Primary Care Pre-Doctoral Psychology Internship

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Organization Type: 
Educational Institution
Program Type: 
Standing Program
Education Level: 
Graduate
Postgraduate (e.g., residency, fellowship)
Educational Elements: 
Lecture/Didactic
Independent Study
Self Reflection Activities
Experiential not including services to patients
Experiential including clinical contact with patients
Other
Other Element(s): 
Learning in a multi-disciplinary medical educational program
Program Description: 

This pre-doctoral internship is designed to train future psychologists to work in health care settings as providers of comprehensive psychological services that stress interdisciplinary collaboration.

The internship experience involves:

  • 2,000 hours of training, in not less than 12 months and not more than 24 months consecutively
  • Training which extends and integrates the intern's basic academic program
  • Broad range of experiences to develop core professional competencies
  • Shared responsibility in designing and planning the internship experience in collaboration with the intern’s supervisors and Psychology Training Director
  • Faculty facilitation of the transformation from role of student to that of professional psychologist
  • Serving as a mental health resource to its employees, local students, medical professionals, and the larger community.

Conemaugh Memorial psychologists provide training in empirically-validated treatment with the goal of recovery; helping individuals with chronic mental illness develop as much autonomy as possible. Conemaugh Memorial is committed to preparing psychologists for ethical practice in clinical application of psychology with a particular emphasis on professional practice in an interdisciplinary setting. Upon completion of the internship, interns are prepared to assume an entry level doctoral psychology position across the lifespan in multiple care settings (i.e., medical, inpatient, outpatient and behavioral health care settings).

This program offers two tracks: primary care psychology and a clinical track. The two interns are located within the Family Medical Center, and train along with 18 family medicine residents and faculty, beginning at orientation. Other rotations include cardiac rehabilitation, neuroscience, oncology, inpatient adult and child psychiatry, HIV/AIDS care, and bariatric surgery assessment.

Evaluated: 
No
Program Results: 

This program received Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC) membership in December of 2013, and participated in the APPIC match the past three years. 

Targeted Professions
Psychology: 
Clinical
Counseling
Clinical Health
Self-Reported Competencies
PCPCC’s Education and Training Task Force identified 16 interprofessional training competencies critical for preparing health professionals for practicing in team-based, coordinated care models such as patient-centered medical homes. Listed below are the self-reported competencies that this program has achieved, which have been organized by the five core features of a medical home as defined by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Patient-Centered Care Competencies: 
Advocacy for patient-centered integrated care
Comprehensive Care Competencies: 
Assessment of biopsychosocial needs across the lifespan
Coordinated Care Competencies: 
Interprofessionalism & interdisciplinary team collaboration
Quality Care & Safety Competencies: 
Quality improvement methods, including assessment of patient-experience for use in practice-based improvement efforts
Accessible Care Competencies: 
Promotion of appropriate access to care (e.g., group appointments, open scheduling)
Last updated July 21, 2014

* Please note: Information contained in this database is self-reported by representatives from each program. It does not represent an exhaustive list of education and training programs and inclusion does not constitute an endorsement from the PCPCC.

 

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