Internships and fellowships

The primary mission of the EOVAHCS training program is to provide the highest quality generalist training using evidenced based psychotherapies and psychological assessments. All aspects of the training program facilitate the development of core competencies as recommended by APA.  The Scholar-Practitioner model is followed and prepares interns as well-rounded competent clinicians in each of the core competencies.  Our goal is to facilitate the development of critical thinking, clinical judgment, conceptualization, and problem-solving skills.  Prior to the end of the training year, interns will be expected to be competent in providing general psychological services to Veterans in an ethical, professional, and knowledgeable manner.

The internship program is structured to help trainees grow and mature both personally and professionally. In other words, the internship year focuses on two fundamental overarching areas: 1) foundational competencies in psychological practice and 2) developing a sound professional identity. 

With regards to foundational competencies:  Interns will learn to effectively communicate clinical observations, opinions, decisions (verbal and written) across interdisciplinary settings. Interns will develop and refine interpersonal skills needed to work effectively with patients, their families, and allied health professionals. Interns will further develop knowledge and sensitivity to cultural, ethical, and legal issues that impact psychological practice with an overall understanding of individual differences and cultural humility.

With regards to professional identity:  Development of professional identify includes multiple dimensions: Supervisors will provide modeling, feedback, and a progressive degree of independence to help interns grow and develop a solid sense of themselves as an emerging professional. Specifically, we strive to help the intern transition from the student role to the professional role regarding self-image, increasing responsibilities, navigation of complex service delivery settings, and professional competence and confidence. Our program uses feedback and evaluations to help trainees grow in self-awareness, develop a refined sense of personal strengths and limitations, and clinical judgment with regards on when to act independently and when to seek consultation. 

The training year begins with three to four weeks of orientation to familiarize trainees with procedures, expectations…... Interns visit potential rotation sites, meet potential supervisors and are provided with information about each rotation in order to help them compose a training plan that best fits their interests and needs. We take great care to create a training plan and rotation sequence that is fair and accounts for the trainees’ clinical interests and goals.

Interns receive feedback from supervisors in an on-going informal manner throughout the year in addition to formal evaluations at mid-year and end of the year. Evaluations emphasize the intern's strengths and identify areas in need of improvement. In turn, interns evaluate supervisors and the supervision experience. Evaluations are mutually shared and discussed between intern and supervisor in a collaborative atmosphere that fosters both personal and professional development.

All EOVAHCS rotations provide the opportunity to train with multidisciplinary teams in a cooperative, collaborative, professional environment using evidenced based practices. Our diverse staff offers a breadth of viewpoints and experiences with a focus on Veteran-centered care, emphasis on recovery and community re-integration.

EOVAHCS internship training program year includes into two rotations of six months each and a yearlong rotation focused on evidenced based assessment and psychotherapy. Interns are expected to achieve foundational competencies in clinical assessment, group and individual psychotherapy, consultation, treatment planning, professionalism, ethical/legal standards and policy, sensitivity to individual differences, cultural diversity, supervision, and scientific knowledge and methods.

Interns can expect to spend two days per week performing duties associated with their rotation, one day a week performing duties associated with assessment, one day a week performing duties associated with evidence based therapy, and one day reserved for training-related activities such as didactic seminars, group supervision, research, and the yearlong diversity seminar. Time on the training activity day is also  individualized based on the intern’s training goals/interests and can include committee work (e.g., LGBTQ Committee; Multicultural Committee; IPV Work Group, Mental Health Summit Planning Committee), and/or outreach (e.g., Native American Outreach, MST Outreach, Suicide Prevention, Tulsa Mayor’s Veteran Advisory Council).  Activities and roles associated with rotations vary, but generally include individual and/or group psychotherapy, psychological assessment, documentation, report writing, training, and supervision.

EOVAHCS also has a research service and interns may have the opportunity to be involved with current research.  Level of involvement may vary based on intern’s interest but will include at minimum 2 hours of research work per month when studies are available.  This may include tasks such as:  data entry, data coding, assessment/screening administration, and possible opportunities for data analysis and writing contributions.

