Department : Wilmington VAMC Behavioral Health Services

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Member Site Information
APPIC Member Number: 2303
Program Type: Internship
Membership Type: Full Membership
Site: Wilmington VAMC
Department: Wilmington VAMC Behavioral Health Services
Address: 1601 Kirkwood Highway
Behavioral Health Clinic, 3rd Floor
Wilmington, Delaware 19805
Country: United States
Metro Area: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Distance from Major City: 3 miles south east from Wilmington, DE
Phone: 302-994-2511x4356
Fax:
Email: claire.wu@va.gov
Web Address:
Brochure Website's Address: https://www.va.gov/wilmington-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/psychology-training-internship-program/
Primary Agency Type: Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Additional Agency Types:
  • Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Member of APPIC since:
Accreditation
APA Accreditation Not Accredited
CPA Accreditation Not Accredited
Internship Staff/Faculty Information
Training Director & Lead / Director: Claire Wu
Chief Psychologist: Trisha Barcley
Number of Full-Time Licensed Doctoral Psychologists on Staff/Faculty 14
Number of Part-Time Licensed Doctoral Psychologists on Staff/Faculty 0
Position Information
Start Date: 07/31/2023
Funded
Number of Full Time Slots Expected Next Class: 2
Number of Part Time Slots Expected Next Class: 0
Stipend
Full Time Annual Stipend for Next Class: 28586
Part Time Annual Stipend for Next Class: 0
Fringe Benefits: Dissertation Release Time, Dental Insurance, Health Insurance, Licensing Exam Release Time, Life Insurance, Professional Development Time, Sick Leave, Vacation
Other Fringe Benefits (not indicated above): Gym on site, insurance for immediate family members
Brief description of the typical work day for an intern at this training site The Psychology Doctoral Internship program appointment is for 2080 hours, which is equivalent to full-time status for one year. Interns work Monday through Friday from 7:30 am-4:00pm. Division of internship hours will be approximately 75% supervised clinical duties, 10% formal supervision, 10% didactic and other educational endeavors, and 5% additional duties to be determined based upon individual intern interests and training needs. Face-to-Face direct service will occupy approximately 18 hours of an intern’s average week. During the 12 month internship year, interns will train primarily in the outpatient, general mental health setting. Additional training experiences are available in the following clinics: Whole Health Service, MST, PTSD, Geropsychology'Palliative Care, Couples and Family therapy, Neuropsychology, and Substance Use Disorders.
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: 11/18/2022 11:59 PM EST
Interviews at this site are:
  • Virtual
Interview notification date: 12/16/2022
Tentative interview date: 1/10/2023
Interview process description:

We follow all selection process guidelines established by APPIC. Selected candidates will be invited for virtual interviews only. The interview process will include, at a minimum,  video-conferences with the Training Director and members of the Training Commitee. Further information will be provided to selected candidates at the time of invitation. The interview process is an interactive process designed to not only allow us to connect with and appreciate the unique strengths of each candidate, but also allows the candidates to meet us, the facility, and gain a more in depth understanding of our program

How to obtain application info: Visit Website
Preferred method of contacting the program: Email the Program
We have matched with interns from these programs: Rutgers GSAPP School Psy.D. Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine La Salle University Yeshiva Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology Florida Institute of Technology Marywood University Fuller Graduate School of Psychology Arizona School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University La Salle University Chestnut Hill College
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: Yes, by start of internship
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 (if applicable): 500
Minimum Number of AAPI Assessment Hours (if applicable): 100
Minimum Number of Combined Intervention and Assessment Hours (if applicable):
Minimum Number of Years of Grad Training Required (if applicable): 4
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: N/A
Other Requirements: https://www.va.gov/wilmington-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/psychology-training-internship-program/
Program Description

 

The psychology internship at the Wilmington VAMC is not yet accredited by the American Psychology Association; however, has been authorized for an APA site visit. Consequent to ongoing delays caused by the pandemic, our site visit cycle is projected to be in Winter 2023 [January-May]. Graduates of this internship program prior to accreditation are eligible to apply for postdoctoral fellowship positions and employment within the VA.

 

The mission of the Wilmington VA Medical Center’s Psychology Internship Program is to develop competent psychologists dedicated to delivering proficient, ethical, evidenced-based psychological treatment. Our graduates will demonstrate strong professional and leadership skills in the provision of clinical treatment in a multitude of settings.

