The following information is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of our training program. We look forward to answering any specific questions you might have that are not included in this description. John C. Linton, PhD, ABPP, Director of Training.

From the Director: Applying to and Visiting our program

• Program Philosophy
• Who Should Apply?
• About Charleston
• Program Overview
• Goals, Objectives, & Competencies
• Training Setting
• Required Rotations
• Optional Rotations
• Faculty & Staff
• Interns (current)
• Intern Handbook
• Evaluation Forms
• Previous Psychology Interns
• Supervision
• Research
• Didactic Training
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Application Procedure
• Charleston Links

Dear Intern Applicant,

Welcome to the web page that describes the APA-accredited Predoctoral Internship in Clinical Psychology, offered in the Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry at the West Virginia University School of Medicine in Charleston. We also need a current CV, graduate transcripts, and three letters of reference, one of which should be from your graduate training director. Please send them by December 1st to: John C. Linton, PhD, ABPP, WVU School of Medicine, 3200 MacCorkle Ave. SE, Charleston, WV 25304. We know how tedious and stressful this process is, and will try to make it as easy as possible.

The internship runs from July to July. The stipend is $26,461, and currently each intern is provided additional funds to use for pre-approved expenses such as travel to professional conferences. Along with sick days and holidays, interns have two weeks of paid vacation. “Vacation” here means lying on a beach, not defending a dissertation or attending meetings.

After your application is complete, you may wish to schedule a visit. It is important to note that a visit is not necessary. The last time we checked, graduate students were pinched for time and not independently wealthy. As such, we find it ethically questionable to require applicants in some cases to spend vast sums of money and time to travel here, when many of our past interns were accepted solely on the basis of application materials and phone interviews. Many applicants still request a visit, but unfortunately not everyone can be scheduled. Three visit days are scheduled in 2009 at this time: January 9th, January 16th, and January 23rd. A small group will visit each of these days.

If you are interested in visiting on one of these days, please contact me. Visit requests will be reviewed by the internship committee in terms of general goodness of fit between the applicant and our program. If a visit cannot be arranged, please remember that applicants are not “invited” per se on the basis of strength of application. Rather, we try to meet requests for visits, knowing applicants may want to see the setting where they might spend a training year. If for any reason you do not visit our program, your application will not suffer as a result. However, if you do not visit, it is important that if you wish to train here that you contact me and faculty in your area of interest, at the addresses noted, to discuss the program and have your questions answered. Our current interns are also available to discuss the program with you. We will do our best to make this as painless as possible. Thank you for your interest in our internship program. We look forward to hearing from you.

About the city of Charleston

Best Wishes,
John C. Linton, Ph.D, ABPP
Chief Psychologist & Director of Training

Training Program Philosophy

In brief, the WVU/CAMC internship is a clinical psychology training program in a medical setting. It is designed to train predoctoral interns in the broad and general skills required to function independently in entry-level professional positions, following graduation and the requisite licensure or certification. Training is sequential, cumulative, and graded in complexity in each rotation over the year. It is best described as following a professional/scholar model, with mentoring, solid clinical training and the utilization of the scientific literature to inform and shape practice, teaching and scholarly work. We firmly adhere to the integration of science and practice for internship training. In addition to the generalist training recommended at the internship level, we also offer an emphasis in clinical health psychology, consistent with our medical setting. We stress multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary functioning, multitheoretical approaches, and diversity sensitivity/competence. Also stressed are personal development and the crafting of one's professional identity.

About Charleston

Charleston is the state capital of West Virginia, and the medical center campuses are located close to the impressive state capitol complex. Charleston is a beautiful river city, combining small town charm with larger city amenities. The Charleston metro area comprises a population of around 250,000. Getting around the city is easy with its extensive interstate system, and traffic jams are virtually unknown, saving the busy intern valuable time in commuting. Nearby Charleston are extensive areas for outdoor exploring, white water rafting, hiking and climbing, as well as downhill and cross-country skiing. The river supports pleasure craft and paddle wheelers, and festivals occur throughout the year. Cultural events from symphony to ballet, bluegrass to rock, little theater to Broadway road shows, combine to stimulate one’s evenings and weekends. And the low crime rate and community warmth make Charleston an ideal city in which to train. Please see the Charleston links on our website for further information.

This internship is fully accredited by the APA Committee on Accreditation through the American Psychological Association, 750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC, 20002-4242, phone: 202-336-5979, and complies with all standards and regulations of the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC). The internship training year is July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010. The deadline for applications is December 1, 2008. OUR APPIC INTERNSHIP MATCHING PROGRAM CODE # IS 163711.

The year-long internship is divided into eight months of required experiences and four months where interns choose from a number of optional experiences. The required and optional rotations are mixed over the year, so all required experiences do not have to be completed before optional training begins.

The following is a brief overview of the program schedule:

Required Rotations: These experiences are of fixed length, as noted below. They combine to total 32 weeks.

1. Inpatient Psychiatry [more information] 6 weeks
2. Outpatient Psychiatry (with electives) [more information] 10 weeks
3. Consultation/Liaison [more information] 12 weeks
4. Assessment Service [10 comprehensive assessments required] [more information] 4 weeks

Optional Rotations: These training experiences are of varying lengths, as arranged with faculty and staff. They combine to total 18 weeks. Each is described in more detail by clicking on "Optional Rotations."

