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Site Name: VA Salt Lake City Health Care System

Department: Psychology

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Department : Psychology

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Member Site Information
APPIC Member Number: 9124
Program Type: Post Doctoral
Membership Type: Full Membership
Site: VA Salt Lake City Health Care System
Department: Psychology
Address: 500 Foothill Blvd
Mental Health Service
c/o Renn Sweeney BH-111
Salt Lake City, Utah 84148
Country: United States
Metro Area: Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Distance from Major City: In Salt Lake City
Phone: 801-582-1565x2088
Fax:
Training Director Email: caroline.sweeney@va.gov
Co-Training Director Email:
Web Address: https://www.va.gov/salt-lake-city-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/psychology-training/
Brochure Website's Address: https://www.va.gov/salt-lake-city-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/psychology-training/
Primary Agency Type: Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Additional Agency Types:
  • Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Member of APPIC since: 07/01/2013
Accreditation
APA Accreditation Accredited
CPA Accreditation Not Accredited
Postdoctoral Staff/Faculty Information
Training Director: Caroline Sweeney
Chief Psychologist:
Number of Full-Time Licensed Doctoral Psychologists on Staff/Faculty 42
Number of Part-Time Licensed Doctoral Psychologists on Staff/Faculty 0
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: 5
Number of Part Time Slots Expected Next Class: 0
Stipend
Full Time Annual Stipend for Next Class: 54518
Part Time Annual Stipend for Next Class: 0
Fringe Benefits: Health Insurance, Professional Development Time, Sick Leave, Vacation
Other Fringe Benefits (not indicated above): 1. Additional leave may be approved for attendance at conferences, workshops, and other educational activities. 2. Health Insurance for spouses (including same sex spouses) and children. 3. Vision Insurance 4. Dental Insurance 5. Onsite daycare facility. 6. VA psychology trainees may quality for the child care subsidy program if they are VA paid, full-time, and combined family income qualifies. 7. Will work with you around maternity/paternity leave. 8. Transit Benefit 9. The US Government covers interns for malpractice under the Federal Tort Claims Act.
Brief description of the typical work day for a postdoc at this training site There are three areas of emphasis at the Salt Lake City VA: PTSD, Health Psychology, and Addictions. Fellows work with the Fellowship Training Director at the beginning of the year to design an individualized schedule to meet their own personal career goals. Fellows can expect a 40 hour work week in which they are involved in a variety of experiences including group therapy, individual therapy, interdisciplinary teams, rounds, consultation, and didactics. All fellows completing the fellowship receive a certificate in Clinical Psychology.
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: 12/06/2026 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: Health Psychology & Geropsychology - U of Washington, U of Hawaii, U of Maine, Utah State, Virginia Commonwealth, Arizona State, University of Utah, Xavier, Baylor, New Mexico State University, West Virginia University, Georgia Southern University, San Diego State, Texas Tech, Idaho State PTSD - University of Utah, U of North Texas, U of Detroit, California School Prof Psychology - SF, U of Denver, PGSP, U of South Florida, Pacific University, University of Mississippi, Duquesne, University of Nebraska Addictions - Indiana State, America University, University of Texas, University of South Dakota
The program uses the APPA Centralized Application Service: Yes
A Virtual Interview is: Required
Interview notification date: 01/01/2027
Tentative interview date: 01/12/2027
Interview process description:

Applicants are invited to interview by email.  Each track may vary slightly in their interview process.  Generally, we begin interviews by mid to late January and interviews for approximately 2 weeks.  Applicants are invited to a virtual open house and/or virutal and interviews to meet the multidisciplinary staff, current trainees, and to learn more about the fellowship program.  Interviews are conducted by 2-3 members of the training committee and/or current fellows.  During the interview applicants are asked to respond to general questions related to their prior experience, training, diversity, crisis intervention, brief therapy, and case vignettes.   Applicants are also encouraged to contact current fellows and to inquire about their experience and gain helpful information that may facilitate the selection decision making process. 
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 Salt Lake City VA Healthcare System Psychology Postdoctoral Program in Clinical Psychology was granted initial APA Accreditation in 2012. The Clinical Psychology Postdoctoral Program has five fellows across three areas of emphasis: PTSD (PCT Team/Polytrauma/OEF, OIF, & OND Veterans), Health Psychology, and Addictions.

