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Department : Mental Health Division (MH-ADMIN)

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Member Site Information
APPIC Member Number: 9960
Program Type: Post Doctoral
Membership Type: Full Membership
Site: VA Medical Center, Milwaukee
Department: Mental Health Division (MH-ADMIN)
Address: 5000 W. National Avenue
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53295
Country: United States
Metro Area: Not Applicable
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL-IN-WI MSA
Distance from Major City: Located in Milwaukee, 90 miles North of Chicago
Phone: 414-384-2000x41667
Fax: 414-382-5379
Training Director Email: heather.smith7@va.gov
Co-Training Director Email:
Web Address: https://www.va.gov/milwaukee-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/psychology-training-program/
Brochure Website's Address: https://www.va.gov/milwaukee-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/psychology-training-program/
Primary Agency Type: Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Additional Agency Types:
Member of APPIC since: 2006
Accreditation
APA Accreditation Accredited
CPA Accreditation Not Accredited
Postdoctoral Staff/Faculty Information
Training Director: Heather Smith
Chief Psychologist: Heather Smith
Number of Full-Time Licensed Doctoral Psychologists on Staff/Faculty 53
Number of Part-Time Licensed Doctoral Psychologists on Staff/Faculty 3
Number of Non-Psychologist Staff/Faculty who Supervise Post-docs 0
Position Information
Start Date: 08/09/2027
Funded
Number of Full Time Slots Expected Next Class: 10
Number of Part Time Slots Expected Next Class: 0
Stipend
Full Time Annual Stipend for Next Class: 56450
Part Time Annual Stipend for Next Class: 0
Fringe Benefits: Dental Insurance, Health Insurance, Licensing Exam Release Time, Professional Development Time, Sick Leave, Vacation
Other Fringe Benefits (not indicated above):
Brief description of the typical work day for a postdoc at this training site Fellows work five 8-hour days. Fellows typically spend 1-3 hours per week in didactics and 4 hours per week receiving supervision, with the remainder of their time primarily devoted to supervised experience within their area of emphasis. The fellows have different areas of emphasis, work in different settings, and vary in the nature of their clinical experiences. As a result, there is no "typical day." It is expected that fellows will devote 20-25 hours per week to direct patient care activities with the exception of the Advanced Fellowship in Women's Health, which places a greater emphasis on research. All fellows complete a program development/evaluation project and can be involved in research should they so choose.
Does this site have practicum psychology students on site? Yes
Doctoral Psychology Practicum StudentsYes
Masters Psychology Practicum StudentsNo
Do Psychology Interns/Postdocs Have the Opportunity to Supervise Practicum Students?Yes
Is this program fully affiliated with one or more doctoral programs? No
Is this program partially affiliated with one or more doctoral programs? No
Postdoctoral Application Process
Application Due Date: 12/15/2026 11:59 PM EST
How to obtain application info: Visit Website
Preferred method of contacting the program: Email the Program
We have matched with interns from these programs: Within the past 7 years we have had postdoctoral fellows from the following internship programs: VA Medical Centers in Bay Pines, Biloxi, Central Alabama (Tuskegee), Cheyenne, Chillicothe, Cincinnati, Fargo, Fayetteville, Hines, Iowa City, Iron Mountain, Jesse Brown (Chicago), Lovell Federal Health Care, Madison, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Nebraska-Western Iowa, Orlando, Pittsburgh, Richmond, San Antonio, Tucson, Tuscaloosa, and Washington, DC; as well as from the Augusta VA/Medical College of Georgia Consortium and the following non-VA sites: Agnesian Health Care, Aurora Medical Center, Baylor University Psychiatry Clinic, Denver Health, Medical College of Wisconsin, Oregon State University Counseling Center, Rogers Behavioral Health and West Virginia University School of Medicine. Doctoral Programs represented include: Adler University, University of Alabama, Albizu University-Miami, Albizu University - San Juan, Antioch University Seattle, University of Arkansas, Bowling Green State University, Case Western Reserve University, Chicago School of Professional Psychology, Colorado State University, Fuller Theological Seminary, University of Houston, Howard University, Illinois Institute of Technology, Indiana State University, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, University of Kansas, University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, Loyola University Chicago, Marquette University, University of Memphis, University of Missouri-St. Louis, University of Nebraska, University of North Dakota, The Ohio State University, University of Oklahoma, University of Oregon, Penn State University, PGSP-Stanford PsyD Consortium, Roosevelt University, Southern Illinois University, University of South Dakota, University of Utah, University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Wisconsin School of Professional Psychology, Wright State University, University of Wyoming, and Xavier University.
The program uses the APPA Centralized Application Service: Yes
Interview notification date: 01/01/2027
Tentative interview date: N/A
Interview process description:

Interviews will be conducted virtually via Microsoft TEAMS.

