Doctoral Internship in Clinical Psychology
Dear Intern Applicant —
Welcome to the webpage of the APA-accredited doctoral internship in clinical psychology through WVU Medicine: University Healthcare. While adjusting to a world in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic feels like a constantly moving target, we are thrilled to have the opportunity to share our program with you virtually. We have worked hard to build an individualized and developmentally attuned capstone training experience and hope that our public materials give you a glimpse of what life would feel like as an intern at WVU Medicine: University Healthcare.
Within the rapidly expanding system, WVU Medicine: University Healthcare is excited to announce the continuation of our doctoral internship training program. This doctoral internship in psychology seeks to train entry-level clinicians in how to integrate the discipline and practice of professional psychology by employing an empirically informed, competency-based, practitioner-scholar model. The program provides experiences in clinical learning environments that are responsive to the diverse and changing needs of the rural West Virginia community.
Our internship is primarily housed within WVU Medicine: University Healthcare’s outpatient mental health clinic: University Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry (BMP), which provided mental health services to patients in and around the Eastern Panhandle. BMP is located in Martinsburg, WV on the Berkeley Medical Center campus, just 90 minutes from Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, MD. Additionally, our psychology faculty are integrated with our regional WVU Medicine hospitals, primary care clinics, and specialty offices in both Berkeley and Jefferson counties, which allows for opportunity for interns to rotate through various primary care and specialty clinics during this seminal training year.
The internship program ascribes to a longitudinal and developmental model. Interns will receive first-and-foremost a generalist training, serving patients across the lifespan. In addition, there are four areas of emphasis, which we believe provide an understanding of the breadth of training experience offered at BMP: behavioral medicine, child and family services, integrated primary care, and learning disability/ADHD assessment. Interns will be expected to engage in direct service provision, shadowing and other learning activities in each of these four areas throughout their training year.
We will work closely with each intern to tailor an individualized plan for the internship year that builds upon each trainee’s unique strengths to integrate scientific knowledge with professional experiences. Interns will receive training in each of APA’s profession wide competencies. Interns are supported as they further integrate their identities as practitioners and scholars, thus consolidating their unique therapeutic voice and professional identity. We strive to guide interns through this process by providing opportunities for continued growth via regularly scheduled didactics, trainings, supervision, and consultation. It is our goal to support the entire intern through this transitional year by creating a warm and stimulating environment where the intern can continue growing both personally and professionally.
Overall, training at University Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry has been deliberately designed to offer three interns an experience-near, closely supervised, and developmentally appropriate sequence over the course of twelve consecutive months running from July 1 through June 30, which follows the same training schedule as our Eastern Division Medical Students and Rural Family Medicine Residency Program. Interns will receive a stipend of $35,500 and be eligible for benefits provided to WVU Medicine: University Healthcare staff, including the ability to accrue 184 hours (23 days) of vacation time, 7 federal holidays, medical insurance, etc. Additionally, psychology interns are provided additional funds to use for pre-approved continuing education expenses, including but not limited to the West Virginia Psychological Association’s annual Fall Conference.
Lastly, the Eastern Panhandle is a wonderful place to live and work. While Berkeley and Jefferson Counties are some of the fastest growing counties in the state, they have little traffic and congestion. Our rural-suburban atmosphere and a lower cost of living, mixed with the easy accessibility to the Washington/Baltimore areas make Berkeley and Jefferson Counties, WV an ideal place in which to live.
Accreditation Status: The doctoral internship at WVU Medicine: University Healthcare is accredited on contingency with the American Psychology Association (APA). Questions related to the program’s accreditation status should be directed to the Commission on Accreditation:
Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
American Psychological Association
750 1st Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242
(202) 336-5979
apaaccred@apa.org
www.apa.or/ed/accreditation
For additional information regarding our training program, including the application process and selection criteria please click on the program brochure and training handbook listed below:
2022-2023 Internship Program Brochure
Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Training at WVU Medicine During the COVID-19 Pandemic
2022-2023 Internship Training Handbook
Internship Admissions, Support, and Initial Placement Data
Previous Psychology Interns and Their Post-Graduate Employment
Please contact Dr. Kristen Whitmore if you have any questions or would like to further discuss our internship program.
Best Wishes,
Kristen Whitmore, PsyD
Training Director, Doctoral Psychology Internship
Assistant Professor (Clinical), West Virginia University School of Medicine – Eastern Division
WV Licensed Psychologist #1229, University Behavioral Health and Psychiatry
Phone: (304) 596-5780
Email: Kristen.Whitmore1@hsc.wvu.edu