1. WVU Family Medicine
2. WVU Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
3. WVU Psychological Assessment Lab
4. CAMC Family Resource Center
5. CAMC Med Rehabilitation Center
6. CAMC Cancer Center
7. CAMC Cardiac Rehabilitation
8. Critical Incident Stress Team
9. Independent Research
10. Other special interest rotations can be arranged, e.g. neurology, hospital administration

Total Training Time: 32 weeks of required + 18 weeks of optional rotations = 50 weeks.

Goals, Objectives & Competencies [click here for pdf]

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Training Setting

The Charleston Division of the West Virginia University (WVU) School of Medicine is located in the state capital, and integrated with the Charleston Area Medical Center (CAMC). CAMC has three campuses totaling 1000 beds; these campuses are about five to 10 minutes apart by car.

The General Hospital Campus includes General Hospital, the Trauma Center, a physician's office complex, the community mental health center, and the Medical Rehabilitation Center.

The Memorial Hospital Campus includes Memorial Hospital, the Cancer Center, the Heart Institute, a physicians office complex, and the WVU Medical Education Building and Library. The WVU Departments of Behavioral Medicine, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Surgery, and Community Medicine are located here. The CAMC Health Education and Research Institute is also located on the Memorial Campus.

The Women and Children's Campus includes the Women and Children’s Hospital and the Family Resources Center. The WVU Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatrics are located here.

The Medical Center is the largest in the state, serving a population of over 600,000, with the entire socioeconomic spectrum represented in this group. WVU faculty and CAMC staff work together smoothly, providing a broad training base to students of many disciplines. The primary function of the WVU Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry is the training of WVU medical students and CAMC residents. Many non-medical graduate students are also trained in this department. The guiding philosophy is the integration of excellence in training and clinical care.

The WVU Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry is located in the RCB Training Center on the Memorial Campus of CAMC. The mailing address is Department of Behavioral Medicine, WVU/RCB Training Center, 3200 MacCorkle Ave. S.E., WV 25304. Our FAX number is 304-388-1031. The training director's e-mail address is jlinton@hsc.wvu.edu, and his direct phone number is 304-388-1032.

*Supervisors are noted in (parentheses)

1. Adult Psychiatry Inpatient Unit: It is clear mental health care in the US is moving away from inpatient facilities for all but the most severely impaired patients. However there is still an need for acute, short-stay units for crisis stabilization, with day patient units then used to care for those who no longer need inpatient, but do need intensive outpatient care.
   
   This is a new and very modern 22-bed teaching unit, where front-line care is provided by third-year WVU medical clerkship students, non-medical graduate students, and psychiatry residents, with the support of WVU School of Medicine Faculty. The patient population includes many diagnostic categories, but highlights management of acute problems in a short period of time. Special care is offered for patients with medical problems or chemical dependency. Day patients receive the core of the inpatient day, but return home in the evening. Each patient is randomly assigned to a treatment team comprised of a medical student, a psychiatric resident, a nurse and at times a non-medical graduate student. The team follows the patient throughout the inpatient stay.
   
   Psychology interns have access to all inpatient records, and are expected to note their observations, impressions and recommendations in patient charts. During inpatient interns attend medical student lectures daily, as well as grand rounds and various other seminars. There is therefore a good deal of didactic and tutorial teaching provided to a variety of trainees on this service. The inpatient rotation is required and full-time for 6 weeks (Wilhelm)
   
   Emergency Department: As part of the Inpatient Rotation, interns work in the Emergency Department (ED). Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry is on call to the busy General Division ED at all times. When a patient has an emotional or behavioral problem, an on-call third year medical student and psychiatric resident is consulted to the ED to evaluate the individual and suggest an intervention plan. Psychology interns take ED call with residents for a 24-hour period several times during the inpatient rotation. During this time they function as medical students with resident colleagues. They may clinically evaluate and plan for as many as 12 ED patients in a 24-hour period. Scrubs and sleeping quarters are available for interns in the evening, although sleeping through a call night is unusual. This is excellent crisis intervention experience, and draws on the intern’s flexibility and resourcefulness. (Faculty as assigned).
   
   
2. WVU Outpatient Psychiatry Service: This is a busy training clinic where patients of all ages enter through referral from inpatient, from other parts of the hospital, through physician and community referral, or by self-referral. Doctoral interns function as staff during this rotation. They can follow former inpatients, select cases from the ED crisis service, and do scheduled intakes. Faculty members of all disciplines welcome doing co-therapy with psychology interns, both for initial intakes and also longer term case management and psychotherapy. Interns are required to carry a modest caseload, but the focus of the clinic is teaching, not service. The outpatient clinic does not need intern labor to function. Therefore, students and their supervisors can select cases, which are best suited to fill the intern’s clinical experience gaps.
   
   All therapeutic modalities are encouraged in this setting, and interns are often consulted by other staff regarding advice in areas of the intern’s particular interest and expertise. Conversely, interns are expected to explore new clinical techniques to insure their time in the outpatient department is one of training and not merely service. On outpatient, interns may choose to work with children, adults, families and groups. Again, the problem is tailored to the needs of the student as much as possible, and faculty members involved with specific areas are available for supervision and guidance. (Cloonan, Linton, Tiano, Wilhelm).
   
