User:

Site Name: VA North Texas Health Care System

Department: Psychology Service (116A)

Program Information: Psychology Service (116A)

Click on a section title to expand or collapse individual sections.
Member Site Information
APPIC Member Number: 1573
Program Type: Internship
Membership Type: Full Membership
Site: VA North Texas Health Care System
Department: Psychology Service (116A)
Address: 4500 S. Lancaster Road
Dallas, Texas 75216-7191
Country: United States
Metro Area: Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX MSA
Distance from Major City:
Phone: 214-857-3608
Fax:
Email: julia.smith2@va.gov
Web Address: http://www.northtexas.va.gov/psychology/
Brochure Website's Address: http://www.northtexas.va.gov/psychology/
Primary Agency Type: Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Additional Agency Types:
  • Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Member of APPIC since:
Accreditation
APA Accreditation Accredited
CPA Accreditation Not Accredited
Internship Staff/Faculty Information
Training Director & Lead / Director: Julia Smith
Chief Psychologist: Sarah Spain
Number of Full-Time Licensed Doctoral Psychologists on Staff/Faculty 100
Number of Part-Time Licensed Doctoral Psychologists on Staff/Faculty 2
Position Information
Start Date: 07/18/2022
Funded
Number of Full Time Slots Expected Next Class: 8
Number of Part Time Slots Expected Next Class: 0
Stipend
Full Time Annual Stipend for Next Class: 27987
Part Time Annual Stipend for Next Class: 0
Fringe Benefits: Dissertation Release Time, Health Insurance, Licensing Exam Release Time, Life Insurance, Sick Leave, Vacation
Other Fringe Benefits (not indicated above):
Brief description of the typical work day for an intern at this training site
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
Internship Application Process
Accepting Applicants: Yes
Application Due Date: 11/07/2021 11:59 PM EST
Application Due Date Time Zone:
This program uses the AAPI: Yes, with additions
An onsite interview is:
  • Optional
  • Virtual
Interview notification date: 12/10/2021
Tentative interview date: 01/10/2022
Interview process description:

Our interview process is an open house format. For the 2022-2023 training year, there will be an option of virtual or in-person participation in our open houses. Both virtual and in-person attendees will participate in the same schedule of activities.  It will begin at 8am and involve meeting with the Training Director, Associate Training Director, and Psychology Chief. The morning timeframe is spent sharing information about our facility and the training opportunities available within our program. Applicants will have an opportunity to meet with the current interns to learn more about their experiences within the program. In the afternoon, applicants participate in two interviews with various training staff. We attempt to match applicants and interviewers based on interests though this is not always possible. Requests to meet with specific staff are welcome and will be accomodated to the extent possible.

Open House dates for 2022 interviews are scheduled on Monday, 1/10/22; Thursday 1/13/22; and Thursday 1/20/22. Interviews can be arranged on different dates if necessary.

General Major Area of Study (track) match number: 157311

Neuropsychology Major Area of Study (track) match number: 157313
How to obtain application info: Visit Website
Preferred method of contacting the program: Email the Program
We have matched with interns from these programs:
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: No
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: No
Comprehensive Exams Passed: Yes, by start of internship
Dissertation Proposal Approved: Yes, by start of internship
Dissertation Defended: No
Minimum Number of AAPI Intervention Hours: 800
Minimum Number of AAPI Assessment Hours:
Minimum Number of Years of Grad Training Required: 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
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:
Program Description

The VA North Texas Health Care System (Dallas VAMC) is the 2nd largest VA health care system in VHA. The Dallas campus is a large General Medical/Surgical hospital with over 1,400,000+ outpatient visits per year. Interns choose 4 rotations from 20 available rotations. Rotation activities include medical/surgical, consultation/Pain Clinic, primary care medicine, primary care mental health, homeless domiciliary, substance abuse treatment, neuropsychology, spinal cord injury, nursing home care, and PTSD (combat and military sexual trauma). The site also offers an APA-accredited Postdoctoral program (7 slots) in "Clinical Psychology" with an emphasis in Substance Use Disorders (2 slots), LGBT treatment, PTSD/SUD (2 slots), Health/Rehab, and PTSD, and an independently APA accredited fellowship in Clinical Neuropsychology (2 positions). This program is a member of APPCN as well.  On-site interns have been highly considered for these positions. Of the 90 staff psychologists, approximately half are available as rotation and on-going psychotherapy supervisors. Supervision is at least 2 hours face-to-face weekly, plus 1 hour weekly from EBP supervisors, and 1 hour of group supervision by the TD. Nearly all past interns have passed licensing exams and have obtained either post-docs or jobs following internship. Interns will receive training in Evidence Based Psychotherapy including CPT, CBT, ACT, IPT, IBCT, and PE and will carry two patients each half or the year, using one EBP (each six months), in addition to rotation work. Over the course of the training year, interns accrue sick leave and annual leave (totaling 13 days of annual leave and 13 days of sick leave), have 10 federal holidays, and have health and life insurance benefits. Time off to defend one's dissertation is provided along with time off to attend APA, Texas Psych Assn., or Dallas Psych. Assn. meetings. The VA North Texas Health Care System's doctoral internship was reaccredited in 2013 for the full 7 years (i.e., until 2020). Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, APA has postponed our 2020 site visits to 2022. Our program will remain APA accedited throughout the extended reaccreditation process.

