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The Psychology Internship Program
APPIC Central Office
Training Model Training Model The training model of our psychology internship is the scientist-practitioner model. Interns learn to apply the concepts and method of psychological science to the assessment and treatment of individuals in a culturally sensitive way. As part of the scientist-practitioner model, interns are taught to consult the professional and scientific literature in conducting assessment and treatment. Interns are also encouraged to creatively apply the principles of psychological science to the unique individuals and situations that are present in the clinical setting. In addition to consulting the scientific literature, interns are encouraged in the scientific approach that includes scientific curiosity and clinical curiosity. Resources are made available to conduct online searches of the clinical, scientific, and professional literature. When relevant, articles and readings are discussed as part of clinical supervision. Interns are provided supervision in selecting culturally sensitive assessment and intervention methods based on evidence in the professional literature. As part of the scientist-practitioner training model, interns are trained to critically and empirically evaluate their own clinical work. Additionally interns receive experience and modeling in critical reading of the professional literature through the experiences of the thrice monthly departmental journal club and the once monthly psychology section journal club as well as in discussions with supervisors. As part of training in the scientist-practitioner model, interns are encouraged to participate in faculty research or to develop their research activities under faculty supervision. Internal grant support (up to $10,000) is available to interns in a competitive hospital internal grant program. Substantial professional development funds are made available to each intern. These professional development funds can be used to pay for conference attendance or to pay for professional books and journals. The scientist-practitioner model is implemented in a culturally sensitive environment. Each individual is treated with respect in an environment that fosters and supports open and honest communication. Clinical services are provided in a culturally sensitive manner with bias related to age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, nationality, or culture. Interns are provided with didactic experiences and supervision to foster development of cultural sensitivity and self-examination to evaluate the possible presence and extent of personal bias. Job Description
Applications to the internship training program are composed of the APPIC uniform application form accompanied by three letters of recommendation, a graduate transcript, and a CV. Applications should be sent to:
The Training Experience
Because interns come from diverse backgrounds in terms of prior training, a developmental perspective is taken when planning the training goals for each individual intern. For each rotation and for each set of professional activities, the individual starts at a level of activity consistent with his or her prior training and experience. If the intern has had little exposure to, or training in, a specific clinical activity, the first training experiences would be to observe faculty engaged in that activity. The next level would for the intern to engage in that activity with a faculty member present in the room. The next level of activity would be for the intern to engage in that clinical activity and produce work product (tapes, written reports) for review with the supervisor. By the end of the rotation, the intern is expected to be able to independently engage in clinical activity and receive supervision after the fact. Allegheny General has a long tradition of teaching and training in a variety of professional areas. The AGH training philosophy is best reflected in its mission statement, "To learn, to teach, to heal the sick, and to preserve health." Please feel free to navigate the Allegheny General Hospital web page to get a better understanding of the breadth of training opportunities available at AGH. Applications to the internship training program are composed of the APPIC uniform application form accompanied by three letters of recommendation and a transcript of graduate course work. Selected candidates are interviewed in a group format, one morning a week for approximately three hours, during the month of January. Interview procedures, including our photography policy are thoroughly explained to all applicants.
Consistent with the generalist training focus of the internship at AGH, all interns are expected to conduct assessments and engage in therapy with both children and adults. There are multiple pathways by which this can occur. An intern may chose to complete all three rotations. The intern may choose to complete the three rotations using the Child and Adult Clinical Services rotations. The intern interested in developing eventual expertise in neuropsychology may choose to complete two rotations in clinical neuropsychology and one in either Child or Adult Clinical Services. The intern interested in primarily child professional activities may complete two rotations in Child Clinical Services and a third rotation in either Adult Clinical Services or a third rotation in Clinical Neuropsychology. The intern interested in primarily adult professional services may elect to complete two rotations in Adult Clinical Services and the third rotation in either Clinical Neuropsychology or Child Clinical Services. In order to meet the requirement of conducting assessments and engaging in therapy with both children and adults, the Internship Training Director meets regularly with the interns in order to determine if additional experiences are desirable outside of the rotations. For example, an intern interested in primarily adult professional services may carry a few child therapy cases even if the Child Clinical Services rotation is not completed. Additionally, the intern can supplement the training experience by judicious choice of a focus for the year long minor rotation experience which is usually the equivalent of one day a week commitment. Past interns have chosen on-campus minor rotations such as in the Center for Traumatic Stress in Children and Adolescents, in behavioral medicine or in therapy with a population other than one of primary interest for the intern. For example, the child generalist intern may choose to complete a minor rotation in adult outpatient therapy. Past interns have also chosen off campus minor rotations such as in Autism at the DT Watson Center, or in Sports Neuropsychology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Sports Medicine Center. In those instances, AGH and the outside institution enter into a training agreement, and a psychologist supervisor must be identified at the outside institution and approved by the Director of the internship. Finally, an intern may identify clinical research activity as a minor rotation and complete this rotation under the supervision of a faculty member.
