Psychology Training Programs

We are currently reviewing requests for 6- or 12-month practicum opportunities on a case-by-case basis from individuals enrolled in programs for clinical and counseling psychology programs. Although we typically reserve advanced practicum placement for our third and fourth year PhD/PsyD doctoral students, in some cases we are able to support Master’s level trainees for practicum and internship experiences.

Please notify us of your interest 6 months prior to desired start date to allow for onboarding documentation and agreements between the school site and VA to be processed.

Opportunities for practicum currently include intervention, assessment, and consultation services in the Traumatic Brain Injury and Blind Rehabilitation Program. Other opportunities for involvement in the PTSD program, Substance Use Recovery Program, Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center program, and the Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program may have openings during further training years.

Supervision for psychology doctoral students may include oversight from both Clinical Psychologists and supervised supervision from psychology interns or postdoctoral fellows.

Supervision for master’s level programs (e.g., Counselor Education, Psychology) will have supervision consistent with licensure requirements as discussed with training programs and may include oversight from both licensed supervisors (e.g., Licensed Professional Counselors, Licensed Clinical Social Workers, and/or Clinical Psychologists) and supervised supervision from psychology interns or postdoctoral fellows.

For questions related to availability of training experiences at the doctoral practicum level or master’s practicum/internship level training, please contact Dr. Katrina Speed, Psychology Training Director: Katrina.speed@va.gov.

The Medical College of Georgia (MCG)/Augusta University and the Charlie Norwood Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) are organized as partners in offering a 12-month, full-time Internship in Clinical Psychology. The program begins in early July and carries an annual stipend of $33,891 for VA-paid interns. We currently fund ten Interns (6-VA; 4-MCG/AU).

For the 2025-2026 Training year, interns paid by VA funding will only be eligible to rotation with clinical experiences offered at the VA training site and will not have cross-site clinical rotation experiences with AU or ECRH. Across all training experiences, Interns work in close collaboration with primary care physicians, psychiatrists, specialists, and other allied health professionals to develop skills in providing interdisciplinary health care.

VA-paid interns will be complete 2 6-month Rotations (General and Emphasis Rotations) as most rotations include integrated health care teams and opportunities for brief assessment/treatment and consultation liaison work can be completed across general and/or emphasis training.

In addition to the generalist training opportunities available, emphasis training is provided through the selection of one of six tracks:

                VA funded:

• Veteran’s Healthcare Disparities with Emphasis in Women’s Health 
• Trauma Psychology
• Health, Behavioral Med, & Rehabilitation Track
• Child and Family 
• Forensic Psychology 
• Clinical Health Psychology 
• HIV & LGBTQ Health Disparities Track 

AU funded:

*The consortium has notified APA/CoA/OAA in May 2022 of intent to dissolve the consortium agreement. We are fully committed to maintaining accreditation as a consortium until we achieve independent accreditation during this transitional period. We are available to discuss any questions or concerns with regards to this process. Despite the expected changes, we are committed to having high-quality training for the upcoming year. The VA has submitted their self-study for independent accreditation and as of April 2024 was approved for a Spring/Summer 2025 site visit.”

Core Values in Training:

The AU/MCG-Charlie Norwood VAMC Internship supports the foundational value of the scientist-practitioner model of training for the professional psychologist. Scientific methods can both inform us of the human experience and guide in the development and implementation of therapeutic responses to life problems. Therefore, training in scientific methods should be a core endeavor for the development of the professional psychologist.

The internship program strongly values cultural and individual diversity and believes in creating an equitable, welcoming, appreciative, safe, and inclusive learning environment for its interns. Diversity and multiculturalism among interns and supervisors enhances and enriches the program. Every effort is made by the internship supervisors to create a climate in which all staff and interns feel respected, comfortable, and in which success is possible and obtainable.

      The below are current potential opportunities for rotation and training experiences depending on track schedule and supervisor availability within the training program for VA-paid trainees. Please note that offerings for AU paid applicants can be found on their website (https://www.augusta.edu/mcg/psychiatry/psychology/):

(Uptown Division)