Interns receive two hours of individual face to face supervision each week from two separate licensed psychologists (Assessment Supervisor, Rotation Supervisor). In addition, interns have three hours of group supervision (Assessment, EBP, Training Directors) and two hours of didactic activities each week. The didactics and seminars are coordinated by training leadership and include topics such as multicultural/diversity considerations, ethics, professional development, supervision, empirically based treatments, and psychological assessment. Diverse perspectives in training are provided by clinical providers working in various areas of Veteran care as well as outside speakers with specific expertise.
 

Each intern is required to participate in year long rotations which will focus on Psychological Assessment and Evidenced-Based Psychotherapy. These rotations will be located at the Tulsa Clinic.  The options for the six month rotations are detailed below.

Psychological Assessment

Interns have the option to complete a personality/general diagnostic assessment or a neuropsychological assessment full year rotation.  For both, interns will conduct assessments as referred by clinical providers within the EOVAHC System through a formal consult system. Interns may need to consult/collaborate with other professionals to clarify referral questions and provide meaningful feedback. Each assessment is individualized to the referral question and client. Psychological assessments include clinical interview, review of history and records, and administration of standardized psychological tests and measures.  Following information gathering, test administration, scoring and interpretation, Interns write integrated assessment reports and present findings/feedback/treatment recommendations to both the referring source and patients as appropriate. Individual assessment supervisors assigned to each intern provide weekly individual and group supervision. Common assessments conducted include ADHD evaluations, Diagnostic Evaluations, Personality Assessments, PTSD Evaluations, and Cognitive Screenings..

Evidenced-Based psychotherapy

Interns will become proficient in a minimum of one (and likely more than one) evidenced based psychotherapy (EBP) during the training year. Historically, these therapies have included Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBTi), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression (CBT-D), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for PTSD, and Acceptance Commitment Therapy for Depression (ACT-D). The training and consultation for the primary EBP is provided by VA National consultants and/or Regional Trainers/Consultants. Trainings for the EBP include face to face instruction, review of audio recordings, direct observation, supervision, and consultation. Interns will participate in group supervision with the EBP consultant. Individual supervision will be provided as necessary. As part of this rotation, interns may also conduct one comprehensive intake weekly which includes gathering of psychosocial history, assessing relationship violence, conducting suicide risk assessment and, if appropriate, safety planning. Using the shared decision making model the Intern will also provide information and rationale about EBP’s available and collaborate with the client to engage in treatment planning with the best fit based on the client’s presenting symptoms and goals.

Acute Psychiatric Inpatient Unit
 Interns work as part of a multidisciplinary treatment team on the inpatient mental health service one day per week and in the PRRC with is similar to a day treatment or partial hospitalization setting.  During the day on the inpatient unit interns provide brief psychotherapy and psychological assessments. Common reasons for hospitalization include suicide ideation/attempts, homicidal ideation, substance use disorders, depression, grief and loss, active psychosis and/or mania.  A large focus of the rotation is consulting and communicating about treatment conceptualization and planning with the team, which includes nursing, recreational therapy, social work and psychiatry staff. Psychological interventions consist of both group and individual treatments.

General Mental Health: Interns work as a team member of an interdisciplinary outpatient clinic, seeing veterans with a full spectrum of psychological disorders including depression, anxiety, non-combat PTSD, bipolar and other psychotic disorders. Psychological work in this rotation includes individual and group psychotherapy, participation in the initial intake and treatment planning process with Veterans. The intern develops and enhances skills in evidence based psychotherapy by facilitating group and individual therapy with a broad range of psychopathology. Skills in differential diagnosis, treatment and treatment planning are facilitated through the course of the therapeutic relationship.  In this rotation a holistic, recovery-oriented approach to care is imperative and interns work closely with medication providers (nurse practitioners and psychiatrists) and social workers (homeless veteran coordinator, CWT and supported employment coordinator), as well as collaborating with primary and specialty care physicians.