Seminar: EPPP Preparation
Child and Adolescent Rotation Supervisors: Miriam DeRiso, Ph.D. and Richard C. Withers, Ph.D. The Child and Adolescent Psychology rotation consists of clinical experience based on a biopsychosocial model of behavior. Training is provided in a scientist-practitioner model in which clinical activity is chosen and implemented with reference to the empirical and professional literature. A developmental perspective is utilized in which interns start the rotation at a level of clinical activity commensurate with their prior training and experience. Supervision is provided in a culturally sensitive framework. Consistent with the developmental training philosophy, by the end of the rotation, interns are expected to be able to engage in clinical activity with children and adolescent and receive supervision in regularly scheduled meetings. Interns are provided with individual supervision, didactic seminars, and case consultation group. Interns will learn specific techniques for working with children with specific diagnoses, as well as skills in conceptual frameworks. Areas of specialty on this rotation include: cognitive-behavioral therapy, parent training, parent-child interaction therapy, family systems perspectives, biological/temperament assessments, and school consultation.
Center for Traumatic Stress in Children and Adolescents Supervisors: Anthony Mannarino, Ph.D. and Meghan Eberle, Ph.D. A minor rotation is offered at the Center for Traumatic Stress in Children and Adolescents which is a specialty clinical-research program for children, adolescents, and their families who have experienced traumatic life events. Interns will receive training in evaluating traumatized children and in two treatments that have been developed at the Center, namely, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and CBT for Children With Traumatic Grief. Interns that choose a minor rotation at the Center for Traumatic Stress for Children and Adolescents will be given the opportunity to provide therapy to patients between the ages of 3 and 18 who have experienced some type of trauma, including, but not limited to, sexual abuse, physical abuse, the traumatic and/or unexpected death of a loved one, natural disaster, and/or serious medical conditions. The intern will ideally carry a caseload of 5-7 clients and will receive one hour of scheduled supervision per week and additional as needed supervision. The Center for Traumatic Stress in Children and Adolescents has been engaged in the scientific empirical development and evaluation of culturally sensitive assessment and intervention with children who have experienced. traumatic stress. Faculty provide modeling in the scientist-practitioner approach to clinical activity, and interns are encouraged to participate in research as appropriate. Intensive Day Treatment/Outpatient Rotation Intensive Psychiatric Day Treatment Experience As part of the Adult rotation, interns obtain experience in the Intensive Psychiatric Day Treatment Program where they will work with a comprehensive treatment team. This team works with acutely psychiatrically ill adults, often referred by providers to circumvent an inpatient admission. The program treats a variety of patients with different ethnic backgrounds and constituting diagnostic groups, most frequently affective, anxiety and personality disorders. The intern will gain experience in the conduct of comprehensive biopsychosocial evaluations and group psychotherapy in a culturally sensitive manner. In addition, interns will experience participation with a multi-disciplinary treatment team and gain an understanding of the interplay between intensive group psychotherapy and assertive medication management of the acutely ill psychiatric patient. As part of the developmental perspective on training, interns will participate in a three stage supervision plan, beginning with observation of the supervisor, co-leading with the supervisor and progression to the supervisor moving to observation of the intern with supervision feedback immediately following the group. Adult Outpatient Dr. Greenburg conducts therapy with children, adolescents, adults, and couples. Though he utilizes an eclectic approach with patients, his primary orientation is psychodynamic. He typically finds it helpful in supervision for interns to examine the relationship between themselves and their patients, and relevant transference/countertransference issues which may arise. Dr. Meyers treats outpatients with a variety of diagnoses (e.g., mood, anxiety and personality disorders) through the Division of Adult Services. Her areas of expertise include individual, couples and family psychotherapy with adults and adolescents, using a strengths-based or solution-focused model. In supervision, her primary emphasis will be on supporting a collaborative language-based approach with patients, although cognitive-behavioral and psychodynamic techniques will be integrated as well. The choice of intervention methods is based on reference to the professional literature as well with regard to cultural variables of the patient. Supervision is flexible based on the needs of the intern, and can involve verbally reviewing cases, as well as taping and observing sessions. The training experience is implemented in a developmental perspective in which co-therapy and direct observation progresses to individual activity with supervisory review of work product (audio or video tapes, written reports.) Dr. Murphy conducts therapy with adults and couples, and is comfortable working with a wide range of diagnoses. Her particular area of expertise is treating individuals who are managing issues with chronic pain and other behavioral health concerns, and she leads a chronic pain management group at AGH. She has also worked extensively with veterans and has an interest in PTSD and adjustment issues. Dr. Murphy’s orientation is primarily psychodynamic and this informs her approach to therapy, however, she incorporates cognitive behavioral techniques and interpersonal approaches as necessary. Neuropsychology Rotation Supervisors: Michael D. Franzen, Ph.D., Glen Getz, Ph.D. The clinical neuropsychology experience is available both to interns interested in specializing in clinical neuropsychology and for interns who desire some exposure to clinical neuropsychology. The intern learns a basic model of inpatient consultation while working on the trauma C/L service and learns more general outpatient assessment with children, adults, and geriatric patients on the outpatient service. A developmental perspective is utilized in which interns begin at a level commensurate with their prior training and experience. Generally, shorter evaluations with direct observation by faculty progress to more involved assessment cases in which supervision is provided after the fact and with review of work product. All assessment are conducted in a culturally sensitive manner with reference to the scientific literature. On the Neuropsychology rotation the trauma C/L service is a very busy consultation service which sees approximately 1000 inpatients each year, mainly closed head injury cases. The outpatient service receives referrals from a variety of specialties in the hospital and in the health care community as well as forensic referrals from lawyers, insurance companies, and from the county jail. Research experiences are available and encouraged. There is a monthly neuropsychology journal club and a biweekly neuropsychology case conference.
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