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Site Name: VA St. Louis Health Care System

Department: Psychology Residency

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Department : Psychology Residency

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Member Site Information
APPIC Member Number: 9109
Program Type: Post Doctoral
Membership Type: Full Membership
Site: VA St. Louis Health Care System
Department: Psychology Residency
Address: Psychology- Station 116B/JB
#1 Jefferson Barracks Drive
(GPS: 3100 Koch Road, St. Louis, 63125)
St. Louis, Missouri 63125-4199
Country: United States
Metro Area: Not Applicable
St. Louis, MO-IL
Distance from Major City:
Phone: 314-652-4100x63179
Fax:
Training Director Email: alexander.alvarez@va.gov
Co-Training Director Email: christina.karageorgiou@va.gov
Web Address: https://www.va.gov/st-louis-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/psychology-training-programs/
Brochure Website's Address: https://www.va.gov/st-louis-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/psychology-training-programs/
Primary Agency Type: Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Additional Agency Types:
  • Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Member of APPIC since: 2012
Accreditation
APA Accreditation Accredited
CPA Accreditation Not Accredited
Postdoctoral Staff/Faculty Information
Training Director: Alexander Alvarez
Chief Psychologist: Fredric Metzger
Number of Full-Time Licensed Doctoral Psychologists on Staff/Faculty 48
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: 07/12/2027
Funded
Number of Full Time Slots Expected Next Class: 6
Number of Part Time Slots Expected Next Class: 0
Stipend
Full Time Annual Stipend for Next Class: 55902
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): We offer 10 days of Authorized Absence for conferences, research presentations, and VA interviews (with the review and approval of MH department leadership). The St. Louis Metro area offers the best of both city and outdoor recreational activities. During your training year you might take in the Festival of Nations, the Great Forest Park Balloon Race, go to the zoo or art museum for free, and visit the one-of-a-kind City Museum. St. Louis is also home to the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team, the St. Louis Blues hockey team, and the St. Louis CITY SC soccer team. The history of St. Louis offers rich opportunities for learning as well. The metropolitan area today was originally the home area of the Mississippian American Indians who settled this area from the 15th -19th century. These tribal groups were mound builders and you can still visit Cahokia Mounds right across the river in Illinois. You can visit the St. Louis Old Courthouse where the Dred Scott trial was first held in 1847. You can see homes that were part of the Underground Railroad across the Mississippi in Alton, IL. There are several wineries south and west of St. Louis within easy access for a road trip, and if you would prefer to bike there, Missouri has the trails to do that, too! In fact, St. Louis is known for its confluence of 3 rivers which offers plenty of camping and hiking along national parks and recreation areas. There really is something for everyone in our community.
Brief description of the typical work day for a postdoc at this training site Trainees' typical tour of duty is 8-4:30, Monday through Friday. Work activities on each day differ for each resident according to the unique opportunities of that training area (e.g., clinical neuropsychology residents attend medical school affiliate brain cuttings) and the learning agreement that is developed at the beginning of the training year with each resident, based upon their specific training goals and interests. However, all residents follow a similar weekly structure. M-Th is devoted to clinical practice with 2nd & 3rd Tuesday mornings including Grand Rounds and Psychology Service meetings. Friday mornings are typically devoted to seminar and didactic activities. Each resident is also allotted a weekly percentage of time for scholarly activities. Residents are also afforded 1 hour per week for peer professional development time, allowing them time to share, learn from, and support one another in professional growth, EPPP studying, etc.
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: 12/16/2026 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:
The program uses the APPA Centralized Application Service: Yes
A Virtual Interview is: Required
Interview notification date: 01/06/2027
Tentative interview date: 01/13/27
Interview process description:

Our Clinical Psychology Residency positions with areas of emphasis in Evidence Based Psychotherapy and Assessment, Geropsychology, Health Psychology, and PTSD will follow the APPIC Postdoctoral Selection Standards and Common Hold Date (CHD), with an application due date of December 16, 2026.  Each residency program will set up their own dates and times for interviews based upon interview panel availability.  The interview format is typically individual and performance-based.  Please note:  ONLY virtual/remote interview day activities will be used for all interviewees, including local candidates, to support safe and equitable practices.  An optional, virtual, non-evaluative open house will be held on January 13, 2027.  Clinical Psychology residency positions (EBP, Geropsychology, Health Psychology, and PTSD emphasis areas) will make offers to their top-ranked applicant(s) upon completing interviews and ranking all applicants for a position.  This will occur within a few weeks of the CHD.

