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Site Name: VA Palo Alto Health Care System

Department: Psychology Service (116B)

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Department : Psychology Service (116B)

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Member Site Information
APPIC Member Number: 9032
Program Type: Post Doctoral
Membership Type: Full Membership
Site: VA Palo Alto Health Care System
Department: Psychology Service (116B)
Address: 3801 Miranda Ave
Palo Alto, California 94304-1290
Country: United States
Metro Area: San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
Distance from Major City: About 30 miles south of San Francisco
Phone: 650-374-7535
Fax:
Training Director Email: Jessica.Lohnberg@va.gov
Co-Training Director Email:
Web Address: https://www.va.gov/palo-alto-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/psychology-training-program/
Brochure Website's Address: https://www.va.gov/palo-alto-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/psychology-training-program/
Primary Agency Type: Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Additional Agency Types:
  • Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Member of APPIC since: 2001
Accreditation
APA Accreditation Accredited
CPA Accreditation Not Accredited
Postdoctoral Staff/Faculty Information
Training Director: Jessica Lohnberg
Chief Psychologist: John McQuaid
Number of Full-Time Licensed Doctoral Psychologists on Staff/Faculty 77
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: 11
Number of Part Time Slots Expected Next Class: 0
Stipend
Full Time Annual Stipend for Next Class: 68155
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): 11 Federal holidays; 13 annual leave days; 13 sick leave days; professional leave relevant to fellow's professional development; postdoctoral fellows can choose from among several federal health benefits plans. Professional leave granted for conference attendance and job interviews. Up to $1000 can be approved for reimbursement of conference attendance registration and other educational course fees. Free parking and available public transit subsidy benefit.
Brief description of the typical work day for a postdoc at this training site See postdoctoral fellowship brochure for more information.
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: 12/14/2026 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: 01/05/2027
Tentative interview date: N/A
Interview process description:

Candidates invited to interview will be notified by email by early January 2027. Interviews will be virtual and scheduled for at least a half-day in mid-January 2027. Each focus area will hold its own interviews. The interview schedule will include an orientation to the overall program, individual interviews with one or more staff at a time, and opportunities to meet with current postdoctoral fellows.

IMPORTANT: Please note that the application due date and interview notifications/interview dates for the Clinical Neuropsychology Fellowship Program are earlier than the Rehabilitation and Clinical Psychology Fellowship Programs.  Please see our website or the UPPD for those deadlines.  
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 VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) has three psychology postdoctoral fellowship programs: Clinical Psychology with 7 different focus areas, Rehabilitation Psychology, and Clinical Neuropsychology. We are committed to the scientist-practitioner model of psychology, and the postdoctoral training experience is organized accordingly. Our training program is committed to excellence in scientific training and to using clinical science as the foundation for designing, implementing, and evaluating assessment and intervention procedures. The overall aim of the VAPAHCS Psychology Postdoctoral Training Program is to train psychologists who meet general advanced profession-wide competencies in psychology and can function effectively as professional psychologists in a broad range of multidisciplinary settings. Complementing our goal of preparing Fellows to function as independent psychologists, we also aim to prepare Fellows for practice in high priority areas of health care for Veterans. These areas of high priority and clinical demand tend to include PTSD, mental health and suicide prevention, pain management/addiction/substance use, and caregivers (VA Strategic Plan 2022-2028). VA also specifically identified neuropsychology, rehabilitation psychology, geropsychology, and health psychology as areas of psychology that are necessary to meet the needs of aging Veterans (The Expansion of Associated Health Training in the VA, 2021).

Postdoctoral training at the VA Palo Alto builds on the generalized foundation of the knowledge, skills, and proficiencies that define clinical psychology, and offers both breadth and depth to develop advanced general professional competencies and specific skills within the 2 specialty areas (Neuropsychology & Rehabilitation Psychology) and the following 7 focus areas: Behavioral Medicine, Geropsychology, Palliative Care, Psychosocial Rehabilitation, PTSD, Trauma and Substance Use Treatment, and Couples/Family Systems (1 position in each area for 2026-27 except 2 positions each in PSR and PTSD). The core program also emphasizes professional development and the development of skills for supervision. Extensive individual and group supervision are available in all settings. The Clinical Neuropsychology Postdoctoral Fellowship Program is separately accredited and provides training in all areas of Neuropsychology specialty competency as described by APA Division 40. The Rehabilitation Psychology is separately accredited and provides training in all areas of Rehabilitation specialty competency as described by APA Division 22.

