The University of Arizona Psychology Internship Consortium is a collaboration of three agencies in Southern Arizona that share resources to create high-quality internship opportunities that represent the diversity and needs of the Southwest. The mission of the UArizona PIC is to prepare and retain psychologists who have developed skills, competencies, and professional identities so that they may provide high-quality psychological services in the school setting. Interns will learn from a diverse and multidisciplinary team of professionals who promote a broad developmental training approach to achieve training goals.
The University of Arizona Psychology Internship consortium offers two 10.5-month, full-time doctoral internships beginning in mid-July and ending in mid-June of each year. The UArizona PIC includes two sites located in Southern Arizona and provides a range of training and didactic experiences that reflect the breadth and depth of professional psychology practice as well as the diversity and needs of clients in the Southwestern United States. Interns are matched at one site with a variety of training experiences provided within each placement. The UArizona PIC includes the following training sites: Sunnyside Unified School District and Tucson Unified School District. The University of Arizona, Department of Disabilities and Psychoeducational Studies serves as an administrative, non-clinical partner site to provide expertise and support to the consortium. Each site has one intern placement.
Interns are expected to complete 1,800 hours of training during the internship year with at least 450 hours (25%) spent in direct service delivery. Emphasis is placed on training interns in culturally competent practice across all areas including behavioral health, assessment, intervention, collaboration, and consultation. Training on diversity variables is emphasized in didactic seminars and supervision. Interns are expected to be competent in the APA Standards of Accreditation nine Profession-Wide Competencies, as well as abide by the APA Code of Ethics and the policies of both UArizona PIC and the individual training sites.
WHAT WILL YOU DO AS AN INTERN OF THE UARIZONA PIC?
- Work with an interdisciplinary team of licensed psychologists and other related professionals, including speech-language therapists, school counselors, social workers, and occupational and physical therapists
- Learn how to use a collaborative systems approach within a larger organization
- Receive training and gain experience in providing supervision to beginning school psychology graduate students at school sites
- Incorporate a variety of assessment instruments into your clinical work
- Develop assessment skills to inform intervention services
- Receive mentorship to develop leadership skills
MODEL OF TRAINING
The UArizona PIC utilizes a practitioner-scholar model in which research informs practice. This approach integrates work in a multidisciplinary setting with scholarly reading, critical thinking, and self-reflection. Interns will work in supportive yet challenging environments that promote professional and personal growth.
Training emphases
Through work in behavioral health intervention, psychological assessment, and interdisciplinary collaboration and consultation, students address the Aims, Competencies, and Learning Elements detailed by the American Psychological Association Standards of Accreditation.
- Research
- Ethical and Legal Standards
- Cultural and Individual Diversity
- Professional Values, Attitudes, and Behaviors
- Communication and Interpersonal Skills
- Assessment
- Intervention
- Supervision
- Interprofessional and Interdisciplinary Consultation
Commitment to diversity
The UArizona PIC is committed to creating a safe, welcoming, and affirming environment for all. This includes not only students who access UArizona PIC services, but all individuals who are part of the community. Every effort is made by internship supervisors to create a climate in which success is possible and all staff and interns feel respected and comfortable.
The UArizona PIC includes an overall goal of interns becoming competent in working with clients, colleagues, and community members from various backgrounds. Interns are provided training on identity and culture and are encouraged to consult and collaborate with multidisciplinary staff members. Throughout the program, they are challenged to reflect on their own personal and cultural experiences and consider how these experiences affect their work with clients.