Home Based Primary Care Rotation:  Interns in the home based primary care rotation have the opportunity to learn how to provide a full range of psychological services to patients in the home who are unable to travel to the nearest VA Medical Center. Many of those served are in very rural areas of Eastern Oklahoma, which will add to this unique training experience. Specific services include screenings; psychological, cognitive, and capacity assessments; psychotherapy; and prevention-oriented services. Mental health treatment and prevention-oriented services will emphasize evidence-based and best practice approaches.

Primary Care Mental Health Integration
The primary care mental health integration (PCMHI) rotation provides evidence based behavioral health services to patients within the primary care setting. Psychological interns will work in collaboration with primary care physicians, nurses, and other PCMHI social workers and staff to provide integrated services that treat the whole person.  Primary Care patients present with behavioral health concerns (anxiety, depression, PTSD, etc.) in addition to physical health concerns and medical conditions.  Interns will receive warm hands offs from medical teams and provide feedback and consultation to the referring provider about patient care. Interns conduct brief functional assessments and interventions that facilitate patient progress towards behaviorally based goals. Consistent with the PCMHI model’s episode of care, most patient appointments will be no more than 30 minutes with a maximum of 6-8 follow up sessions. Interns will also submit referrals and coordinate care when indicated to other specialty clinics and services. PCMHI not only aims to reduce symptoms of psychopathology, but to also improve patient functioning and quality of life. The rotation emphasizes a contextualism perspective to case conceptualization and the implementation of contextually and behaviorally based psychotherapeutic interventions.

Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center (PRRC)
Interns are part of a recovery focused program for Veterans who have persistent severe mental illness including Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Severe Depression, and PTSD. The goal of the PRRC is community integration, reducing emotional distress with evidenced based therapeutic interventions, and building skills to strengthen social supports. The Intern is expected to provide psychological assessment, individual, and group interventions to veterans with serious mental illness as part of an interdisciplinary team.  The team includes the following disciplines: Vocational Rehabilitation, Recreational Therapist, Peer Support Specialist, Social Work, and Psychologist. Evidenced based practices include Seeking Safety, CBT for Depression, CBT for Anxiety, Mindfulness, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Schizophrenia, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy, and Social Skills Training for Schizophrenia.

PTSD Clinical Team (PCT): Interns gain experience in empirically supported assessment and treatments of PTSD related to combat. Interns will learn to reliably administer and score the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS-5). Evidenced Based Psychotherapy training opportunities include: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Skills Groups, Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), CBT for Insomnia, and Prolonged Exposure Therapy.  Training focus will be individualized based on intern’s training, experience, and interest.

Rural Telemental Health: The Rural Telemental Health (RTH) rotation offers interns distinct and innovative training using technology to complement their psychotherapy, psychological evaluation, consultation, and interprofessional skills. Interns can expect to work towards decreasing health disparities in an interprofessional training model serving rural Oklahoma veterans in partnership with social work, psychiatry, and primary care using video teleconferencing. Interns learn the unique contributions of economic, social, and cultural factors affecting the mental health of rural veterans. As a result of socio-eco-cultural influences, many of our rural veterans have multifactorial medical and mental health issues; therefore, interns will acquire advanced skills and knowledge in assessment, evaluation, psychotherapy, consultation, and case management

Substance Use Disorder Team: The Eastern Oklahoma VA Health Care Systems (EOVAHC) Behavioral Medicine Service (BMS) offers a continuum of care for Veterans diagnosed with Substance Use Disorders (SUD) and Co-Occurring Disorders providing interns the opportunity to individualize their training experience.  Opportunities include Substance Use Disorder assessment, consultation, evidence based therapies, outpatient and intensive outpatient (IOP) groups and may also include inpatient consultation. Evidence Based practices include Motivational Enhancement Therapy, Mindfulness, Seeking Safety, 12-Step Facilitation, a Cognitive Behaviorally focused Relapse Prevention and Acceptance Commitment Therapy approaches. 

