The internship provides each intern with training experiences under the supervision of experienced psychologists in a variety of patient care settings. The program aims to use a scientist-practitioner model to train entry-level adult practitioners who can provide mental health services for a diverse population. To attain this aim, each intern has a sequence of rotations at the U.S. Medical Center in addition to several treatment and didactic activities that run for the entire year. Interns complete three major, four-month rotations which focus on 1) inpatient psychological treatment, 2) psychological assessment, with some emphasis on forensic evaluation, and 3) medical/surgical and "work cadre" (general population) psychology. Interns also complete three minor, four-month rotations, in which they work 8 to 10 hours per week running inpatient groups, conducting psychoeducational competency restoration groups, and working in the Medical Residential Drug Abuse Treatment Program. Because much can be learned from long-term psychotherapy cases, it is not uncommon for interns to continue to provide psychotherapy in some cases across rotations, with supervision from a licensed psychologist throughout the course of psychotherapy. Finally, didactic training opportunities in a variety of areas provide exposure to numerous topics, including mental health case law, forensic psychological assessment techniques, psychopharmacology, evidence based treatments, and cultural diversity. Nine out of the twelve psychologists are licensed, four are board certified, and all participate in the supervision and training of interns. Staff members represent a variety of theoretical paradigms and supervision styles.
The website for the Psychology Internship Programs within the BOP is:
https://www.bop.gov/jobs/psychology_internship.jsp
On that webpage is the link to the U.S. Medical Center for Federal Prisoner Psychology Internship Program Brochure