CTVHCS offers training in a variety of contexts including general medical/surgical hospital, residential/inpatient, a domiciliary, integrated and home-based primary care, and multiple outpatient clinics. Please see our web brochure for further description of the training opportunities within each setting.
Our program places 6 interns annually, two at each of our three primary training sites: Temple and Waco VA Medical Centers, and the large Austin VA outpatient clinic. Our training model is reflective-practitioner, which is a form of scholar-practitioner training. We emphasize the value of reflecting on professional practices through intensive case study, locating and incorporating relevant scientific/professional knowledge and seeking experiential wisdom. Our program focuses on the development of competency in the nine profession-wide competencies, based on the APA Standards of Accreditation. We have been continuously accredited by APA for over 30 years. The internship year is divided into three, four-month major rotations. Interns spend a minimum of 28 hours per week on the major rotation. We offer major rotations in outpatient mental health clinics, substance abuse treatment, integrated primary care, residential and outpatient PTSD and serious mental illness (SMI), neuropsychology, and rehabilitation. Please see our brochure for a complete listing. We provide additional training and exposure to other areas of practice via a minor rotations for 4 to 8 hours per week in a wide range of practice areas (e.g. military sexual trauma, neuropsychological assessment, clinical research, assessment, group therapy, serious mental illness (SMI), compensation & pension exams, blind rehabilitation, etc.). We have over 75 full-time and several part-time psychologists in our health care system.
Please note that availability of specific training rotations varies due to staff availability and other factors. Please contact us via email for updates. In relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, our interns returned to primary on-site training in 2021 and are anticipated to continue to be based on-site for the 2023-24 training year. All interns receive training in, and provide some clinical services via, telehealth modalities (i.e., VA Video Connect and telephone).