Tulsa Veterans Court (VTC) targets veterans charged with non-violent felonies and who also struggle with drug and/or alcohol addictions, and/or mental health problems.
The Veterans Treatment Court is a collaborative effort among the 14th Judicial District Tulsa County Drug/DUI Court, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Tulsa County District Attorney’s Office, Tulsa County Public Defender’s Office, Human Skills and Resources Supervision, Tulsa County Court Services, and many other community partners. Tulsa Veterans Court is certified as a National Training Mentor Court.

Interns will have the opportunity to attend court dates, graduations and provide counseling services and case management to VTC participants. Interns on the SUD rotation have the unique opportunity to be trained by and consult with a National Trainer in MET

Women’s Mental Health Specialty/MST Treatment Program:  Interns gain experience in empirically supported assessment and treatments of PTSD related to sexual trauma in the military (MST) and outside the military. In addition to PTSD, frequent diagnoses treated within this clinic include Borderline Personality Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, and Anxiety Disorders. Interns will gain exposure working with individuals with eating disorders, experiencers of intimate partner violence (IPV), and users of IPV. Evidenced Based Psychotherapy training opportunities include: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Skills Groups, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Skills Training in Affect and Interpersonal Regulation (STAIR), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Skills Groups; Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), CBT for Insomnia, Mindfulness, Exposure Relaxation Rescripting Therapy for Trauma Related Nightmares (ERRT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression and Prolonged Exposure Therapy.  Interns will learn to reliably administer and score the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS-5). Training focus will be individualized based on intern’s past training, experience, and interest.

Enhancement Descriptions:

Special Populations: This rotation enhancement specializes in providing therapeutic services to Veterans from minority populations including: racial/cultural differences, LGBTQ, women, Veterans in the legal system, and Veterans with major physical disabilities. As psychologists, we have an ethical responsibility to provide culturally informed care for our clients and the communities with which we engage.  However, clinicians also cite concerns about their abilities to apply knowledge of diversity to routine practice.  This rotation enhancement will provide interns an opportunity to bridge the gap between knowledge and application. The Special Populations Rotation Enhancement is designed to be flexible, allowing interns the opportunity to create an experience fitting with personal and professional goals, prior training experience, and expectations

Specialty Assessment: This rotation enhancement specializes in providing assessments prior to medical procedures such as bariatric surgery and organ transplants.  If the opportunity arises evaluations conducted for VA police candidates may be an option. Interns receive enhanced training in these specialty assessments/evaluations in regards to administering of standardized assessment instruments, psychosocial interview, interpretation, and report writing.

Administrative Enhancement: The administrative enhancement provides the opportunity for interns to practice administrative functions as they relate to mental health.  For example:  Intern may assist with National VA mental health directives such as SMI ReEngage (outreach to Veterans with SMI who have been lost to care), EPIC (Early Psychosis Intervention Coordination),  Inpatient Recovery Transformation Meeting (Review of recovery oriented practices on the inpatient unit) and local efforts such as the Complex Care Committee (Multidisciplinary team reviews of complex patients) and other systems as they arise. This rotation will develop an interns reflective and critical thinking skills, writing skills and navigation of systems/organizations.  

Other Training Opportunities Across Rotations:

Evidenced Based Therapies: Interns have the unique opportunity to be exposed to other evidenced based therapies implemented on their rotations. The following is a list of Evidenced Based Therapies currently utilized by psychologists with provider status in that specific modality.

Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT): CPT is a manualized, cognitive-behavioral, time-limited (12-17 weeks) treatment approach for trauma related symptoms. This therapy is provided in both individual and group therapy formats.

Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE): PE is a manualized, cognitive-behavioral time-limited (10-15 weeks) treatment approach for veterans with a diagnosis of PTSD. This therapy is provided in individual format only.

Motivational Interviewing/Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MI, MET): MI and MET are client centered therapeutic styles for eliciting behavioral change. These are used frequently with patients with Substance Use Disorders.