• Acute Psychiatric Inpatient Unit – 2G/F
  • Provides integrated psychiatric stabilization, evaluation, and treatment planning services for veterans within an inpatient interdisciplinary team setting. Assessment services, group therapy, and individual consultation services are provided to veterans. 
  • Acute Medical Rehabilitation Unit -3D
    • Provides integrated rehabilitation services for veterans with recovering from acute medical surgery or procedures such as amputations, strokes, cardiac events, or motor vehicle accidents.  
  • Behavioral Health in Primary Care Integration - Psychology C/L Services
    • Provides integrated primary health care for veterans involving same day consultation, risk assessment and safety planning, brief interventions, and triage to other appropriate services as indicated
  • Behavioral Sleep Medicine 
    • Provides comprehensive evaluation of contributors to behavioral sleep disturbances, coordinates care with other healthcare team members as needed, provides individual and group treatment for a spectrum of behavioral sleep disorders in an outpatient setting.
  • Blind Rehabilitation Inpatient Unit - Psychology C/L Services
    • Provides integrated rehabilitation services for veterans with injuries resulting in prominent visual impairment 
  • Outpatient General Mental Health Service – Assessment and Therapy Services
    • Provides a full range of behavioral health assessment and treatment services with veterans
  • Substance Abuse Recovery Clinic - Assessment and Therapy Services
    • Provides treatment, education and support, including recovery opportunities for any Veteran with a substance use disorder
  • Suicide Prevention Program
    • Provides training in suicide risk evaluation, safety planning, clinical interviewing, crisis line calls, and case management of high risk for suicide veterans
  • TBI Polytrauma Evaluation Clinic – Assessment and CL Services
    • Provides integrated rehabilitation services for veterans with brain injuries and related cognitive/health complexities. 
  • Trauma Recovery Clinic – Assessment and Therapy Services
    • Provides integrated behavioral health care for veterans experiencing PTSD resulting from combat trauma and/or military sexual trauma
  • Women’s Health Clinic and Reproductive Mental Health Services– Assessment and Therapy Services
    • Provides integrated behavioral health care for veterans identifying as a woman within a Women’s Health Clinic interdisciplinary primary care team. Provides same day consultation, evaluation, brief and intensive therapy services, and group services as appropriate to address health concerns unique to the women population including addressing phase of life changes with reproductive health concerns and coping skill development for general health/mental health concerns. 
  • Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Unit – Assessment and Therapy Services
    • Provides integrated rehabilitation services for veterans with spinal cord injuries

(Downtown Division)

NOTE: We do our best to anticipate the availability of all clinic rotation offerings on a yearly basis as noted above, although these are subject to change. Any changes will be provided to applicants in line with APPIC/APA match guidance. 

Generally, the work duty hours for all trainees and supervisors is 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and all direct patient care activities end at 4:30 p.m. at the VA . 

We are an APPIC member and use the APPIC application for psychology internship (AAPI) to review applications. Information can be found at APPIC - Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers which includes a directory, the application portal, and many resources about the application process.

Direct link to program listing: https://membership.appic.org/directory/display/397

Current year application deadline: November 1, 2024
Interview Notification Date: November 18, 2024

Internship start date: June 30, 2025 (VA)

Note: Interns may apply for any of the tracks on their APPIC match forms with a maximum of 3 tracks; however, notifications for interview considerations will be sent by the funding site (i.e., applicants to a Child and Family track and a Women's Health Track will receive 2 notifications, one from AU/MCG and one from CNVAMC). Please email Dr. Speed (katrina.speed@va.gov) and/or Dr. Drescher (cdrescher@augusta.edu) for questions.

Eligibility requirements for all VA Psychology Training Programs

Office of Academic Affiliations Home (va.gov)

Interviews: Interviews for VA-paid positions will be held virtually December 3rd, 4th , 9th, and 11th, 2024. Given feedback from previous years, we will not be offering an Open House, but will make arrangements for site tours after program ranking have been submitted by the internship in late January/early February 2024 for applicants who are interested in visiting Augusta to inform their ranking.

VA Psychology Co-Training Director: Katrina Speed, PhD  Katrina.speed@va.gov

MCG/AU Psychology Co-Training Director: Christopher Drescher, PhD

cdrescher@augusta.edu

For any additional information regarding the accreditation status of the internship contact:

American Psychological Association, Office of Program and Accreditation

750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242

(Phone )

Email: apaaccred@apa.org

https://accreditation.apa.org/

Please see the link below to see tables updated in August 2024.

Please review the Internship Admission, Support, and Initial Placement Data here (DOCX)

The mission of the CNVAMC’s Psychology Postdoctoral Residency is to train Fellows to effectively function in roles that combine clinical service and scholarly inquiry. The program is generalist in nature, prioritizing the development of well-rounded clinical skills. Even though this is classified as a general clinical residency training, this program emphasizes the provision of integrated behavioral health services to veterans and the treatment of military sexual trauma.

