Location: Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center, 3rd Floor, Section C
Phone: (210) 292-5972
POC: 59th MHS/SGOWV
Email: airforcepsychology@gmail.com
Facebook: Wilford Hall Air Force Psychology Internship
Overview
Program Length: One year. Interns typically work 45-50 hours per week for the duration of the one-year program.
Accreditation Status: The program is accredited by the American Psychological Association since 1971. The internship is accredited through 2022 based off a 7-year reaccreditation by the American Psychological Association's Commission on Accreditation. Note that due to the ongoing pandemic, APA has delayed the program’s reaccreditation process until 2024 and verified that the program’s accreditation status would not change as a result of the accreditation cycle shift. Questions related to the program's accredited status should be directed to the Commission on Accreditation:
Office of Program Consultation & Accreditation
American Psychological Association
750 1st Street NE, Washington, DC 20002
Phone: (202) 336-5979 / email: apaaccred@apa.org
Number of Intern Positions Available Each Year: 12
APPIC Affiliation #158911: The Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center Clinical Psychology Internship program is a member of the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers and follows APPIC policies on internship offers and acceptances. We participate in the APPIC Matching Program. Details of the APPIC program and policies can be viewed on APPIC's website. APPIC's mailing address is:
AAPIC Central Office, 17225 El Camino Real, Suite #170
Houston, TX 77058-2748
Phone: (832) 284-4080
Download the WHASC Clinical Psychology Internship Applicant Brochure (updated July 2021)
Download Internship Program Tables for Admissions, Support and Initial Placement Data (updated 21 July 2021)
Clinical Psychology Internship Training Overview
Rotations
1. Outpatient Mental Health Clinic (MHC) Rotation (4 months)
- Initial Intake Evaluations and Therapy Cases
- Crisis Assessment and Intervention (e.g., walk-in triages)
- Psychological Assessment/Testing (e.g., security or medical board evaluations)
- Commander Directed and Fitness for Duty Evaluations (i.e., personnel evaluations)
- Consultation to Leadership
2. Clinical Health Psychology Rotation (4 months)
- Behavioral/functional Analysis of patients with chronic medical problems
- Self-regulation strategies (Biofeedback, Relaxation, Stress Management)
- Biopsychosocial management for chronic medical conditions
- Consultations to medical providers
- Health promotions (e.g., tobacco cessation and weight management)
3. Behavioral Analysis Service Rotation (1 month)
- Crisis Assessment and Intervention for Air Force Base Trainees (e.g., walk-in triages)
- Psychological Assessment/Screening for Special Duties (e.g., Recruiter Duty, Survival Evasion Resistance Escape special duty, etc.)
- Consultation to Leadership
4. Assessment Rotation (1 month)
- Includes both basic Psychological Testing and Neuropsychology Screening
5. Primary Care Rotation at Family Health Clinic (1 month)
6. Dissertation/Clinical Investigation Rotation (1 month)
Those who have completed their dissertation prior to when this rotation occurs on their schedule will have the opportunity to participate in an authorized elective.
7. Elective Rotation (1 month)
Authorized electives include PTSD Clinic, CHP Plus, BHOP Plus, AF Community Plus, Operational Psychology, Examination for Professional Practice of Psychology (EPPP) Preparation, Motivational Interviewing, and Neuropsychology.
Other Required Activities
EBP Lab
Interns will meet weekly for a 2 hour block of instruction regarding various EBPs such as Motivational Interviewing, CBT-I/BBT-I for insomnia, IRT for nightmares, CPT and PE for PTSD. The EBP lab will include didactic information as well as dedicated time to practice skills and review cases.
Continuity Clinic
Interns maintain an ongoing therapy caseload as part of his/her “continuity clinic.” One patient generally has a PTSD diagnosis providing experience in delivering PE or CPT. These cases allow for therapy experiences that can carry over beyond individual clinic rotations.
Population Health Seminar
Population health is one of training program’s specific internship competencies. The goal of this seminar is to develop competency in applying a systematic approach to assessing and addressing community concerns regarding health risk behaviors in target populations. The seminar meets weekly for one hour.