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Skills Group (DBT): DBT is a manualized approach focusing on the skills of mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, emotion regulation, and distress tolerance.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): ACT uses acceptance and mindfulness processes along with commitment to behavioral change to bring about greater psychological flexibility.  ACT is evidence based to treat depression and is also used for chronic pain, anxiety, psychosis and other disorders.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Depression (CBT-D): CBT-D focuses on cognitive restructuring along with behavioral activation to treat depressive symptoms. This is available in group and individual format.

Interpersonal Therapy for Depression (IPT): IPT is based on the principle that there is a relationship between the way people communicate and interact with others and their mental health. This therapy encourages the patient to regain control of mood and functioning typically lasting 12–16 weeks.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I): CBT-I focuses on cognitive restructuring and behavioral changes to treat insomnia. This is available in group and individual formats.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Pain: This is a manualized, time-limited (12 weeks) that focuses on CBT skills for pain management. This is available in group and individual formats.

Exposure, Relaxation, and Rescripting Therapy (ERRT): This is a manualized, time-limited (5 weeks) cognitive-behavioral therapy for the treatment of trauma related nightmares. This is available in group and individual formats.

Social Skills Training:  Evidenced based treatment for veterans with severe mental illness. This is available in group format.

Integrated Behavioral Couples Therapy (IBCT): This is a couple therapy that incorporates the strategies of behavioral couple therapy with new strategies for promoting acceptance in couples. Studies indicate that IBCT is an effective intervention for reducing marital distress and improving relationship satisfaction. 

The Diversity Seminar and Group Project strives to foster and encourage a life-long practice of professional multicultural competence. The interns and Group Project Coorinator(s) work to embrace the idea of cultural humility and develop a process of openness, self-reflection and ongoing professional and personal development.  Aspects of the project include: participation in culturally considerate supervision, delivery of culturally competent clinical interventions, encouragment of reflection on cultural identity and cultural interactions in professional spaces through personal reflective practice, group discussion, and facilitation of experiential encounters that increase awareness of cultural identity and interactions, as well as knowledge of a cultural group.

As part of the diversity seminar, interns will create individual and group presentations.  First, each intern will present on an aspect of diversity in a formal presentation and facilitate discussion.  The individual presentation could highlight an experiential project, deep self-reflection, or exploration of a particular case and all will include relevant research/literature.  In the later part of the training year, interns present as a group on a topic of their choosing, related to diversity, as part of the quarterly psychologist training seminar.

Interns can gain experience supervising practicum students in individual and group formats throughout the year. This experience is supervised, and the intern is provided with formalized instruction and guidance to build this competency area. Group supervision starts at the beginning of the year. Using a competency-based supervision framework, interns guide junior practicum students through self-reflective exercises in topic areas related to working with diverse patient populations. Group supervision is intended to be experiential with the use of role play and case vignettes to improve trainees capacity for self-reflection and awareness of diversity related issues. Group supervision will take place twice per month and two Interns will cofacilitate each supervision session. A licensed psychologist will be responsible for reviewing group umbrella supervision through live observation at a minimum of 1 time every 6 months.  The supervising psychologist will also review the supervision session in the intern’s individual and group supervision.

Individual umbrella supervision, if it occurs, will likely begin at midyear.  The midyear start ensures interns have adapted to the setting, training environment and completed supervision didactics and readings. During the spring and/or summer of the training year, interns, if deemed developmentally prepared, will provide supervision to practicum students for psychological assessment.  Assessment supervision will be conducted both individually and, in a group setting to facilitate high quality practice with interviewing, chart review, test selection, administration, scoring, interpretation, report writing and providing feedback.  Licensed psychology supervisors will provide umbrella supervision weekly throughout the process. 

Our program is using the APPIC Application for Psychology Internship (AAPI) to enable you to complete one application for all sites that are participating in the APPIC uniform application process. The AAPI is available through the APPIC web site. Please go to the APPIC web site at www.appic.org for more information about accessing and completing the online application.