   Outpatient Electives: In addition to work in the Behavioral Medicine Outpatient Clinic, interns can take a number of outpatient electives, which are targeted learning experiences available to those who wish to develop special expertise. The time commitment is typically about 4 hours per week, which is applied to the required outpatient hours. Current Outpatient Electives are:
   
   Virtual Reality Treatment for Anxiety Disorders (Sirbu)
   Anxiety Disorders Clinic, including GAD Group and Panic Disorder Group (Wilhelm)
   Geriatric Clinic for older patients with physical/psychological problems. (Griffith)
   Trauma Program for victims of trauma from crime, physical injury, etc. (Linton)
   Outpatient Groups. Sexual Abuse (Dash)
   Eating Disorders (Weir)
   DBT (Weir)
   CBT Supervision/training (Wilhelm)
   Parent/Child Interaction Therapy (Cloonan, Tiano)
   Specially arranged electives
   
   
3. Consultation/Liaison Service: Physicians on other medical services often consult Behavioral Medicine regarding their patients who are having behavioral or emotional problems. Typical referrals are for depression, anxiety, pain control, substance abuse, competency determination, family crises, and adjustment to trauma. C/L Team trainees (residents, psychology interns) make first contact with the patient, and perform an initial assessment. The case is then presented to attending staff and the team for review. Each patient is then revisited during teaching rounds led by a faculty member. The rotation on C/L presumes only basic competence in traditional clinical skills. Exposure to the role of the psychologist in general medical settings is the primary goal of the C/L Team, and experience with the interdisciplinary team forms the core of the rotation.
   
   Interns interact daily with physicians, nurses and other hospital personnel. They may do liaison activities such as consultation with the Renal Dialysis or Transplant programs, the Trauma Center and intensive care units, Medical Rehabilitation, Cancer Center and the Heart Institute. Primary to this service is a development of a sense of the health delivery system, and assigned readings supplement experiential aspects of the rotation. This is a full-time rotation, but interns are “eased” into this busy service for the first few weeks. Consults are assigned with concern for the intern’s level of experience, and while previous work in health psychology may help, it is not necessary. (Linton, Wright).
   
   
4. Assessment Service: In order to integrate psychological assessment with the other duties performed by a psychologist, and to expose the intern to a variety of approaches to psychological evaluation, the psychological assessment rotation will consist of a requirement to perform 10 psychological assessments over the course of the year. The assessments are not designed to be hard labor, but will be very flexible and designed to reflect the interest of the intern as well as address any deficits in skills. Factors included in the assessment process may include: researching relevant clinical issues, clarification of referral questions, patient interviewing techniques, test selection and interpretation, report writing and patient feedback. Although a psychometrician is available to administer tests, in order to gain experience interns may elect to perform their own testing. The intern may choose to evaluation any combination of adults or children, psychiatric or non-psychiatric medical patients, the chemically dependent, etc. Evaluations may include IQ testing, assessment of developmental disabilities or ADHD, pain management evaluations, personality testing, or development of proficiencies with new techniques. The intern will develop an individualized plan with the guidance of the director of the psychological assessment service, which will require flexibility over the course of the year (DiPino).

Managing several assignments at one time is consistent with the demands on professional psychologists in health care settings, and is a valuable learning experience. Transition from one rotation to another is designed to be smooth so little time is wasted.

The Following Rotations Are Optional for Psychology Interns:

1. CAMC Family Resource Center (FRC): Located on the Women and Children’s Campus, the FRC is a full service outpatient mental health facility serving adults, children, adolescents, couples and families. Clients are treated for a wide range of problems including depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, domestic violence, and bereavement. The FRC also provides consultation to Women and Children’s Hospital on the inpatient units as well as outpatient clinic settings. Interns can work with individuals, couples and families, or they can co-lead ongoing DBT groups. Consultation opportunities include pediatric oncology, and working with patients with encephalitis, diabetes, and other chronic and acute illnesses. Experiences in infertility consultation and evaluation are anticipated (Walker-Matthews, Weir).
2. CAMC Cardiac Rehabilitation: Is a multidisciplinary program within the large and active Heart Institute, consisting of four phases from acute to long-term follow-up of patients who have experienced cardiac events. Interns can be involved in psychological consultations to cardiac care inpatients, individual therapy with outpatients in the rehabilitation program, group therapy focused on various mental health issues related to cardiac problems, consultation with other medical staff, and research on psychosocial outcomes following interventions for cardiac events. (Chelf-Sirbu).
3. CAMC Cancer Center: Located on the Memorial Campus, the Cancer Center is a rapidly growing inpatient and outpatient referral center for the southern region of the state. On this service interns will be introduced to the fields of oncology and hematology, and participate in-patient and family assessment and treatment as part of an inter-disciplinary team. This rotation can also provide fertile ground for the development and implementation of new research proposals. Interns may also provide in-service training and support for Cancer Center staff. Some outpatient work at the Cancer Center can count for outpatient requirement. (Suppa)
4. WVU Department of Family Medicine: Psychology faculty coordinate the behavioral science component for the Family Medicine residency training program. This provides a unique opportunity for interns to participate in program development in primary care health psychology. Interns can round with family physicians, provide consultation to them about psychological issues in patients, and participate in didactic presentations for residents. In addition to the Charleston Area clinics, rotations in two rural primary care settings can be arranged. The rotation is tailored to the interests of the intern as much as possible. (Fields)
5. WVU Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: Interns may spend two or more months in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, working with a child psychologist, a social worker/family therapist, child psychiatrists, and psychiatry residents. Patients range in age from 2-17 years and present with a variety of emotional/behavioral disorders and issues. Interns may receive training in parent-child interaction therapy, family therapy, and cognitive-behavioral approaches to intervention. Monthly didactics are included in the rotation. (Cloonan, Tiano)
6. WVU Psychological Assessment Laboratory: This provides an opportunity for additional assessment experience for the interns. While the primary focus of the rotation is typically neuropsychological in nature, the Psychological Assessment Service provides the entire medical center with evaluations, and the opportunity exists to arrange other assessment experiences. Relations with neurology, neurosurgery and physical medicine are excellent, and assessment experiences can also be arranged through special clinics or upon referral for clinical problems of interest to the intern. Testing is done primarily by psychometric staff, but interns may administer some or all of their own testing to develop and sharpen assessment skills (DiPino, other staff as assigned).
7. Medical Rehabilitation Center: The CAMC Rehabilitation Center is located on the General Division Campus. It is a modern, 40-bed facility, and treats patients suffering the effects of spinal cord injury, CVA (stroke), closed head injury, amputation, and other acute problems requiring rehabilitation services. The intern participates as a team member under supervision doing clinical assessments, providing individual and family treatment from ICU through acute care, through rehabilitation to discharge, and attending regular patient staffings and conferences. (Linton)
8. Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Team. The Department is the lead mental health agency for response to critical incident stress in emergency responders. in southern West Virginia. Team membership requires specific in-house training, as well as time in the field responding with emergency services personnel. The request for stress management service occurs unpredictably throughout the year around the region, so this is not a rotation with clear time boundaries. Debriefings and educational workshops are usually done in the early evening or weekends. (Linton)
9. Independent Research: In addition to time made available during the other rotations of the internship, interns may elect to take a month to focus upon a particular research project. Such a project might be carried out alone, or in collaboration with others in the Department. Doctoral dissertations do not qualify unless data are being collected on site. (Sirbu, Kerr, Various faculty)

• Holly A. Cloonan, PhD (Purdue); holly.cloonan@camc.org: Associate Professor and Coordinator, Child Psychology. Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, cognitive behavioral interventions with anxious/depressed/angry school aged children, treatment of OCD, Director of Developmental/Behavioral Rotation for Pediatrics Residents.
• Scholarly Interest Areas: Prevention strategies in children at-risk for obesity.
• Raymond Kim DiPino, PhD (George Mason University) raymond.dipino@camc.org. Associate Professor, Neuropsychologist, Director of Psychological Assessment Lab
• Scholarly Interest Areas: Mild traumatic brain injury, neurocognitive functioning following trauma, test development, toxic exposure, detecting of malingering, chronic fatigue syndrome.
• Scott A. Fields, PhD (Ohio University): scott.fields@camc.org : Assistant Professor, Director of Behavioral Sciences, Department of Family Medicine. Clinical psychology, health psychology, cognitive-behavioral therapy, tobacco cessation.
• Scholarly Interest Areas: Outcomes assessment, the continuum of mental health care, prevention programs.
• John C. Linton, PhD, ABPP (Clinical Psychology, Health Psychology)(Kent State); john.linton@camc.org: Professor, Chief Psychologist and Director of Psychology Internship Training. Vice Chair and Coordinator of Medical Student Education. Clinical health/rehabilitation psychology, adult outpatient, ethics and professional affairs, traumatic stress, brief interpersonal psychotherapy for depression. Director of Trauma Assessment and Recovery Program.
• Scholarly Interest Areas: Adjustment to acute trauma, medical crises as traumatogenic, critical incident stress in emergency personnel, renal transplant, high performance relations team training, males injured in the workplace, professional ethics.
• Melisa Chelf Sirbu, PhD (Virginia Tech): melisa.chelfsirbu@camc.org: Clinical Assistant Professor. Coordinator of Psychology, CAMC Cardiac Rehabilitation Program, clinical and health psychology, individual psychotherapy, psychoeducational group interventions.
• Scholarly Interest Areas: Psychosocial functioning and cardiac health, psychosocial functioning after trauma, assessment and treatment of anxiety disorders.
• Carolyn Suppa ("soo-pay") , EdD (WVU) carolyn.suppa@camc.org. Clinic Professor, Director, David Lee Cancer Center Patient Support Program, oncology, grief counseling, and gerontology.
• Scholarly Interest Areas: Role of hope in chronic illness, life review and reminiscence therapy for cancer patients, long term cancer survivorship and quality of life, suicide and the cancer patient.
• Jennifer Tiano, PhD (WVU)jennifer.tiano@camc.org. Assistant Professor. Clinical child psychology, young children with disruptive behavior, parent training (Parent-Child Interaction Therapy)
• Scholarly Interest Areas: Parental opinions of behavior modification strategies and PCIT, teacher training in behavior modification, efficacy of PCIT with various populations.
• Susan Walker-Matthews, PhD (UNC-Greensboro) susan.matthews@camc.org: Clinical Assistant Professor, CAMC Family Resource Center, pediatric psychology, women’s health services, individual psychotherapy, psychotherapy for adolescents.
• Scholarly Interest Areas: Patient and familial coping with pediatric cancer, cognitive changes following chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
• Lola R. Weir, PhD (Cincinnati) lola.weir@camc.org: Clinical Assistant Professor, CAMC Family Resource Center. Anorexia, bulimia, compulsive overeating, sexual dysfunction, posttraumatic stress, EMDR, DBT.
• Scholarly Interest Areas: Eating disorders, posttraumatic stress.
• Laura R. Wilhelm, PhD (Ohio University) laura.wilhelm@camc.org :Assistant Professor. Individual psychotherapy with adults, adolescents and children, cognitive behavior therapy, psychoeducational and supportive group interventions, health psychology.
• Scholarly Interest Areas: Interventions that improve coping with painful medical procedures, patient and family adjustment to serious injury/chronic illness.
• Head Psychometrician: Vicki L. Smith