At course completion, participants will have knowledge of the Air Force community’s behavioral health programs, structures and functions, as well as of the established professional literature pertaining to population level interventions. Participants will demonstrate understanding of the Systems Perspective in identifying and addressing health risk behavior, and describe examples of the psychologist’s specific role(s) in community-based practice in AF communities. Participants will gain experience evaluating community behavioral health programs, recommending courses of action appropriate to a military setting, and delivering community-based interventions. Our program is very fortunate to have teaching faculty for this seminar who have specific expertise in population health and senior leadership military experience (e.g., having served as former Commanders and as a consultant to the Air Force Surgeon General for Psychology). This seminar is unique to our training program and will help prepare interns to respond effectively to various challenges presented by the populations they serve.
AF Community Psychology Activities
Interns will attend a variety of activities that provide exposure to typical experiences of psychologists in the Air Force at their next base assignment after internship, including a relationship enhancement workshop, and participating in at least 10 hours of population health intervention activities for the base community.
On Call Responsibilities
Psychology interns will rotate on call responsibilities with other clinical staff throughout the year. A designated cell phone to receive on-call responses for emergency situations (e.g., domestic violence, suicide attempts) after duty hours and on weekends will be provided. Interns do not physically respond to the scene of any situation. Psychology interns provide real-time guidance to military leaders regarding safety planning and case reporting or consultation to medical providers, Commanders, and First Sergeants on mental health related matters and document incidents. All on-call responsibilities are under the supervision of a credentialed staff member and performed on a weekly basis.
Program Characteristics
- Scientific Focus
- Focus on scientific thinking and biopsychosocial case conceptualization skills
- Extensive training and supervision in empirically-based practices (EBPs) including PE, CPT, CBT-I, Motivational Interviewing, and more
- Applied research opportunities
- Support Intern Autonomy and Professional Development in a Diverse Work Setting
- Interns are given leadership responsibilities
- Supervision and training forums focus on clinical and leadership development as an officer
- Ability to work with a diverse group of patients, professionals, and faculty in various clinics
- Interdisciplinary Teamwork and Consultation
- Interns work closely with Psychiatrists and Psychiatry Residents
- Learn consultation and feedback skills with medical providers in primary care setting
- Learn to balance patient safety and mission requirements as a consultant to Commanders
- Working in a Joint Service Environment
- The Psychology Internships at WHASC and Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio share in some training activities during the year
- Joint Base San Antonio - Lackland is home to a wide variety of joint military operations, including many enlisted technical schools attended by enlisted members of all branches of the armed forces. Interns work with patients from all uniformed services (Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines, Public Health Service, and Coast Guard) and learn about each service’s unique culture, missions, and rules. Providers are exposed to sister service policies and cultures, learning how to work with patients and leadership from other military branches.
Key Points to Consider
- Broadly trained as a Generalist using a Scientist Practitioner approach to Clinical Psychology
- “State of the science” training in Evidence Based Practices for PTSD, Clinical Health Psychology, and Primary Care Psychology
- Dedicated time and support for working on and defending your dissertation during internship
- Supervision consistently rated “outstanding” in quantity and quality by program alumni
- Didactic Program with Distinguished Visiting Professors of National Reputation
- Work with a broad diversity of patients at the DoD’s largest ambulatory surgical care facility
- Opportunity to conduct research related to clinical interests
- Only Air Force training site with accredited post-doctoral fellowship in Clinical Health Psychology
- Unique training opportunities include working with Basic Trainees entering the Air Force, attending the San Antonio Combat PTSD Conference with national trauma experts, and opportunities to collaborate with the University of Virginia Center for Addiction and Prevention Research on various population health studies
- Excellent pay/benefits during internship and 3 additional years of follow-on employment
- Fellowship Training Opportunities – Following the completion of one’s initial 4 year service commitment, an AF Psychologist may compete for a paid fellowship in one of specialty areas where the Air Force anticipates an increased need for specialists. In the past, paid fellowships have been offered in Clinical Health Psychology, Child Psychology, Psychopharmacology, Clinical Neuropsychology, and Aviation/Operational Psychology. Those chosen for fellowship incur an additional active duty service obligation following completion of fellowship.
For current events in WHASC Psychology, check out our Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wilford-Hall-Air-Force-Psychology-Internship/156619957713319
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