Applicants to our program must have completed their doctoral degrees from an American Psychological Association (APA)- or Canadian Psychological Association (CPA)-accredited clinical, counseling, or combined psychology program or PCSAS-accredited Clinical Science program, and will have completed an APA- or CPA-accredited psychology internship program, are functioning at an advanced level, and have clinical and preferably research/program evaluation experience in the focus area of interest. Eligibility requirements for VA postdoctoral fellowships are determined nationally and we have no authority to over-ride these requirements locally. All information about VA eligibility requirements is available at www.psychologytraining.va.gov/eligibility.asp and www.psychologytraining.va.gov/docs/Trainee-Eligibility.pdf; please read these eligibility requirements carefully prior to applying to make sure you are eligible for a VA fellowship, including U.S. citizenship, health requirements, background investigations, and Selective Service registration. In order to be eligible to begin the Fellowship, the selected applicant must also have completed the dissertation and all other doctoral degree requirements before the start of fellowship. The training program may rescind offers of postdoctoral positions for applicants selected for the postdoctoral fellowship, but who have not completed all doctoral degree requirements prior to starting or have not met all pre-employment requirements for hiring.

Please see the Training Program website at https://www.va.gov/palo-alto-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/psychology-training-program/ for program brochure and application instructions. Application due date is December 14, 2026, at 11:59PM Eastern Time (8:59PM Pacific Time). Please direct all questions about the fellowship and application materials to the Director of Postdoctoral Training (Dr. Jessica Lohnberg) at Jessica.Lohnberg@va.gov or to the Assistant Training Director (Dr. Madhur Kulkarni) at madhur.kulkarni@va.gov. Applications must be submitted via the APPA CAS system at https://portal.appicpostdoc.org by the due date (the application portal will close by midnight EST). Initial fellowship offers will be made following interviews and up until CHD in accordance with the APPIC Common Hold Date procedures. 

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: Veterans and active-duty service members & family members

(training opportunities continued)

Treatment Modalities
Assessment: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Individual Therapy: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Couples Therapy: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Family Therapy: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Group Therapy: Emphasis (31% to 49%)
Community Intervention:
Consultation/Liaison: Experience (21% to 30%)
Crisis Intervention: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Brief Psychotherapy: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Long-term Psychotherapy: Experience (21% to 30%)
Cognitive Rehabilitation: Emphasis (31% to 49%)
Primary Care: Experience (21% to 30%)
Evidenced Based Practice: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Evidence Based Research: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Supervision of Practicum students : Exposure (1% to 20%)
Other: Supervision of psychology interns and practicum students when other trainees are present in the same setting.

(training opportunities continued)

Experience
Health Psychology: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Women's Health: Emphasis (31% to 49%)
HIV/AIDS: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Eating Disorders: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Sexual Disorders: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Sports Psychology:
Rehabilitation Psychology: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Physical Disabilities: Emphasis (31% to 49%)
Learning Disabilities: Exposure (1% to 20%)
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: Experience (21% to 30%)
Trauma/PTSD: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Sexual Abuse: Experience (21% to 30%)
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: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Multicultural Therapy: Experience (21% to 30%)
Feminist Therapy:
Religion/Spirituality: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Empirically-Supported Treatments: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Public Policy/Advocacy:
Program Development/Evaluation: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Supervision: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Research: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Administration: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Integrated health care - primary: Emphasis (31% to 49%)
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/palo-alto-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: 109 82 106 68 46 70 65 47 95 84
Where did Former Postdoctoral Fellows Go (1st Placement)?
2022-2023 2023-2024 2024-2025 2025-2026
Total Number of post-docs: 7 6 11 14
Still a Postdoctoral Fellow: 2 0 2 2
Academic teaching: 0 0 0
Community mental health center: 0 1 0 0
Consortium: 0 0 0 0
University Counseling Center: 0 0 0 0
Hospital/Medical Center: 0 0 1 1
Veterans Affairs Health Care System: 3 4 3 7
Psychiatric facility: 0 0 1 1
Correctional facility: 0 0 0 0
Health Maintenance Organization: 0 0 0 0
School district/system: 0 0 0 0
Independent practice setting: 0 0 1 2
Other (Academic Psychology Department): 2 1 3 1
Link to Program's Trainee Admissions, Support, and Outcome Data: https://www.va.gov/files/2025-09/Postdoctoral%20Fellowship%20Admissions%2C%20Support%2C%20and%20Initial%20Placement%20Data%20Tables%202025.pdf
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