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Site Name: Medical College of Georgia-Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center Psychology Internship

Department: Psychological Service (26)

Program Information: Medical College of Georgia-Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center Psychology Internship - Psychological Service (26)

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Member Site Information
APPIC Member Number: 1233
Program Type: Internship
Membership Type: Full Membership
Site: Medical College of Georgia-Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center Psychology Internship
Department: Psychological Service (26)
Address: Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center
#1 Freedom Way
Augusta, Georgia 30904
Country: United States
Metro Area: Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Distance from Major City: 150 miles east of Atlanta, GA
Phone: 706-446-0058x
Fax:
Email: CDRESCHER@augusta.edu
Web Address: http://www.augusta.edu/mcg/psychiatry/psychology/
Brochure Website's Address: http://www.augusta.edu/mcg/psychiatry/psychology/
Primary Agency Type: Consortium
Additional Agency Types:
  • Medical School
  • Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Member of APPIC since:
Accreditation
APA Accreditation Accredited
CPA Accreditation Not Accredited
Internship Staff/Faculty Information
Training Director & Lead / Director: Christopher Drescher
Chief Psychologist: Katrina Speed
Number of Full-Time Licensed Doctoral Psychologists on Staff/Faculty 32
Number of Part-Time Licensed Doctoral Psychologists on Staff/Faculty 1
Position Information
Start Date: 07/01/2023
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: 33469
Part Time Annual Stipend for Next Class: 0
Fringe Benefits: Dissertation Release Time, Health Insurance, Licensing Exam Release Time, Professional Development Time, Sick Leave, Vacation
Other Fringe Benefits (not indicated above): Health Insurance and Student Health Care Options; 4 hours of protected research time.
Brief description of the typical work day for an intern at this training site This internship provides training in the core clinical/counseling psychology skills of psychodiagnostic interviewing, psychological testing, individual/family/group psychotherapy, and consultation-liaison services. The typical workday varies by the rotation on which the intern is working although 2 hours are allotted for didactic readings, writing, and administrative tasks across all rotations/training experiences. For the General Practice Rotation, a typical workday would involve a combination of individual or group therapy and psychological assessment activities. Typically, 30-60 minutes of individual supervision are built into the daily schedule. For the Integrated Health Psychology rotation, interns provide brief screening, patient/family consultations, psychological triage, and liaison work with the interdisciplinary team across different interdisciplinary health care clinics. For the Integrated Health Psychology rotation, typically 30 minutes of individual or group supervision is provided per clinic/program served. The Emphasis Track rotations (6 current offerings) are quite varied in daily training structure. Most continue core training in clinical/counseling psychology skills that are uniquely adapted to the emphasis training (e.g., Child/Family, Forensic, Clinical Health Psychology, HIV & LGBTQ Health Disparities, Psychology of Women, and Trauma).
Does this site have practicum psychology students on site? No
Is this program fully affiliated with one or more doctoral programs? No
Is this program partially affiliated with one or more doctoral programs? No
Internship Application Process
Accepting Applicants: Yes
Application Due Date: 11/01/2022 11:59 PM EST
Interviews at this site are:
  • Not Offered
  • Virtual
Interview notification date: 12/05/2022
Tentative interview date: 12/09/2022; 12/12/2022; 12/16/2022; 12/19/2022; 01/06/2023; 01/09/2023; 01/13/2023; 01/20/2023
Interview process description:

Interviews dates are on Mondays and Fridays that begin in December and finish in early January.  The interview days begin at 8:00 AM and conclude around 4:00PM. The format of the interview days includes: (1) virtual orientation of the program sites, faculty, and associated practicums; (2) individual virtual interviews with faculty at the primary practicum sites - typically an applicant will receive three to four 30-minute individual virtual interviews with faculty; (3) virtual review of the educational model and curriculum and graduate outcomes; (4) non-evaluative meeting with current intern cohort.  As much as time and availability permit, requests to virtually meet with specific faculty are honored. An optional, non-evaluative Open House will be offered in late January/early February (pending COVID mitigation efforts) for applicants who are interested in visiting Augusta to inform their ranking. The program will have completed and finalized rankings prior to the Open House to ensure that the opportunity to visit does not influence the program's evaluation and ranking. 
How to obtain application info: Visit Website
Preferred method of contacting the program: Email the Program
We have matched with interns from these programs: Past Years: Alliant IU/CSPP-Los Angeles, Alliant IU/CSPP-San Diego, Alliant IU/CSPP-San Francisco, Auburn University, Brigham Young University; Ball State University, California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University in San Francisco, Catholic University of America, Drexel University, East Carolina University, Emory University, Florida Institute of Technology, Florida State University, Fordham University, Fuller Theological Seminar, George Fox University, Georgia Southern University, Gallaudet University, Georgia State University, Idaho State University, Indiana University, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Kent State University, La Salle University, Loyola University of Maryland, Louisiana State University, Northern Illinois University, Midwestern University, Northwestern University, Nova Southeastern University, Pacific Graduate School of Psychology/Stanford, Pacific University, Rowan University, San Diego State University/UC-San Diego, Spaulding University, St. Louis University, St. Johns University, Syracuse University, Tennessee State University, Texas Tech University, Texas A&M University, University of Akron, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, University of Alabama, University of Cincinnati, University of Connecticut, University of Delaware, University of Florida, University of Georgia, University of Illinois, University of Memphis, University of Missouri-St. Louis, University of Mississippi, University of Montana, University of Nebraska, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, University of North Dakota, University of North Texas, University of Rhode Island, University of South Alabama, University of South Carolina, University of South Dakota, University of Southern Mississippi, University of Tennessee, University of Virginia, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, University of Wyoming, Virginia Commonwealth University, Washington State University, West Virginia University, Western Michigan University, Xavier University
Internship Applicant Requirements
US Citizenship Required: Yes
If NOT a U.S. Citizen, Authorization to Work or to Engage in Practical Training (CPT or OPT) in the US is Required: Yes
Canadian Citizenship Required: No
If NOT a Canadian Citizen, Authorization to Work in Canada or to Engage in Practical Training (CPT or OPT) in Canada is Required: No
Masters Degree Required: Yes, by application deadline
Comprehensive Exams Passed: Yes, by ranking deadline
Dissertation Proposal Approved: Yes, by application deadline
Dissertation Defended: No
Minimum Number of AAPI Intervention Hours (if applicable): 400
Minimum Number of AAPI Assessment Hours (if applicable): 40
Minimum Number of Combined Intervention and Assessment Hours (if applicable):
Minimum Number of Years of Grad Training Required (if applicable): 3
Accepted / Not-Accepted Program Types
Clinical Psychology Accepted
Counseling Psychology Accepted
School Psychology Not Accepted
APA-Accredited Accepted
CPA-Accredited Not Accepted
PCSAS-Accredited Not Accepted
Non-Accredited Not Accepted
Ph.D Degree Accepted
Psy.D. Degree Accepted
Ed.D. Degree Not Accepted
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:
Other Requirements: Only applicants from APA approved doctoral programs in clinical or counseling psychology will be considered. To be considered for our program, applicants must have data-based doctoral dissertations. Examples of acceptable data-based doctoral dissertations include original data collection (quantitative and/or qualitative), use of secondary data/existing databases, meta-analyses. Examples of dissertations that DO NOT qualify include reviews of the literature, narrative reviews, systematic reviews. All applicants to VA-paid tracks must be U.S.A. citizens.
Program Description

The Medical College of Georgia (MCG)/Augusta University and the Charlie Norwood Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) are organized as partners in offering a 12-month, full-time Internship in Clinical Psychology. The program begins in early July and carries an annual stipend of $33,469 (VA-paid and MCG/AU-paid tracks). We currently fund ten Interns (6-VA; 4-MCG/AU). The Internship combines a solid grounding in clinical skills with access to a wide range of mental health and medical settings through which an Intern can develop general clinical-counseling skills as well as emphasis training. Our training model focuses on three primary facets of training in the development of professional psychologists: (1) Training in the implementation of essential practice skills in key field settings; (2) Training in an empirical approach to practice (fostering attitudes of empiricism and reflection), and; (3) Training in the provision of care for underserved populations and areas. Our hospitals and clinics are large regional treatment and training centers with more than 1000 combined inpatient beds and a multitude of specialty treatment programs and clinics. Our program partners with East Central Georgia Regional Hospital (ECRH) - a state funded psychiatric hospital that provides care for individuals with serious and chronic mental health disorders. The Augusta Campus of ECRH consists of three primary inpatient units: Adult Mental Health, General Mental Health, and Forensics. Across all training experiences, Interns work in close collaboration with primary care physicians, psychiatrists and other physician specialists, and other allied health professionals to develop skills in providing interdisciplinary health care.

There are two required 4-month rotations:

  1. The General Practice Rotation: This rotation focuses on opportunities for development of psychological assessment skills, skills pertaining to rapid assessment, de-escalation/stabilization, and triaging in individuals with acute psychiatric conditions, co-leadership of time-limited evidence-based psychotherapy groups and, individual, and possibly couple, and family psychotherapy.
  2. The Integrated Health Psychology Rotation: Training offered in many medical settings at either CNVAMC (CNVAMC-funded Interns) or Augusta University hospitals and clinics (AU-funded Interns). This rotation focuses on acquiring skills that will enable interns to apply fundamental psychological principles to health care settings with a goal of training interns to function independently in interdisciplinary health care settings.

In addition to the generalist training opportunities available, emphasis training is provided through the selection of one of six tracks: Child and Family (AU funded), Forensic Psychology (AU funded), Clinical Health Psychology (2 CNVAMC funded and 1 AU funded), HIV & LGBTQ Health Disparities Track (AU funded), Psychology of Women (CNVAMC funded) and Trauma Psychology (CNVAMC funded).

There are three required seminars:

1. The Diagnostic/Treatment Seminar meets weekly for eleven months of the year and includes application of a “Problem-Based Learning” (PBL) model.  The PBL approach to learning employs a clinical case/problem as the vehicle of learning and demands development of clinical/scientific reasoning.  The Seminar facilitates a 10-week course (two hours per week) that reviews Cognitive Behavior Therapy and introduces ACT that includes joint psychology and psychiatry residency training activities.