Please be aware that the “Academic Program’s Verification of Internship Eligibility and Readiness” form must be submitted ELECTRONICALLY to the Internship site by your graduate Director of Clinical Training. Instructions regarding this part of the application process are contained in the online AAPI. No mail or email application materials will be accepted Applicants are encouraged to complete the application as early as possible so that ample time will be available for application review.

For any questions please contact:
Arena M. Mueller, PsyD                                 Jordan Heroux, PhD
Interim Training Director                             Associate Training Director
Arena.mueller@va.gov                                 Jordan.heroux2@va.gov
918.610.2000                                                     918.610.2000

For your application to be complete, we must receive the following materials through APPIC by 8am on November 13th, 2023.

• Online APPIC Application for Psychology Internship (AAPI)
• Your Curriculum Vitae—to be submitted as part of AAPI
• Three letters of recommendation—to be submitted as part of AAPI
• Graduate school transcripts—to be submitted as part of AAPI
• Your Academic Program Verification of Internship Eligibility and Readiness Form—to be submitted by your Director of Clinical Training as part of AAPI
• Cover letter (no longer than two pages) addressing how your experiences to date and current career goals make you a good fit for the training offered at EOVAHCS and emphasizing rotations of interest
• Should you choose, you may also identify representation with an element of diversity in your cover letter

All applications will be reviewed by a selection committee comprised of the Director and Associate Director of Training along with at least two other training committee members. We will attempt to have applications reviewed by training staff that are a part of the applicant’s identified rotations of interest. Applications are evaluated across several criteria including: grade point average, dissertation status, awards, scholarly activity, professional activities, experience with evidence based intervention and assessment, strength of letters of recommendation, quality of written application materials, and goodness of fit with the program goals and objectives. All things being equal, consideration is given to applicants representing elements of diversity, including, but not limited to, age, disability, ethnicity, gender identity, language, national origin, race, religion, culture, sexual orientation, social economic status, and military service.

Applicants who are selected for interview will be invited by email no later than December 11, 2023.  Interviews will be virtual and occur on the following dates: December 20, 2023 January 9, 2024; and January 11, 2024.  Interviews will include a group meet-and-greet, overview of the program with training director and associate training director, a group panel of supervisors providing information on rotations, Q&A with current interns and two individual interviews with training faculty.  Interview day is scheduled from 8am to 4:30pm CST.  Requests to meet with specific staff are welcome. 

Policies and procedures regarding internship offers and acceptance recommended by the APPIC and the Council of Directors of Clinical Training Programs will be followed for the appointment of Interns to the Eastern OK VA Healthcare System’s Psychology Internship Training Program. The internship site agrees to abide by the APPIC Policy that no person at this training facility will solicit, accept or use any ranking-related information from any intern applicant prior to Uniform Notification Day.

The residency is 12 months in length and will include clinical rotations and multidisciplinary didactic experiences focused on:

• strengthening confidence as a licensed, independent practitioner in the promotion of optimal mental health, prevention, and treatment of psychiatric disorders and health maintenance
• enhancing clinical skills and knowledge to provide effective, evidence-based, ethical, competent assessment, diagnosis, and management of mental health and psychiatric disorders.
• development and implementation of a VA related evidence-based quality enhancement and/or system redesign project with formal presentation to peers, faculty and interdisciplinary colleagues as part of program completion.

Training areas at the EOVAHCS will include the following clinics, programs or services:

• General Outpatient Mental Health
• Family and Couples Counseling
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Women's Stress Disorder Treatment Team
• Substance Use Disorder Clinic
• Neuromodulation Clinic (i.e. Ketamine, ECT, rTMS)
• Primary Care Mental Health Integration Team
• Mental Health Urgent Care/Emergency Psychiatry Team
• Inpatient Geropsychiatry
• Acute Inpatient Psychiatric unit
• PMHNP Salary and Benefits

Residents in our program are considered federal trainees with a competitive stipend and comprehensive benefits package that includes in part, paid vacation and sick leave, 10 paid holidays and health benefits. The resident stipend is based on the current year's allocation rate for the local area, the current rate is about $75,000 per annum.