The Psychology Internship Program is based on a practitioner-scholar model of professional psychology. Interns are trained to utilize critical thinking and analytical skills in applying empirical knowledge and relevant theoretical frameworks to the veterans they are treating. The training model provides supervised experiences in professional skills that are sequential, cumulative, and graded in complexity. The internship prepares interns to function as generalists within a medical center setting, with opportunities to develop skills in specialty areas. We expect our graduates to provide comprehensive assessments of behavioral, cognitive, and emotional problems, to deliver a wide variety of therapeutic interventions tailored to the needs of various clinical settings, to function effectively as consultants in health care settings and as members of treatment teams, and to practice in a highly ethical and professional manner, acknowledging cultural and individual differences and using scientific literature to inform clinical decisions

Treatment is provided by interdisciplinary teams with a biopsychosocial model as an overarching framework. Consideration of psychological and social functioning in addition to biology improves the understanding of health and disease, as well as the ability of the team to align with and assist veterans.  As a member of an interdisciplinary treatment team designed to treat the whole person, interns learn about the perspectives and contributions of other professionals.

The training program is committed to the provision of recovery-oriented care that maximizes individual strength, promotes human dignity, and values individual difference. The Wilmington VA Behavioral Health Services strives to empower veterans through education regarding their diagnosis and treatment options. Veterans are treated as educated consumers and work collaboratively with the treatment team to develop an individualized treatment plan that reflects their readiness, needs, and values. 

 

 

 

 

Internship Training Opportunities

Populations

Children:
Adolescents:
Adults: Yes
Family: Yes
Older Adults: Yes
Inpatients:
Outpatients: Yes
Gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender: Yes
Ethnic minorities: Yes
Spanish-speaking:
French-speaking:
Deaf/Hearing-impaired: Yes
Students:
International Students:
Rural: Yes
Urban: Yes
Low income: Yes
Homelessness: Yes
Other: Veterans

Treatment Modalities

Assessment: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
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:
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: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Evidenced Based Practice: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Evidence Based Research: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Supervision of Practicum students : EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Other:

Experience

Health Psychology: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Women's Health: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
HIV/AIDS: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Eating Disorders: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Sexual Disorders: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Sports Psychology:
Rehabilitation Psychology:
Physical Disabilities: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Learning Disabilities: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Developmental Disabilities:
Assessment: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Neuropsychology-Adult: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Neuropsychology-Child:
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: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Forensics/Corrections:
Sexual Offenders: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Geropsychology: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
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:
Program Development/Evaluation: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Supervision: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Research:
Administration:
Integrated health care - primary: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Integrated health care - specialty: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
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: 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: 0 18 11 10 27 11
Number of applicants invited for interviews: 6 20 9
Total number of interns: 1 1 0 2 2
Total number of interns from APA/CPA accredited programs: 1 1 0 2 2
Total number of interns from Ph.D. programs: 0 1 0
Total number of interns from Psy.D. programs: 1 1 0 1 2
Total number of interns from Ed.D. programs: 0 0
Number of interns that come from a Clinical Psychology program 1 0 0 2
Number of interns that come from a Counseling Psychology program 0 0
Number of interns that come from a School Psychology program 1 0 0
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 (1st Placement)
2016-2017 2017-2018 2018-2019 2019-2020 2020-2021 2021-2022
Working on dissertation/Student: 0 0 0 0 0 0
Postdoctoral Fellow: 1 0 1 0 0 0
Community Mental Health Center: 0 0 0 0 0 0
Health Maintenance Organization: 0 0 0 0 0 0
Veteran's Affairs Medical Center: 0 0 0 0 0 1
Military Medical Center: 0 0 0 0 0 0
Private General Hospital: 0 0 0 0 0 0
General Hospital: 0 0 0 0 0 0
Other Medical Center: 0 0 0 0 0 0
Private Psychiatric Hospital: 0 0 0 0 0 0
State/County/Other Public Hospital: 0 0 0 0 0 0
Correctional Facility: 0 0 0 0 0 0
School District/System: 0 0 0 0 0 1
University Counseling Center: 0 0 1 0 0 0
University Teaching Faculty: 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 or 4 year Undergraduate Teaching Position: 0 0 0 0 0 0
Medical School: 0 0 0 0 0 0
Academic Non-Teaching Position: 0 0 0 0 0 0
Research Position: 0 0 0 0 0 0
Independent Practice: 1 0 0 0 0 0
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 1 0 0