Internships and fellowships

Internship Program

The psychology doctoral internship at the VA Caribbean Healthcare System is fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation (CoA) of the American Psychological Association (APA). The last site visit took place during June 26-27, 2019. We received full accreditation for 10 years, the maximum awarded by the APA. The next site visit will be in 2029.

The Psychology Internship Program is committed to providing significant experiences needed to develop conscientious, ethical, and competent psychology professionals capable of providing high quality psychological services. We are equally committed to providing a culturally relevant training experience for bilingual (Spanish-English) trainees.

Postdoctoral Fellowship Program

The postdoctoral fellowship at the VA Caribbean Healthcare System is fully accredited by the CoA of the APA.  Our reaccreditation site visit took place on June 16-17, 2021. We received full accreditation for 10 years. The next site visit will be in 2031.

Our Fellowship in Clinical Psychology provides the option of training in one of two interprofessional mental health emphasis areas: Women’s Mental Health and Primary Care Mental Health. Both emphasis areas have a focus on developing competencies related to effective interdisciplinary care and optimal interprofessional team collaboration, including an ability to understand and contribute to the unique perspectives offered by different disciplines in advancing Veterans care.

We aim at developing psychology professionals beyond traditional lines, who can integrate and develop expertise related to the advanced practice of professional psychology and cultural diversity issues.

Applicants are welcomed to call the Director of Training with any questions.

Rafael E. Cancio-González, Ph.D.
Director, Psychology Training Programs

Questions related to the program’s accredited status should be directed to the Commission on Accreditation:
Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002
Phone: / E-mail: apaaccred@apa.org  
Web: https://www.accreditation.apa.org 

About Our Program

This PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency Program is conducted at the VA Caribbean Healthcare System in collaboration with the School of Pharmacy, University of Puerto Rico. The program is accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP).

Application Process

The residents are selected through participation in the National Matching Services (NMS) Resident Matching Program and Pharmacy Online Residency Centralized Application Service (PhORCAS).

Requirements for Admission:

• Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) from an accredited College/School of Pharmacy and college transcript.
• Licensure eligibility or licensure to practice pharmacy in a State, Territory, Commonwealth of the United States (i.e. Puerto Rico) or the District of Columbia.
• U.S. citizenship.
• Interview.
• Three formal letters of recommendation using established format.
• Letter of intent essay expressing interest and reason for pursuing a residency and Curriculum Vitae.
• Candidate must be fully bilingual (English and Spanish).

Program ASHP ID: 01100

Application Process and Contact Person

Address all inquiries and application materials by January 15th to:

Carlos A. Méndez, Pharm.D.
Pharmacy Residency Administrator
VA Caribbean Healthcare System
10 Casia Street (119)
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00921

Email: carlos.mendez3@va.gov
Tel: 787-641-7582 x-112710

Iadelisse Cruz-González PharmD, BCGP, GCG
Pharmacy Residency Director
School of Pharmacy
Medical Sciences Campus
University of Puerto Rico
Email: iadelisse.cruz@upr.edu

Tel. (787) 758.2525 ext. 5300, 5301

About Our Program

The Internal Medicine Training Program of the VA Caribbean Healthcare System is an ACGME accredited program and complies with all requirements of the ABIM. The program is three years duration, and trainees who graduate from the program are qualified to take the ABIM certifying examination.

The Internal Medicine Training Program of the VA Caribbean Healthcare System is an ACGME- accredited program and complies with all requirements of the ABIM. The program is of three years duration, and trainees who graduate from the program are qualified to take the ABIM certifying examination if the individual meets all other requirements.  Trainees accepted as preliminary residents who apply for one year must abide by the same rules.

Application Process

All residents are selected through the National Residents Matching Program (NRMP). Applications are accepted only through the Electronic Residency Application (ERAS). 

​PROGRAM ID: 

Welcome from the Program Director
Jose J. Acevedo-Valles, MD

Dear Applicant,

At the VA Caribbean Healthcare System IM Training Program, we are proud to say that we are the first ACGME accredited IM program in our Island and that we have maintained continued accreditation since June 29, 1956.