(l-r) Elise Drake, Karl Chiang, Colleen Sheehan

	Elise Drake Virginia Tech edrake@vt.edu 304-388-1066
	Karl Chiang University of Denver kchiang@du.edu 304-388-1064
	Colleen Sheehan Nova Southeastern csheehan@nova.edu 304-388-1065

Please Note: This year's class of psychology interns can each be contacted through the office phones or email addresses noted above. Please feel free to contact them with any questions about their training experiences at WVU.

• Rachel Dash, ACSW (Maryland); Child/Adolescent; Family Therapy, Sexual Abuse
• Elizabeth Kent, ACSW (WVU); Women’s Issues, Career Planning

Full-Time Psychiatry Faculty

• Veena Bhanot, MD (Columbia University); Director, Outpatient Services
• T.O. Dickey, III, MD (WVU); Director of Residency Training, Child Psychiatry
• James Griffith, MD (WVU); Adult Medicine/Psychiatry Clinic, Inpatient Co-Director
• Martin Kommor, MD (Louisville); Chair, Adult Outpatient
• Faraz Qureshi, MD (WVU), Addictions, Child/Adolescent, Geriatrics
• Carol Freas, MD (Kentucky) Child/Adolescent Psychiatry
• Glen Wright, MD (WVU); Director, Consultation/Liaison Service

1976-77

James Dalton, PhD (Connecticut) Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, Bloomsburg, PA
Jack Schaffer, PhD (North Dakota) Center for Health and Family Psychology, St. Paul, MN 

1977-78

Frances Haemmerlie, PhD (Florida State) Department of Psychology, University of Missouri, Rolla
Thomas Ellis, PsyD (Baylor) West Virginia University School of Medicine, Charleston 

1978-79

David Hopkins, PhD (South Dakota) Schwab Rehabilitation Center, Chicago, IL
Marsha Driscoll, PhD (Ohio State) Department of OB/GYN, Ohio State University 

1979-80

Connie Bradley, PhD (Peabody) Family Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
Joseph Foote, PhD (Vanderbilt) Kelsh Associates, PA and NJ

1980-81

Paula Litchfield, PhD (Peabody) Training/Development,  Union Carbide Corporation, Danbury, CT
Judith Peoples, PhD (Virginia Tech) Norton Pavilion, Louisville, KY

1981-82

Steven Dobbs, PhD (Mississippi) Private Practice, Clinton, Mississippi
Dale Wisely, PhD (Memphis State) The Vaughn Clinic, Birmingham, AL 

1982-83

Karen Anderson, PhD (Memphis State) Pain Clinic, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Wooster, MA
Debra Mendlowitz, PhD (Peabody) Psychiatry Dept. Kaiser Permanente, Pleasanton, CA
Deems Ortega, PhD (Kansas) Med /Psych, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD 

1983-84

William Ferguson, PhD (South Dakota) Behavioral Medicine, Lancaster General Hospital, Lancaster, PA
Kurt Moehle, PhD (Memphis State) Department of Psychology, Indiana/Purdue, Indianapolis, IN
Katie Ratliffe, PhD (Auburn), Indiana Central University,  Indianapolis, IN 

1984-85

Carol Bugglin, PhD (Connecticut) Tressler Center, Dover, DE
Deborah Couk, PhD (North Dakota) Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of California, Sacramento, CA
Liz Kalb, PhD (Iowa State) Clinical Psychology/Medical Education, St. Mary’s Medical Center, Evansville, IN 

1985-86

James Snowden, PhD (South Dakota) Parkview Psychological Services, Sioux City, IA
Maria Waddell, PhD (SUNY Albany) Dept. of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine Indianapolis, IN
Nancy Woodward, PhD (Peabody/Vanderbilt) Behavioral Medicine/Oncology,University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 