• Completed PMHNP Residency Application: Application Link VA Form 2850-D
• Letter of Interest – limit to 2 double spaced pages to include but not limited to the following:
  • Your three most important professional goals
  • Discussion of your experience with a variety of patient populations (e.g. Veterans, vulnerable, underserved or elderly populations).
  • How your career goals align with the PMHNP role and with furthering the profession
• Curriculum Vitae/Resume to include each of the following in this order:
  • Education
  • Work Experience
  • Research & Publications (if applicable)
  • Leadership Service
  • Life Experience
  • Professional Memberships Awards/Honors
• "Unofficial" nursing school transcripts (Official transcripts are required upon graduation)
• A copy of recent BLS
• A copy of APRN License (not required with application but required prior to beginning residency)**
• A copy of DEA License (not required with application but required within 30 days of beginning residency) **
• A copy of PMHNP Board-Certification (not required with application but required prior to beginning residency)
• Three (3) letters of recommendation*
  • One (1) letter from an academic instructor
  • One (1) letter from a preceptor (a different person from the above-mentioned academic instructor)
  • One (1) letter from an employer or co-worker
  • Content in each letter should include the nature of the work relationship with the candidate, the candidate's work performance, the candidate's interpersonal skills, and any strengths/talents the candidate would bring to the residency program.

**Residents are strongly encouraged to hold APRN licensure from a state that provides licensed independent practice without practice restrictions or physician collaborative agreement requirements

• Application Due Date – last day of February annually 
• Candidate Selection Announcements – mid-April annually 
• PMHNP residency start date – first Monday in August annually 
• Annual Stipend Amount - approximately $75,000 (please note this is not tax free)

If you have questions about our residency program or need help with the approval process, please contact our training director: 

Stephanie Plummer DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC, PMHNP Residency Program Director
Behavioral Medicine Service – JCMVAMC – Mail Code 118
Eastern Oklahoma Veterans Health Care System
1011 Honor Heights Drive
Muskogee, OK 74401
stephanie.plummer@va.gov

Presently, we offer one CPE program to help clergy increase their pastoral effectiveness.  

Full-time, twelve-month, four-unit CPE program from early October to late September, intended for persons aiming at a level of competence that permits them to attain professional board certification as chaplains and/or admission into Supervisory CPE.

These stipend positions are limited.  Applications are received early in the calendar year, followed by an admission interview, and potential invite to join the forming cohort group. 

CPE resident chaplains are well integrated into the healthcare team and empowered to provide pastoral care to patients, families, and staff.  Each participant is encouraged to develop learning objectives relevant to his/her needs in accordance with Level I or Level II outcomes.

These objectives are addressed through pastoral care experiences, seminars, case conferences, interpersonal group seminars, and individual interviews. Focused attention will be given to increasing understanding of the needs of veterans and their families and the available resources.

Dates: October - September (12 months)

Schedule: Monday – Friday

Pre-Requisites:

Required;

• M. Div. degree or equivalency
• Permanent U.S. citizenship

Preferred;

• One (1) prior unit of CPE
• Veteran or currently in military service

Application: Standard ACPE Application Form (see link below)

A Unit of CPE consists of at least 100 hours of classroom/reading time and at least 300 hours of clinical ministry.

As a government sponsored program, there are no application or tuition fees.

The Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc. (ACPE) – “The Standard for Spiritual Care & Education” is nationally recognized as an accrediting agency in the field of clinical pastoral education by the U.S. Secretary of Education through the U.S. Department of Education.

We are accredited to offer Level I and Level II CPE by;

The Association of Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc.
55 Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd. Suite 835
Atlanta GA 30308

Tel: ; website: www.acpe.edu

M. Jeffrey Hoppe, Certified Educator
merlin.hoppe@va.gov