2. The Psychotherapy Process Seminar meets for the year and provides a laboratory to develop skills of empiricism and reflection in the nonparticipant mode of peer supervision and in the participant mode of a live therapy session presentation.  Each Intern along with the faculty/seminar directors take turns presenting a psychotherapy case live. Didactics for the seminar focus upon: (a) Common factors in psychotherapy, (b) Supervision, and (c) therapy termination.

3. The Professional Issues Seminar is intended as a complementary endeavor to be devoted to didactics and discussions related to the professional development of the Intern.  The seminar primarily focuses on the non-therapy aspects of being a psychologist. 

Other Educational Opportunities Include: 

1. Departmental Grand Rounds

2. Workshops

3. Half-day dedicated time for scholarship/research

 *The consoritum has notified APA/CoA/OAA in May 2022 of intent to dissolve the consortium agreement. We are fully committed to maintaining accreditation as a consortium until we achieve independent accreditation during this transitional period. We are available to discuss any questions or concerns with regards to this process. Despite the expected changes, we are committed to having high-quality training for the upcoming year and do not anticipate any significant changes to training offered.

Internship Training Opportunities

Populations
Children: Yes
Adolescents: Yes
Adults: Yes
Family: Yes
Older Adults: Yes
Inpatients: Yes
Outpatients: Yes
Gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender: Yes
Ethnic minorities: Yes
Spanish-speaking: Yes
French-speaking:
Deaf/Hearing-impaired:
Students: Yes
International Students:
Rural: Yes
Urban: Yes
Low income: Yes
Homelessness: 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: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Family Therapy: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Group Therapy: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Community Intervention: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
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:
Supervision of Practicum students : EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Other: Educational Outreach

(training opportunities continued)

Experience
Health Psychology: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Women's Health: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
HIV/AIDS: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Eating Disorders: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
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: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Developmental Disabilities: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Assessment: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Neuropsychology-Adult: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Neuropsychology-Child: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
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: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Forensics/Corrections: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Sexual Offenders:
Geropsychology: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Pediatrics: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
School:
Counseling: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Vocational/Career Development:
Multicultural Therapy:
Feminist Therapy: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Religion/Spirituality:
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: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Administration:
Integrated health care - primary: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Integrated health care - specialty: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Other:

LGBTQ Health Disparities

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: http://www.augusta.edu/mcg/psychiatry/psychology/  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 Internship Class
2017-2018 2018-2019 2019-2020 2020-2021 2021-2022 2022-2023
Number of Completed Applications: 108 143 126 90 80 94
Number of applicants invited for interviews: 72 85 76 60 64 62
Total number of interns: 10 10 9 8 9 9
Total number of interns from APA/CPA accredited programs: 10 10 9 8 9 9
Total number of interns from Ph.D. programs: 9 7 8 6 9 5
Total number of interns from Psy.D. programs: 1 3 1 2 0 4
Total number of interns from Ed.D. programs: 0 0 0 0 0 0
Number of interns that come from a Clinical Psychology program 7 8 7 8 6 7
Number of interns that come from a Counseling Psychology program 3 2 2 0 3 2
Number of interns that come from a School Psychology program 0 0 0 0 0 0
Range of integrated assessment reports: lowest number of reports written 4 4 1 4 0 4
Range of integrated assessment reports: highest number of reports written 38 50 119 49 44 41
Summary of Post Internship Employment Settings of Each Internship Class (1st Placement)
2016-2017 2017-2018 2018-2019 2019-2020 2020-2021 2021-2022
Working on dissertation/Student: 0 0 0 0 1 0
Postdoctoral Fellow: 9 10 10 0 7 9
Community Mental Health Center: 0 0 0 0 0 0
Health Maintenance Organization: 0 1 0 0 0 0
Veteran's Affairs Medical Center: 1 5 4 0 3 0
Military Medical Center: 1 0 0 0 0 0
Private General Hospital: 0 1 1 0 0 0
General Hospital: 0 0 0 0 0 0
Other Medical Center: 0 0 0 0 2 6
Private Psychiatric Hospital: 0 0 0 0 0 1
State/County/Other Public Hospital: 1 0 0 0 1 1
Correctional Facility: 0 0 0 0 0 0
School District/System: 0 0 0 0 0 0
University Counseling Center: 1 1 0 0 0 0
University Teaching Faculty: 0 0 0 0 1 0
2 or 4 year Undergraduate Teaching Position: 0 0 0 0 0 0
Medical School: 3 1 4 0 0 0
Academic Non-Teaching Position: 0 0 0 0 0 0
Research Position: 0 1 0 0 0 0
Independent Practice: 1 0 1 0 1 1
Other (e.g. consulting): 0 0 0 0 0 0
Not Currently Employed: 0 0 0 0 0 0
Changed to Other Career Field: 0 0 0 0 0 0
Unknown: 0 0 0 0 0 0
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