the National Matching Services program can be downloaded at https://natmatch.com/psychint/.  Applicants who cannot access the web site should contact National Matching Services (NMS) directly to request instructions and registration forms.

 The deadline for submission of application materials is Friday, November 25, 2022.

Our program is committed to honoring the profound role of science in guiding clinical practice. We appreciate and promote the role of clinical science in providing the foundation for designing, implementing, and evaluating assessments and interventions. While we place a strong emphasis on understanding the science base of psychology, our program most closely reflects a practitioner-scholar training model.

We formally integrate science and practice in a number of ways, including didactic seminars, case presentations of clinical care issues that are based on current empirical literature, participation in research activities during the internship year, and the use of empirically validated and supported assessment and clinical interventions. We provide interns with a variety of experiences that prepare them for postdoctoral training settings or entry level practice in clinical, research, or academic settings. Our training goals are consistent with the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center’s mission to provide quality care to veterans while advancing state of the art services through research and education.  

Psychology staff assume the responsibility to prepare interns for the clinical and ethical demands of a challenging career in psychology. A developmental model guides our training program as interns begin the program with close supervision, mentorship, and didactic instruction. As skills develop and mastery increases, interns gain increasing autonomy in their clinical work. Competencies in professional practice are developed through clinical practice, individual and group supervision, and didactic training.

The TVAMC recognizes the importance of cultural and individual differences in the training of psychologists. Thus, our policies, didactic training, supervision, and clinical work all strive to foster an understanding of the importance that diversity issues play in our work.

• Geropsychology (GEC)
• Health Behavior & Functional Restoration Pain Program
• Mental Health Outpatient Clinic (with LGBTQ+ Option)
• OEF/OIF/OND Transition Center
• Primary Care-Mental Health Integration (PCMHI)
• Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (RRTP)
• Administrative Leadership
• Mental Health Outpatient Clinic Intake
• Psychological Assessment
• Primary Care-Mental Health Integration (PCMHI)
• Research