Interprofessional Care Fellows

• The training objective of the interprofessional care postdoctoral residency positions is to provide Fellows with a broad and comprehensive clinical education within interdisciplinary team  settings. The position has a major emphasis in development of Interprofessional skills working within interdisciplinary teams. Areas of opportunity for these experiences could include but not limited to Primary Care/Mental Health Integration (PCMHI), Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP), Spinal Cord Injury Unit (SCI), Rehabilitation Clinics,  consultation and liaison services (C/L), and leadership/administrative services. Postdoctoral Fellows work as a member of these teams and serve as consultants to non-psychology professional groups during the training year. 

Military Sexual Trauma Fellows

• This track provides general clinical psychology residency training, with an emphasis in military sexual trauma. Specific training experiences include: 1) evidence-based assessment and treatment of military sexual trauma; 2) interdisciplinary consultation; 3) development of clinical supervision competencies; and 4) identification of, understanding, and addressing ethical issues common among female populations. Training in behavioral medicine interventions addressing common problems among female veterans may also be offered/available.
• Fellows provide psychological services predominantly in the Trauma Recovery Clinic and the Women’s Health Primary Care Clinic. 

Fellows are required to complete a minimum of two psychological testing cases during the training year along with two teaching presentations and 2 outreach projects. 

At least one representative of the Residency class is expected to attend the Training Committee meetings to provide updates regarding the training experiences of Fellows throughout the year, bring to the attention of the Training Committee issues or concerns pertaining to Residency training, and assist in the discussion and implementation of curriculum changes.

The residency is a one-year, full-time training program with an expected workload of 40 hours per week of direct services delivery and other training activities. Residents successfully completing either track within the program will meet the requirement for the Post-Doctoral Supervised Work Experience needed for professional licensure as a Psychologist in the State of Georgia.

Benefits and Postdoctoral Fellowship Admission, Support, and Initial Placement Data

Please see the link below to see tables updated in August 2024.

Please review the Fellowship Admission, Support, and Initial Placement Data here (DOCX)

The CNVAMC is committed to the recruitment and training of diverse postdoctoral Fellows. Consistent with the APA Commission on Accreditation, we define cultural and individual differences and diversity as including, but not limited to, age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, language, national origin, race, religion, culture, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status. Applications from qualified minority individuals are encouraged. Individuals who wish to be considered in part on the basis of a diversity variable should indicate their interest in the cover letter of their application.

Interested applicants should submit their materials online via APPIC’s centralized application service (APPA-CAS). To apply, candidates should submit the following:

1. A cover letter. Please specify if you are applying to the Interprofessional track or Military Sexual Trauma track (or both).

2. A copy of your Curriculum Vita.

3. A letter from the Chair of your Dissertation Committee describing the progress of your dissertation and anticipated defense date if not yet complete, or confirming successful completion.

4. Three letters of recommendation from supervisors who are directly familiar with your clinical work. At least one letter must be from an internship supervisor. If your dissertation Chair is providing one of your letters, they may address your dissertation status within that letter. A separate, fourth letter on this subject is not required in that circumstance.

5. An official transcript of your graduate work

Deadlines: Applications must be received online by December 13, 2024 to receive consideration. The Director of Postdoctoral Training and select members of the Training Committee will review all submitted applications in detail and will select some candidates for interviews. All applicants will be notified of their interview status by e-mail at the address provided in the APPA-CAS system. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that correct and up-to-date contact information is supplied in the online application. We plan to hold virtual interviews mid-January.
 

The VA Office of Academic Affiliations requires that all VA postdoctoral training programs abide by the APPIC Postdoctoral Selection Guidelines. Accordingly, we will abide by the new Postdoctoral Selection Standards and Common Hold Date. Offers may be made at any time following the conclusion of interviews and may be held up to the Common Hold Date of Monday, 2/24/2025. See the APPIC site for more information about the CHD policies. Applicants will be notified as soon as they are no longer under consideration and when all positions have been filled. The anticipated start date for 2023-2024 is August 12, 2024.

Please review the following information about eligibility as Health professional trainees are held to the policies and mandates of the VA and Office of Academic Affairs (OAA). Specific criteria are listed at the links below:

Resources for Health Professions Trainees Coming to VA | Eligibility and Forms - Office of Academic Affiliations

VA Psychology Training Director: Katrina Speed, PhD

Katrina.speed@va.gov

The program received 10-year accreditation in 2019 by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association.

For any additional information regarding the accreditation status of the residency contact:

American Psychological Association, Office of Program and Accreditation

750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242

(Phone )

Email: apaaccred@apa.org

https://accreditation.apa.org/