Our Clinical Neuropsychology Residency program is an APPCN member program.  Accordingly, our program participates in the matching program for clinical neuropsychological postdoctoral residencies, administered by the National Matching Services (NMS).  We will be participating in the APPCN Match process. We adhere to all policies regarding the matching program.  This residency site agrees to abide by the APPCN policy that no person at this facility will solicit, accept, or use any ranking-related information from any residency applicant.  Applications are due by December 1, 2026.  Similar to our Clinical Psychology Residency programs, our Neuropsychology program sets up dates and times for interviews based upon interview panel availability. The interview format is typically individual and performance-based.  Please note, only virtual/remote interview day activities will be used for all interviewees, including local candidates, to support safe and equitable practices.  We are committed to virtual/remote interviewing of applicants per recommendations by APPCN.  The program will make interview offers for the neuropsychology residency program to identified best-fit applicants.  As we are following APPCN match policies, please refer to the websites for APPCN (www.appcn.org) and National Matching Services (www.natmatch.com/appcnmat) for more information, including key dates for the match. 
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 APA-accredited VA St. Louis Health Care System postdoctoral programs annually fill 5 residency positions. 

We have 4 one-year Clinical Psychology residency positions, 1 in each of the following emphasis areas: Evidence Based Psychotherapy (EBP) and Assessment, Geropsychology, Health Psychology, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Our postdoctoral residency positions with emphases in Evidence-Based Psychotherapy and Assessment, Geropsychology, Health Psychology, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are accredited as a postdoctoral residencies in clinical psychology.  

Our Clinical Neuropsychology Residency Program is APA-accredited as a specialty practice postdoctoral residency program in clinical neuropsychology.  The two Neuropsychology positions are each 2-year positions and begin on alternating years, so 1 position is filled each year. 

Psychology Residents are included in all aspects of their clinical training teams as well as ongoing activities within the psychology service. Residents may have opportunities to conduct supervision with interns and/or practicum students.  Residents have their own independent seminar schedule for more advanced exploration of clinical concepts. They are invited to join psychology service committees and to participate in hospital committees if interested. Residents in our program work alongside trainees and providers from a variety of disciplines, increasing interdisciplinary awareness and collaboration skills, and learning the complexities of service delivery in the largest health care system in the country. Our psychology staff and supervisors are passionate about the work they do and enthusiastically committed to developing the next generation of psychologists! Please review our brochure for more information or contact us if you have specific questions.

Clinical Psychology Residency application due dates are as follows:

--Evidence Based Psychotherapy and Assessment emphasis- December 16, 2026

--Geropsychology emphasis- December 16, 2026

--Health Psychology emphasis - December 16, 2026

--Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) emphasis  - December 16, 2026

--Clinical Neuropsychology Residency application due date - December 1, 2026

 

Postdoctoral Training Opportunities

Populations
Infants:
Toddlers:
Children:
Adolescents:
Adults: Yes
Family:
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:

(training opportunities continued)

Treatment Modalities
Assessment: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Individual Therapy: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Couples Therapy:
Family Therapy:
Group Therapy: Emphasis (31% to 49%)
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: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Primary Care: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Evidenced Based Practice: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Evidence Based Research:
Supervision of Practicum students : Experience (21% to 30%)
Other:

(training opportunities continued)

Experience
Health Psychology: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Women's Health: Exposure (1% to 20%)
HIV/AIDS:
Eating Disorders: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Sexual Disorders: Experience (21% to 30%)
Sports Psychology:
Rehabilitation Psychology: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Physical Disabilities: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Learning Disabilities:
Developmental Disabilities:
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: Emphasis (31% to 49%)
Forensics/Corrections:
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:
Religion/Spirituality:
Empirically-Supported Treatments: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Public Policy/Advocacy:
Program Development/Evaluation: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Supervision: Experience (21% to 30%)
Research: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Administration: Experience (21% to 30%)
Integrated health care - primary: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Integrated health care - specialty:
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/st-louis-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/psychology-training-programs/  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: 60 52 55 43 51 37 30 26 45 27
Where did Former Postdoctoral Fellows Go (1st Placement)?
2022-2023 2023-2024 2024-2025 2025-2026
Total Number of post-docs: 4 2 4 5
Still a Postdoctoral Fellow: 0 0 1 1
Academic teaching: 0 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 0 0 0
Veterans Affairs Health Care System: 2 2 0 1
Psychiatric facility: 0 0 0 0
Correctional facility: 0 0 0 0
Health Maintenance Organization: 0 0 0 0
School district/system: 0 0 0 0
Independent practice setting: 2 0 3 2
Other (Academic Psychology Department): 0 0 0 0
Link to Program's Trainee Admissions, Support, and Outcome Data: https://www.va.gov/st-louis-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/psychology-training-programs/
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