Postdoctoral Applicant Requirements
US Citizenship Required: Yes
If NOT a U.S. Citizen, Authorization to Work in the US is Required No
Canadian Citizenship Required: No
If NOT a Canadian Citizen, Authorization to Work in Canada is Required: No
This institution, department, internship, or postdoctoral program requires trainees to sign a statement about personal behavior and/or religious beliefs as a condition of admission and/or retention in the program: No
How to obtain text of statement:
Program Description

The program operates within a scholar-practitioner model. There are two separately accredited fellowship programs: a 2-year program in Clinical Neuropsychology that admits one fellow each year, and a program in Clinical Psychology that admits at least nine applicants each year (with the ability to select more fellows for the Advanced Fellowships in Women's Health and Psychosocial Rehabilitation). The areas of concentration in the Clinical Psychology Fellowship include Geropsychology, Palliative Care, Residential Rehabilitation, Outpatient PTSD, Women's Health, LGBTQ+ Affirmative Health Care, Primary Care-Mental Health Integration, and Psychosocial Rehabilitation. The Clinical Neuropsychology and Women's Health positions are two-year appointments. Training primarily occurs within the context of the delivery of psychological services, and training needs always take priority over service needs. The objective of the fellowship program is to provide the environment and experience that will promote in-depth, advanced development in each area of concentration. Fellows are expected to demonstrate competence in the following areas: Ethical and Legal Standards,  Professional Values and Attitudes,  Communication and Interpersonal Skills, Individual and Cultural Diversity, Psychological Assessment, Psychological Intervention, Consultation and interprofessional/Interdisciplinary Skills, Teaching/Supervision, and Integration of Science and Practice.  The fellowship program is organized around a core of experiences, but allows flexibility in pursuing individual goals. 

Postdoctoral Training Opportunities

Populations

Infants:
Toddlers:
Children:
Adolescents:
Adults: Yes
Family: Yes
Older Adults: Yes
Inpatients: Yes
Outpatients: Yes
LGBTQ+: Yes
Ethnic minorities: Yes
Spanish-speaking:
French-speaking:
Deaf/Hearing-impaired:
Students:
International Students:
Rural: Yes
Urban: Yes
Low income: Yes
People without housing: Yes
Other:

Treatment Modalities

Assessment: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Individual Therapy: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Couples Therapy: Experience (21% to 30%)
Family Therapy: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Group Therapy: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Community Intervention: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Consultation/Liaison: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Crisis Intervention: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Brief Psychotherapy: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Long-term Psychotherapy: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Cognitive Rehabilitation: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Primary Care: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Evidenced Based Practice: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Evidence Based Research: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Supervision of Practicum students : Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Other:

Experience

Health Psychology: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Women's Health: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
HIV/AIDS: Experience (21% to 30%)
Eating Disorders: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Sexual Disorders: Emphasis (31% to 49%)
Sports Psychology:
Rehabilitation Psychology: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Physical Disabilities: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Learning Disabilities: Emphasis (31% to 49%)
Developmental Disabilities: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Assessment: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Neuropsychology-Adult: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Neuropsychology-Child:
Serious Mental Illness: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Anxiety Disorders: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Trauma/PTSD: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Sexual Abuse: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Substance Use Disorders: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Forensics/Corrections: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Sexual Offenders:
Geropsychology: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Pediatrics:
School:
Counseling:
Vocational/Career Development:
Multicultural Therapy: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Feminist Therapy: Emphasis (31% to 49%)
Religion/Spirituality: Experience (21% to 30%)
Empirically-Supported Treatments: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Public Policy/Advocacy: Experience (21% to 30%)
Program Development/Evaluation: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Supervision: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Research: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Administration: Emphasis (31% to 49%)
Integrated health care - primary: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Integrated health care - specialty: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Other:

Additional information about training opportunities: Not all rotations or training experiences may be available as described in the APPIC Directory. Please consult the program's application materials or their website at: https://www.va.gov/milwaukee-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/psychology-training-program/  for a complete description of the training opportunities available at this training site. IF the site has not updated their information by August 1, feel free to contact the Training Director for additional information.

Summary of the Characteristics of the Specified Postdoctoral Class
2017-2018 2018-2019 2019-2020 2020-2021 2021-2022 2022-2023 2023-2024 2024-2025 2025-2026 2026-2027
Number of Completed Applications: 96 93 52 42 53 61 88 79
Where did Former Postdoctoral Fellows Go (1st Placement)?
2022-2023 2023-2024 2024-2025 2025-2026
Total Number of post-docs: 5 7 13 10
Still a Postdoctoral Fellow: 2 2 2 2
Academic teaching: 0 0 0
Community mental health center: 0 0 0 0
Consortium: 0 0 0 0
University Counseling Center: 0 0 0 0
Hospital/Medical Center: 0 1 1 4
Veterans Affairs Health Care System: 2 6 9 3
Psychiatric facility: 0 0 0 0
Correctional facility: 0 0 0 1
Health Maintenance Organization: 0 0 0 0
School district/system: 0 0 0 0
Independent practice setting: 1 1 1 0
Other (Academic Psychology Department): 0 1 0 0
Link to Program's Trainee Admissions, Support, and Outcome Data: https://www.va.gov/milwaukee-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/psychology-training-program/