1986-87

Vincent Culotta, PhD (Memphis State) Dept. of  Psychology, Cumberland Hospital, Richmond, VA
Dorinda Leudke, PhD (UHS/Chicago Med School) Behavioral Medicine, Radford Community Hospital, Radford, VA
Rosemary Smith, PsyD (Florida Institute of Technology) Private Practice, Charleston, WV 

1987-88

Nancy “Tate” Brunner, PhD (Florida Institute of Technology) Datahr Rehabilitation Institute, Brookfield, CT
Timothy Freeman, PhD (West Virginia University) Clinical Child Private Practice, Charleston, WV

1988-89

Christina Donnell, PhD (UHS/Chicago Med School) Anxiety Disorders Clinic, St. Paul Ramsey Medical Center, St. Paul, MN
Miriam Lerner, PhD (Virginia Tech) Center for Teens at Risk, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, Univ. of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 

1989-90

Jeannie Clark, PhD (Ohio University) Sharpe Hospital, Weston, WV
Randy Pascale, PhD (Memphis State) Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic,University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Nancy Rubin, PsyD (Denver) College of Community Health Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL
Elizabeth Wagner, PhD (Illinois) Shawnee Hills CMHC, Charleston, WV 

1990-91

Jodi Brooks PhD (Mississippi) Children’s Hospital of Alabama, Birmingham, AL
Mary Gentile, PhD (Alabama, Birmingham) Behavioral Medicine, Sacred Heart Medical Center, Spokane, WA
Kathleen Ritchey, PhD (Ball State) Well-Choice Enterprises, Dublin, OH 

1991-92

Jean Guy, PhD (Mississippi) Lakeshore Rehabilitation Hospital, Birmingham, AL
Debra Lancaster, PhD (Wright State) Community Mental Health Center, Lancaster, OH
Mary Pat Noonan, PhD (South Dakota) Medical Psychology, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD
Valerie Williams, PhD (Alabama, Birmingham) VA Medical Center, Reno, NV 

1992-93

Megan Gregg, PhD (Kentucky) St. Camillus Rehabilitation Center, Syracuse, NY
Gail Lehman, PhD (SUNY, Buffalo) Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Charleston, WV
James Luther, PhD (Indiana) Lafayette Clinic, Lafayette, IN 

1993-94

Melodye Gaskin, PhD (Florida) Womens Studies Program, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Lynette Menefee, PhD (Iowa) Medical Psychology, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD
Kitti Virts, PhD (Vanderbilt) Kim Dayami Medical Center at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 

1994-95

Judith Holder, PhD (Southern Illinois) Occupational Health, Duke University, Durham, NC
Joseph Mills, PhD (SUNY, Buffalo) Private Practice, Seattle, WA
Janice Triplett, PhD (West Virginia University) Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC 

1995-96

J. Christopher Cruise, PhD (Wyoming) Family Resource Center, Charleston Area Medical Center, Clinical Assistant Professor, WVU School of Medicine
Matthew L. Herridge, PhD (Virginia Tech) Cardiac Rehabilitation, Charleston Area Medical Center, Clinical Assistant Professor, WVU School of Medicine
Susan Walker-Matthews, PhD (UNC-Greensboro) Family Resource Center, Charleston Area Medical Center, Clinical Assistant Professor, WVU School of Medicine 

1996-97

Michelle E. Gaines, ABD (Bowling Green) Rural Resiliency Project, Lincoln Co., WV, Clinical Assistant Professor, WVU School of Medicine
Kevin B. Handley PhD (Fairleigh Dickinson) Anxiety Disorders Program, Rappahannock Area Community Services, Spotsylvania, VA
Donna J. Winslow PhD(Wyoming) CAMC Newborn Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Charleston, WV 

1997-98

Shelly Johns PsyD (Indiana State)  CAMC Cancer Center, Charleston, WV, Clinical Assistant Professor, WVU School of Medicine
Michelle Martin PhD (University of Alabama, Birmingham) Assistant Professor, Department of Clinical/Health Psychology, UAB.
Charles Sarchione PhD (University of North Carolina, Greensboro) RHR International Consulting, Dallas, TX
Erica Van Der Haden PsyD (Florida Inst. Of Technology) Private Practice, Ocala, FL 

1998-99

Laura Capage, PhD (West Virginia University)  Curtis Center, Department of  Psychology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV
Gina Hummel, PhD  (University of Mississippi) Cherokee Health Systems, Knoxville, TN
Jessica Lehman, PhD  (University of Miami)  Lincoln County Rural Resiliency Project, Lincoln County, WV

 1999-2000

Sara Matteson, PsyD (Indiana University of PA) Division of Behavioral Medicine (Oncology), University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY
Stacy Sanders, PhD (Nova Southeastern)  Nova Southeastern University, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Laura Wilhelm, PhD (Ohio University)  Assistant Professor, Dept. of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Charleston, WV 

2000-2001

Marci Barton, PhD (Ball State), Director of Cancer Patient Support Programs, Charleston Area Medical Center, Clinical Asst. Professor, WVU School of Medicine, Charleston, WV
Shannon Froese, PhD (Ohio University), Psychological Assessment and Intervention Services, Charleston, WV
Randy Petersen, PhD (Nova Southeastern), Post doctoral trainee in neuropsychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA

2001-2002

2002-2003

Angela Boland, PsyD (Nova Southeastern) Private practice, Williamsburg, VA
Kim Dixon, PhD (Alabama) Pain Research, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
Valerie Harwell Myers, PhD (Drexel) Pennington Biomedical Research Center, LSU, Baton Rouge, LA
Shazia Mulkana, PhD (Southern Mississippi), University of Mississippi Center, Jackson, MS

2003-2004

Melisa Chelf, PhD (Virginia Tech) Post-doctoral resident, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
Lisa Hale, PhD (Finch/Chicago Medical School), University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS
Julie Rickard, PhD (Washington State), Columbia Valley Community Health, Wenatchee, WA

2004-2005

Maria Coiro, PhD (University of Central Florida) Moffit Cancer Center, University of South Florida, Tampa
Liz Moore, PhD (University of Nebraska) Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MD
Karen Zeff, PhD (University of Maine), Brown University Medical Center, Providence, RI

2005-2006

Michelle Fortier, PhD (Nebraska) - Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
Terry Ransom-Flint, PhD (Ohio State) - OSU, Rehabilitation Medicine
Christine Wagner, PhD (Indiana-Purdue) - Rush Presbyterian Medical Center, Chicago

2006-2007

Kristin Grasso,PhD (Virginia Consortium) - Shepherd Pratt Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland
Jennifer Tiano,PhD (WVU) - WVU School of Medicine, Dept. Behavioral Medicine & Psychiatry, Charleston, WV
Jason Vogler,PhD (Univ. Nebraska) - John Ulmstead Hospital, UNC, Butner, NC

2007-2008

Jennifer Cameron, PhD (UAB) - Virginia Commonwealth Univ Med Center, Richmond, VA
Grace Chang, PhD (Nebraska) - University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
Patrick Kerr, PhD (North Dakota) - WVU School of Medicine, Dept. Behavioral Medicine & Psychiatry, Charleston, WV

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Perhaps most important is that we consider the clinical internship to be a special year to focus on single case designs. This is an excellent way to incorporate research into a professional/scientist program. The department strives to maintain an attitude of inquiry. Interns are encouraged to do literature searches on their challenging new patients, regardless of which rotation they are on. Pursuing the literature on specific disorders or situations as they present clinically allows one to be in touch with cutting edge assessments and interventions. It also sensitizes interns to prevailing professional or ethical issues that may accompany working with such individuals. Literature searches can be done in a few minutes from many sites. They provide article summaries, as well as the opportunity to follow up with the original sources. So each patient can become a single case research project, steering interns toward specific interventions and outcomes. Hopefully, this helps set the intern on a life-long course of continuing professional development and connection with psychology’s scholarly roots.

A. Library Facilities: The WVU School of Medicine Charleston Division Library is located in the Medical Education Building on the Memorial Campus. It has a wide variety of volumes, journals and abstracts necessary for research. Library staff will obtain any references unavailable in the library within a couple of days through inter-library loan. Located in the library and the Department are computerized search terminals, allowing the intern immediate access to annotated references through MEDLINE and PsychInfo. See their website at www.hsc.wvu.edu/charleston/library

B. Computer Services: For very extensive work, interns have direct terminal access to the main frame computer system at West Virginia University. Most projects can be handled by computers located in medical school departments and faculty offices. A variety of statistical software packages is available for use. The Office of Research Services has staff for consultation regarding project design and data assessment.

Didactic Training

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT

The WVU Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry is a setting that stresses support and nurture for students in training. We are busy and we are good, but that doesn't mean we can't take time to care for one another. Visitors to our program often comment on the sense of warmth and interpersonal respect that is obvious among staff, faculty, and trainees across disciplines.

In addition to informal contacts, learning also takes place in a number of scheduled presentations and seminars. Didactics are presented at two levels for psychology interns:

1. All psychology interns meet for Intern Seminar with one psychology faculty member on Wednesday mornings from 8:00 to 9:00 am. Material presented in this seminar is specific to the needs of psychology interns. From 9:00 am to 10:00 am trainees participate in the intern case conference, which is coordinated by different psychology faculty each month. [click here for date and topic list]

2. Rounds and seminars of general interest to all profession in the Department are presented on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. A wide variety of topics are presented. Some are in a continuing format, while others such as Grand Rounds offer different topics each week. Each intern gets a listing of the next week’s didactics in his/her mailbox the week before, and the information is also updated weekly on the departmental website.

Some conferences are required for a given rotation. Others can be attended as the intern’s time allows. All are open to everyone who can make it, regardless of professional specialty or level of training. On Thursdays at noon the department plays psych jeopardy, where one side of the room competes with the other with the chief resident as master of ceremonies. The teams are totally mixed, with faculty and students, residents and interns scrambled together, and the teams change weekly. Interns frequently know answers residents don’t, and vice versa. It’s a great place to recall all of the trivia we were all forced to learn in school. The prizes are underwhelming.

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How many positions are available? There are three funded predoctoral internship slots. We also train medical students, graduate students and residents from several specialties, so there are about 30 students around at any given time.