Internship Training Opportunities

Populations
Children:
Adolescents:
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: Yes
Students:
International Students:
Rural: Yes
Urban: Yes
Low income: Yes
Homelessness: Yes
Other:

(training opportunities continued)

Treatment Modalities
Assessment: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Individual Therapy: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Couples Therapy: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Family Therapy: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Group Therapy: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Community Intervention:
Consultation/Liaison: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Crisis Intervention: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Brief Psychotherapy: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Long-term Psychotherapy: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Cognitive Rehabilitation:
Primary Care: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
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:

(training opportunities continued)

Experience
Health Psychology: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Women's Health: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
HIV/AIDS: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Eating Disorders: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Sexual Disorders: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Sports Psychology:
Rehabilitation Psychology: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Physical Disabilities: EMPHASIS (31% to 49%)
Learning Disabilities: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Developmental Disabilities: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Assessment: EMPHASIS (31% to 49%)
Neuropsychology-Adult: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Neuropsychology-Child:
Serious Mental Illness: EMPHASIS (31% to 49%)
Anxiety Disorders: EMPHASIS (31% to 49%)
Trauma/PTSD: EMPHASIS (31% to 49%)
Sexual Abuse: EMPHASIS (31% to 49%)
Substance Use Disorders: EMPHASIS (31% to 49%)
Forensics/Corrections: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Sexual Offenders: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Geropsychology: EMPHASIS (31% to 49%)
Pediatrics:
School:
Counseling:
Vocational/Career Development:
Multicultural Therapy: EMPHASIS (31% to 49%)
Feminist Therapy:
Religion/Spirituality: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Empirically-Supported Treatments: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Public Policy/Advocacy: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Program Development/Evaluation: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Supervision: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Research: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Administration: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Integrated health care - primary: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Integrated health care - specialty: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Other:

Supervised training experiences will vary depending on rotations selected and the training major area of study (General and Neuropsychology "tracks").

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: www.northtexas.va.gov/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
Number of Completed Applications: 90 83 113 84 105
Number of applicants invited for interviews: 66 53 32 56 61
Total number of interns: 8 8 8 8 8
Total number of interns from APA/CPA accredited programs: 8 8 8 8 8
Total number of interns from Ph.D. programs: 6 6 6 3 3
Total number of interns from Psy.D. programs: 2 2 2 5 5
Total number of interns from Ed.D. programs:
Number of interns that come from a Clinical Psychology program
Number of interns that come from a Counseling Psychology program
Number of interns that come from a School Psychology program
Range of integrated assessment reports: lowest number of reports written
Range of integrated assessment reports: highest number of reports written
Summary of Post Internship Employment Settings of Each Internship Class
2016-2017 2017-2018 2018-2019 2019-2020 2020-2021
Working on dissertation/Student: 0 1 1 1 0
Postdoctoral Fellow: 8 6 6 6 0
Community Mental Health Center: 1 0 0 0 1
Health Maintenance Organization: 0 0 0 0 0
Veteran's Affairs Medical Center: 6 7 5 4 5
Military Medical Center: 0 0 0 0 0
Private General Hospital: 0 0 0 1 0
General Hospital: 0 0 0 0 0
Other Medical Center: 0 0 0 0 0
Private Psychiatric Hospital: 0 0 0 0 0
State/County/Other Public Hospital: 0 0 0 0 0
Correctional Facility: 0 0 0 0 0
School District/System: 0 0 0 0 0
University Counseling Center: 0 0 0 0 0
University Teaching Faculty: 0 0 0 0 0
2 or 4 year Undergraduate Teaching Position: 0 0 0 0 0
Medical School: 0 0 1 0 2
Academic Non-Teaching Position: 0 0 0 0 0
Research Position: 0 0 0 0 0
Independent Practice: 0 0 1 1 0
Other (e.g. consulting): 1 0 0 0 0
Not Currently Employed: 0 1 0 0 0
Changed to Other Career Field: 0 0 0 0 0
Unknown: 0 0 1 0 0
Back to the Search Page