The Hospital

The VA Caribbean Healthcare System is 319 bed general medical, surgical, and psychiatric hospital, with related long-term and ambulatory health care services.  The Medical Service has a total of 209 authorized and 154 operational beds.  There are specialized units in the Medical Service including Medical Intensive Care and Medical Stepdown Unit (MSDU), Coronary and Coronary Stepdown Unit (ICCU), Hematology-Oncology Ward, Hemodialysis Units and telemetry throughout the hospital.  There is an active Outpatient Department with clinics in Internal Medicine-Preoperative Evaluation, Internal Medicine PACT Continuity Clinics, as well as all the Internal Medicine subspecialties including Cardiology, Gastroenterology, Pulmonary, Neurology, Dermatology, Infectious Diseases, Antiretroviral Treatment, Rheumatology, Nephrology, Endocrinology & Diabetes Mellitus, Allergy and Immunology, Hematology-Oncology and Geriatrics.  Other training programs at our institution include residents in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R), Psychiatry, Neurology, Nuclear Medicine, General Surgery, and other surgical specialties.

Relationship with Other Institutions

Our Hospital is a teaching hospital affiliated to the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) School of Medicine. Students from the UPR School of Medicine rotate in our hospital through their second, third and fourth years. The VA Caribbean Healthcare System also has affiliation agreements for rotation of students from the Universidad Central del Caribe School of Medicine (UCC), Ponce School of Medicine, and the San Juan Bautista School of Medicine. The VA Caribbean Healthcare System has affiliation agreements for the exchange of Internal Medicine residents with the University Hospital and the San Juan City Hospital.

The VA Caribbean Healthcare System's (VACHS) Social Work Internship Program has served as practice scenario since 1973 and graduated more than 280 students. Each year, over 10 social work students are trained in our facilities. The VA offers students training in a comprehensive health care system, providing exposure to a broader range of patients, problems and treatment programs than would be available from a single agency.

The VACHS maintains affiliations with the School of Social Work at the following Universities: University of Puerto Rico, Interamerican University Metro Campus and recently with Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico.  These Universities are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). The Commission on Accreditation (COA) of the CSWE is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Authority to accredit baccalaureate and master’s degree programs in social work education in the United States and its territories.  In the medical center and community-based outpatient clinics practice setting, Social Work students are responsible for direct patient care under the supervision of Social Work preceptors. Students acquire clinical social work skills and develop the ability to make a psychosocial diagnosis, establish treatment goals, determine and implement various treatment modalities including Evidence Base Treatments and facilitate change toward treatment goals. 

In addition, our Internship offers an Interdisciplinary Rotation: Advance Clinical Practice and Research Development in the treatment of PTSD SUD Comorbidities (ACP&R).  This interdisciplinary rotation values the reciprocal process of empirically supported treatments informing clinical care and clinical observation informing clinical research. This is essential to maintaining the vitality of behavioral health as a science in the changing health care environment.  Our clinicians learn this approach from the perspectives of training in evidenced based treatments, program outcome evaluation, and clinical research. One of the most important aspects of this rotation is the cross-training in an interdisciplinary and integrated treatment approach.

Applications Forms must be received by School Program Field Coordinators from each University.

For more questions you may contact:

Carlos Camacho-Amaro, MSW; Cth PE, CPT & CBT-D Certified Provider

Internship Program Director

Tel.

Carlos.Camacho-Amaro@va.gov  

Note: The benefits for Interns may include: Stipends, Health Insurance, Annual and Sick Leaves Balances, Holidays and Administrative Leaves for educational purposes and teaching Hospital Activities among others.

Accreditation Status

The Dietetic Internship at the VA Caribbean Healthcare System is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Program Description

The VA Caribbean Healthcare System Dietetic Internship is a program of 51 weeks (July-July) with a Clinical concentration with a sub-concentration of Spinal Cord Injury. The Internship Program provides supervised experiences in Clinical Dietetics, Community Nutrition, and Food Service Systems and Management. In addition to the supervised practical experiences, the program includes medical and dietetic lectures, seminars, case presentations, research projects and community experiences.

The Dietetic Internship Program will provide the student with the following:  

• Expertise to assume an expanded role in clinical nutrition including nutritional assessment, development of nutritional care plan, its implementation and evaluation.
• Expertise in translating knowledge of food, nutrition, and medical sciences into the practice of nutritional care.
• Basic functional skills necessary to manage Food Service System.
• Basic skills for planning, implementing and evaluating the teaching learning process.
• Basic functional skills necessary to perform as an effective administrator, as a clinician, educator and consultant.
• Develop motivation and interest in the area of Nutrition Research.
• Eligibility to take the registration examination, become an active member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetic and get the Puerto Rico licensure

For more information, please visit https://www.dieteticinternship.va.gov/sanjuan/SanJuanApplication.asp