What is it like to live in Charleston? Charleston is clean, attractive and safe, with a diverse population. The politics tend to lean on the liberal side. It is easy to get around Charleston, with large, modern interstates connecting the various sections of the city. The river provides for water activities, and the surrounding mountains, lakes and rivers make West Virginia an ideal location for recreation. It is a very easy city to “break into”, with friendly people who are warm and accepting of newcomers.

How is the cost of living in Charleston? Housing is about the national average, although past interns have found some real bargains. Housing is available year round, and we suggest interns start looking in late May for July rentals. We help interns find the best and cheapest places to live, and current interns will drive you around to different areas to check out the available apartments or houses. Food and entertainment is a bit lower, but gas a bit higher. Most interns live within ten minutes of the medical center, so little gas money is spent on commuting. Also, parking is free for interns on all three campuses.

Where do we park? Interns park in the medical staff parking buildings on all three campuses at no charge. Parking buildings are connected to the General and Memorial Divisions by underground tunnels. At Women’s and Children’s, bring your umbrella.

How about insurance? Excellent individual or family medical coverage is available at a nominal fee. Malpractice insurance is provided at no cost to psychology interns.

Are there travel funds? Available as budget permits for conferences, etc. Interns also get vacation, sick days, all the usual stuff.

What is the department like? The WVU Department of Behavioral Medicine is a fun place to be. The disciplines get along great. Faculty and residents don’t get hung up on their Mdeity or PhDeity. Psychiatry residents, medical students, and psychology interns attend rounds and seminars together, learn from one another, help each other with cases, and socialize a lot. There is no student “pecking order”. Interns bring a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience to the program, and that is noted and respected across disciplines. People learn best when the stress level is low.

How are the facilities? Beautiful, modern, well appointed. Interns have a large office together where they put their stuff, get phone messages, email messages, etc. But each rotation has space available for interns, so they never feel they are living out of their briefcases or backpacks. Each intern has an individual phone number and confidential voice mail, which can be accessed either on or off campus. They typically keep their own email addresses. They have computers and internet access in the intern office.

All interns are issued pagers the same as residents, and these pagers can be activated from anywhere on or off campus. Along with residents and medical students, all psychology interns are issued PDAs with substantial psychiatric and medical information pre-loaded. This is helpful when on rounds or otherwise separated from your computer or reference material. Faculty typically “beam” information to your palm from theirs.

What is the theoretical orientation of the psychology faculty? Largely cognitive-behavioral and interpersonal. Supervision is available in dynamic therapy, and we have a strong family therapy department. Our child department is developmentally oriented. We are partial to empirically supported assessments and treatments.

Do I have to do all the required rotations first, before I can do the optional ones? No, the rotations are interwoven throughout the year. As long as all the required rotations are completed by the end of the training year, the requirements are met.

Are all the rotations full-time? No, some are part-time. There are rotations that can be put together, so you might be at the Family Resource Center on Monday and Wednesday, the Heart Institute on Tuesday and Thursday, and Outpatient Psychiatry on Friday. When you do Inpatient and the Consult Service, most of your week is devoted to those demands. Assessments are done throughout the year.

Will I be required to do certain optional rotations? No, optional means optional. If you want to do all your optional rotations at a particular site, that is your choice.

Do I have to choose all my optional rotations at the beginning of the training year? No, we encourage interns to choose nothing until they have been here for a few weeks and have visited all the sites and met all the faculty supervisors. Then as the year progresses, interns choose what they want to do for the next several months. They are free to change their minds, to choose something different or add something new before the rotation is started.

Can more than one intern take a given optional rotation, or do interns compete for them or have to swap around or trade? All interns can take optional rotations of their choice. There are some where the workload or supervisor suggests one intern at a time is best, but, for example, if everyone wants to do child psychiatry, or everyone wants to do the Cancer Center, over the course of a training year that can be arranged. Interns are not put in the difficult position of having to do an optional rotation they dislike, just so they can get one they like. You choose what you like and get to do it, regardless of what your classmates choose. There is no need to trade around.

How can you do that? Intern stipends come from the Institute’s medical education department. We do not have funds being collected from various training sites. As such, we don’t “owe” an intern to any site. If no intern wants to do a particular optional rotation that year, that’s fine. You will be exposed to all faculty through their presentations, and may want to work with some on special projects.

Who can I ask about any specific questions or interests I might have? You can contact the current interns, or any of the faculty you feel has similar interests to yours. We have also listed our graduates, and one of them might be in your area. We would encourage you to contact them as well. The training director is always willing to answer your questions, either by email or phone. We understand this is a big decision, and you will want to gather as much information as you can to make an intelligent choice.

1. APPIC APPLICATION FORM
2. CURRENT CV
3. OFFICIAL GRADUATE TRANSCRIPTS
4. THREE LETTERS OF REFERENCE, one of which should be from your graduate training director
5. VERIFICATION OF INTERNSHIP ELIGIBILITY AND READINESS
   

The deadline for completed applications is December 1. Please send all application materials to:

John C. Linton, Ph.D., ABPP
Director of Internship Training
Behavioral Medicine & Psychiatry
WVU School of Medicine
RCB Teaching Center
3200 MacCorkle Ave. S.E.
Charleston, WV 25304

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