The PTSD track offers two resident positions with a focus on PTSD, Polytrauma, and readjustment strains for OEF/OIF/OND Veterans. Fellows typically split their time in the PTSD Clinic and the Polytrauma Clinic where they learn various assessments and train in advanced interventions (PE, CPT, ACT, etc.) for those with TBI histories as well as PTSD. The program aims to train the next generation of psychologists to work in VA healthcare.

The Health Psychology track offers 2 positions with which allow fellows the opportunity to develop advanced training skills in integrated behavioral medicine in inpatient and outpatient settings throughout the hospital. Fellows will work with inpatient medical teams, physical rehabilitation and medicine team, primary care mental helath integration (PC-MHI) teams, as well as other interdisciplinary medicine teams to address the Veteran’s healthcare needs through a collaborative approach with shared decision-making. Fellows will have opportunities to provide brief interventions, short-term counseling, assessment, facilitate interdisciplinary health behavior groups (i.e, CBT for chronic pain, Tobacco Cessation, etc.), and provide consultation and training for medical team members. Fellows may also elect to teach motivational internviewing skills to medical providers though the facility’s Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (HPDP) program. Finally, fellows will have the opportunity to develop expertise in complementary areas of interest including geriatrics and rural populations. Fellows will work with the training director and supervisors to customize the training year to meet their individual needs, preferences, and abilities. 

The Addictions track offers one position withing Addiction Treatment Services (ATS), which is compromised by Services for Outpatient Addiction Recovery (SOAR) and Substance Abuse Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (SARRTP).  Assessment, care coordination/case management, individual therapy, and group therapy will be part of a postdoctoral fellow’s training experience throughout the year and will include a focus on familiarity with the entire continuum of addiction care.  The fellow will also provide consultation and develop in the role of a psychologist on interdisciplinary teams.  The overall treatment philosophy in ATS is consistent with the recovery model and very much holds at the center a focus on improving Veterans’ quality of life.  Veterans enter care with many different goals and expectations of treatment.  We meet them where they are at, nonjudgmentally, and collaborate to develop beginning steps and throughout their recovery path.

Applications due 12/6/2026 with interviews likely offered the in mid to late January 2027.  Thanks for your interest in our fellowship program!

 

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:
Low income: Yes
People without housing:
Other: Veterans

(training opportunities continued)

Treatment Modalities
Assessment: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Individual Therapy: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Couples Therapy: Exposure (1% to 20%)
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: 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: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Supervision of Practicum students : Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Other:

(training opportunities continued)

Experience
Health Psychology: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Women's Health:
HIV/AIDS:
Eating Disorders: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Sexual Disorders:
Sports Psychology:
Rehabilitation Psychology: Experience (21% to 30%)
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:
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:
Sexual Offenders:
Geropsychology: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Pediatrics:
School:
Counseling:
Vocational/Career Development:
Multicultural Therapy:
Feminist Therapy:
Religion/Spirituality:
Empirically-Supported Treatments: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Public Policy/Advocacy: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Program Development/Evaluation: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Supervision: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Research: Experience (21% to 30%)
Administration:
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/salt-lake-city-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/psychology-training/  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: 41 30 22 29 29 17 17 21 18
Where did Former Postdoctoral Fellows Go (1st Placement)?
2022-2023 2023-2024 2024-2025 2025-2026
Total Number of post-docs: 2 4 4 4
Still a Postdoctoral Fellow: 0 1 0 0
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 2 0 0
Veterans Affairs Health Care System: 1 1 3 3
Psychiatric facility: 0 0 1 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 0 0 0
Other (Academic Psychology Department): 0 0 0 0
Link to Program's Trainee Admissions, Support, and Outcome Data: https://www.va.gov/salt-lake-city-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/psychology-training/
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