Psychology Training

The Psychology Training Program is committed to ensuring a range of diversity among our trainees. We select qualified candidates representing diverse ethnic/racial backgrounds, sexual orientations, disabilities, geographic locations, and life experiences.
 

Director of Psychology Training
Patricia J. Smithmyer, Psy.D., ABPP
Patricia.Smithmyer@va.gov 

Psychology Predoctoral Internship

Application Deadline: November 8, 2024  At 11:59 p.m. (ET)

Number of positions Available: 5

Our APA Accredited Psychology Internship Training Program concentrates on developing the knowledge, skills, and techniques necessary to function as professional psychologists.  We utilize the practitioner/scientist model and focus on providing interns exposure to veteran centered care experiences such as assessment and intervention.  Our site is best suited to providing high-quality training in clinical care with an emphasis on intersectionality of diversity factors, collaboration of care with veterans, and valuing interdisciplinary teamwork.  Our internship helps interns understand the complexity of veteran care and discussing the ethical scenarios in supervision to best meet their clinical needs.  

Our program utilizes the tutorial-apprenticeship model.  Interns are assigned primary supervisors from members of the Psychology Training Staff and participate directly in the work of their primary supervisor(s).  The exact nature of the experience will depend on the supervisor-intern relationship, the skill level of the intern, our veteran population, and the rotation itself.  We pride ourselves on the flexibility and individualization of our program to meet both the needs of our underserved rural veteran population and our incoming student’s growth areas.  In achieving individualized training objectives, our program requires that each intern demonstrate an intermediate-to-advanced level of professional psychological skills, abilities, proficiencies, competencies, and knowledge in the following areas: a) theories/methods of assessment/diagnosis and effective treatments/interventions; b) theories/methods of consultation, evaluation, and supervision; c) strategies of scholarly inquiry; and d) issues of cultural/individual diversity relevant to the above. At this time the VAIHCS does not have an IRB to support research projects.

*Questions related to the program’s accredited status should be directed to the Commission on Accreditation:

Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
701 1st Street, NE, Washington, DC 2002
Phone: 202-336-5979 e-mail: apaaccred@apa.org
Internet: http://www.apa.org/ed/accreditation

Clinical Psychology Practicum

Application Deadline:  Mar 15

VA Illiana HCS offers practicum training opportunities for advanced graduate students working with a wide range of psychological issues across different settings with the veteran population. Practicum placements are based on a match between students' interests and experience and supervisors' expertise and their availability to take on a practicum student for that year. The exact placements vary from year to year; however, our program has offered placements in our Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP), Geropsychology, Primary Care-Mental Health Integration (PCMHI), PTSD Clinic, and our Community-Based Outpatient Clinics in Peoria, IL and Springfield, IL.  The training year typically runs from the beginning of September through May, but this can be flexible.  In terms of hours, practicum students dedicate 1-2 days to on-site practicum training, typically between 8-16 hours per week.

Eligibility Requirements:

For any psychology training track at VA Illiana Healthcare System, we abide by all eligibility requirements as described on this website. Per VA policy, VA Illiana Healthcare System can only offer training positions to United States citizens who are pursuing a doctoral degree in clinical or counseling psychology from an APA-accredited institution.

VA Psychology Training eligibility requirements