About Us/ Program Description
The Clinical Psychology Internship Program has been accredited by the American Psychological Association since 1972, and in 2018, received a ten-year accreditation.
The WVU School of Medicine, Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, located at Chestnut Ridge Center, sponsors the 12- month doctoral internship. The program emphasizes strong mentorship and training in assessment and intervention from an evidence-based, primarily cognitive-behavioral orientation. Interns gain clinical experience with patients representing a broad range of presenting problems in both inpatient and outpatient treatment settings. A variety of didactic and research opportunities are also provided.
American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation Contact:
Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
750 First St, NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242
Telephone: (202) 336-5979
TDD/TTY: (202) 336-6123
Fax: (202) 336-5978
Website: http://www.apa.org/ed/accreditation/index.aspx
Additional Associations:
Our program is also a member of Council of Clinical Health Psychology Training Programs (CCHPTP). The purpose of CCHPTP is to promote the advancement of graduate and postgraduate education and training within the field of clinical health psychology. Consistent with this purpose, CCHPTP member programs strive to educate and train future clinical health psychologists to promote human welfare and to advance the growth of health psychology science and practice. CCHPTP espouses graduate and postdoctoral education and training that produces a clinical health psychologist capable of functioning as a scientific investigator and as a practitioner, consistent with the highest standards of clinical health psychology.
Training Goal
The overarching goal of the internship is to prepare our trainees for the independent practice of psychology in a variety of settings, including medical or academic medical centers, university psychology departments, and primary clinical settings that offer inpatient and/or outpatient services. With this goal in mind, we strive for interns to achieve intermediate to advanced competency in domains related to the practice of health service psychology in order to practice independently. Preparation for independent practice includes integration of science into practice, understanding of and sensitivity to cultural and individual diversity, adherence to ethical standards, provision of supervision and teaching, and developing professional identity as a psychologist.
Strengths of the program include:
Training for the Future of Healthcare
We recognize the ever-changing nature of healthcare; medical systems are becoming increasingly integrated and team-based with a focus on outcome measures and evidence-based care. We seek to train our interns to have the skills necessary to navigate these changes successfully to become future leaders in the field. For this reason, we offer supervision in the provision of care of comorbid psychological and medical conditions, a variety of behavioral medicine rotations, training in consultation and working within multidisciplinary teams, didactics/ seminars focused on development of skills in program evaluation/ quality improvement, grant writing, and training in supervision.
In-Depth Supervision and Commitment to Training
The internship supervisors maintain a close tutorial and supportive relationship with the interns; at the same time, we encourage interns to function more independently as they make the transition from graduate student to professional psychologist. We follow a junior colleague/ apprenticeship model of supervision in which the interns work side-by-side with their supervisors during their rotations.
Individually Developed Training Plan
The experiences offered at WVU emphasize comprehensive training and also provide flexibility in that trainees can select different areas of focus, within their track. (e.g. Behavioral Medicine Track – bariatrics emphasis; Pediatric Track – Neurodevelopment emphasis) We are able to design and tailor an individual training plan for each intern to meet needs. Additional minor rotations are also required and designed to complement the major rotations, which further add to the breadth and depth of training experiences.
Additional information:
The internship begins July 1st. Orientation occurs approximately two weeks prior to the start date. Interns are expected to attend and will be compensated for this activity.
We are not able to modify the length or timing of the internship training year or orientation requirements.
WVU Hospitals
The home base for the interns is located within the department of Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, housed at Chestnut Ridge Center. Chestnut Ridge center operates within the WVU Medicine System (WVU’s affiliated health system). Interns may also participate in rotations at additional facilities within in WVU Medicine system including the flagship hospital J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital, WVU Children’s Hospital, WVU Neurodevelopmental Center, and Clark K. Sleeth Department of Family Medicine. Additionally, interns have the option to complete minor rotations or other experiences at the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center. These training sites serve a broad population including West Virginians throughout the state, as well as individuals from surrounding states.
J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital, a 690-bed tertiary care center, serves as the primary teaching destination for West Virginia University’s health professions schools. As the largest facility in the WVU Hospitals family, J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital provides the most advanced level of care available to the citizens of West Virginia and bordering states. Our staff consists of highly-trained, dedicated professionals who are trained in the latest techniques and technologies — and are also skilled in the art of caring.
J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital is designated as a Level One Trauma Center and has received Magnet recognition for nursing, and other sub-specialties.
Interns are housed within the Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry at Chestnut Ridge Center. Chestnut Ridge Center is a leading regional referral center for treatment of mental illness and addiction for adults, adolescents, and children. Our programs provide a continuum of care through outpatient, partial hospitalization, inpatient, and residential treatment services.
Patients benefit from Chestnut Ridge Center’s intensive approach, which is tailored to each individual’s needs. Quality of care is ensured by the staff’s professional skills and expertise in treatment, teaching, and research. The multidisciplinary team of psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, nurses, rehabilitation therapists, mental health specialists, dieticians, and educators provide comprehensive care. Additionally the modalities of art, recreation, and experiential therapy are incorporated into the treatment programs.
WVU Medicine Children’s is home to the state’s largest—and most experienced—group of pediatric primary care physicians and specialists. We offer expertise in nearly every childhood condition, no matter how rare or serious. We have the West Virginia’s only pediatric cardiac surgery program; pediatric neurosurgery program; and epilepsy monitoring unit equipped to serve children. Also, if there’s a health emergency, we have a fully dedicated pediatric emergency department and trauma center. All of this means your child can get the right diagnosis, the right treatment, in the right time, right here in West Virginia.
Clark K. Sleeth Family Medicine
The Clark K. Sleeth Family Medicine Center provides comprehensive primary care for people of all ages. As a patient-centered medical home, Clark K. Sleeth Family Medicine serves as a health “home base” for many patients, helping them to obtain and manage the care they need. Family Medicine provides services that are founded in the best medical evidence. At Clark K. Sleeth Family Medicine, the patient is considered the most important member of the healthcare team.
The healthcare team provides comprehensive health care for all stages of your life, including:
- Primary Care
- Acute and Well Child Care
- Acupuncture
- Obstetrics and Women’s Care
- Behavioral Medicine
- Procedure Clinic
- Sports Medicine
- Intensive Diabetes Care
- Patient-Centered Medical Home
Additional Training Sites
Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center
The Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center is located 40 miles south of Morgantown in Clarksburg WV. Interns will be involved in the Psychosocial Residential Rehabilition Treatment Program.