Mission

The primary aim of the training program is to produce highly qualified, resourceful, and autonomous psychologists. Our aim is to nurture the mastery of profession-wide competencies, and facilitate the development of a professional identity that will serve as a solid basis for an Army career.

Vision

A Practitioner-Scholar model guides internship training at WAMC, with an emphasis on clinical practice informed and validated by empirical research. Our approach espouses the premise that training should be directly related to career outcomes, and our Interns are therefore prepared for the dual career of Army clinical psychologist and military officer. Day-to-day training prioritizes improving clinical expertise and familiarity with evidence-based practices. Research and intervention are viewed as interlocking competencies that form the foundation of psychological knowledge and practice. Our approach to training emphasizes the practice of clinical psychology in a manner informed by psychological theory and research. 

Aims

The aims of our CPIP training program are to assist our Interns with the development of the profession-wide core competencies identified by the APA Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation as being essential to the practice of clinical psychology. In addition, the CPIP incorporates the objectives of the Assessment of Competency Benchmarks developed by the APA Board of Educational Affairs in collaboration with the Council of Chairs of Training Councils. Below are the summarized profession-wide competency domains for the CPIP Internship program:

1. Research
2. Ethical and legal standards
3. Individual and cultural diversity
4. Professional values and attitudes.
5. Communication and interpersonal skills
6. Assessment
7. Intervention
8. Supervision
9. Consultation and Interprofessional/interdisciplinary skills

Throughout the Internship year, training focuses on development and improvement within the above profession-wide competencies via supervision practices, didactics, and on-the-job training. The process of evaluation is also grounded within this competency model.

A comprehensive program of regularly scheduled seminars, lectures, and workshops accompanies the intensive direct supervision provided on all rotations. Didactic presentations are designed to provide Interns with state-of-the-art information and training relevant to effective functioning as a psychologist in the Army. There are three different but complementary types of didactics offered through the CPIP:

1. Seminar series comprised of a varying number of sessions, and covering different topics to include psychodiagnostic testing tools, evidence-based treatment models, biofeedback fundamentals, supervision, and psychotherapy case conceptualization.
2. Individual lectures which focus on special topics, such as risk evaluation and management; assessment and treatment of depression, anxiety, and/or insomnia; military psychology; and cultural and individual diversity in training and practice.
3. One- to two-day workshops on varied topics, such as interpretation of the MMPI-3, MCMI IV, and/or PAI; empirically validated treatments for PTSD; and evidence-based therapy. Workshop presenters are principally distinguished colleagues from military or civilian clinical and academic communities. Workshops are scheduled and announced in advance, and invitations may be issued to providers and Trainees at the local Veterans Administration hospital or other regional providers as appropriate.

The following principles have been established for the didactics series:

• Three to five learning objectives are identified and clearly articulated for each didactic module.
• These objectives complement the overall learning objectives for the Internship and are defined with an emphasis on practice application.
• Interns are exempted from clinical responsibilities during all didactics.
• Clinical responsibilities are scheduled Monday-Thursday to avoid conflict with the didactic schedule. (Exceptions to policy must be approved by the program director).
• Intern attendance at didactics is mandatory unless leave has been approved in advance.

Some examples of didactics/seminar topics include:

• Ethics and professional practice
• Psychopharmacology basics
• Medical and administrative boards
• Military/Operational psychology
• Psychotherapy case conceptualization
• Risk evaluation and management
• Neuropsychological screening/testing
• Cognitive behavioral therapy
• Forensic psychology
• Cultural competency in psychotherapy
• Introduction to biofeedback
• Posttraumatic stress disorder
• Evaluation of malingering

Adult Outpatient/Behavioral Health Officer Rotation. Training at WAMC is designed to prepare Interns for the requirements of active duty service as psychologists, capable of practicing all of the major professional skills flexibly within a given week. Therefore, we do not train each of the major skills in separate rotation experiences, because we believe that this does not reflect actual clinical practice in the U.S. Army.

Instead, our “Train-as-You-Fight” model allows Interns to gradually develop and balance all the skills of professional psychologists during an extended 9-month BHO Rotation. In the same way that graduates will be expected to function as BHOs following completion of training, interns learn how to integrate and balance all of their clinical skills at the same time. Via the “Train-as-You-Fight” model, Interns learn to simultaneously conduct behavioral health evaluations, provide follow-up treatment for diverse active duty patients, carry a small caseload of psychotherapy patients, assess and manage risk, and conduct military-specific evaluations – all while healthily attending to their own self-care.

Interns making adequate progress in training may apply to complete one of the following three-month elective rotations which are awarded on the basis of merit and training needs:

• Elective Rotation 1 – Operational Psychology

The Operational Rotation serves as an introduction to military Operational Psychology. This rotation provides Trainees opportunities to observe and practice the fundamentals and skills involved in three areas: (1) specialized occupational assessment and selection, (2) leadership development and coaching, and (3) performance enhancement skills for individuals and teams. This rotation consists of three days a week for three months focused on understanding the literature and instruments involved in assessment and selection, instruction and training in persuasion and influence, and observation of how to utilize these skills to support operations. Interns will have the opportunity to complete a written product in each of the three areas under supervision, with verbal and written feedback provided. The rotation focused on exposure to the myriad psychological domains involved in supporting military Operational Psychology as opposed to a mastery of these skills.

• Elective Rotation 2 – TBI Clinic

On this rotation, Interns will develop an understanding of the basics of traumatic brain injury evaluation and receive exposure to treating post-concussive symptoms at the National Intrepid Center of Excellence satellite location at Fort Bragg. Interns will have opportunities to provide group and individual clinical care to members of the Special Forces community who have experienced TBIs. Interns learn to clinically evaluate the intersection of cognitive, pain, and behavioral health symptoms as part of the phenomenology of TBIs.

• Elective Rotation 3 – Primary Care/Health Psychology

On this rotation, Interns spend three days per week for three months receiving education and supervision on functioning as a Behavioral Health Consultant within a primary care medical clinic.  Interns learn how to complete rapid evaluations of patients presenting with a variety of symptoms and concerns including but not limited to anxiety, insomnia, weight reduction, treatment adherence, lifestyle management, tobacco cessation, sex education, and diabetes management. Interns learn to provide brief, targeted interventions and make dispositional recommendations to medical providers. Interns also learn how to assist patients with increasing motivation for behavioral change.

• Elective Rotation 4 – Neuropsychology 

Interns receive an introduction to neuropsychological principles and brain behavior relationships. Intern will be lead for interviewing, testing, report writing, and presentation of feedback. Referrals come from a variety of sources and include etiologies ranging from TBIs in active duty service members through possible dementia in retirees and dependents. Rotation suitable for an intern with little to no experience or an individual who is interested in pursuing neuropsychology at the post-doctoral level.   

• Elective Rotation 5 – School Behavioral Health Rotation

The School Behavioral Health Program affords opportunities to provide clinical services in a school setting and participate in multidisciplinary team collaboration at Child and Family Behavioral Health Services. The intern provides diagnostic interviews, individual and group therapy, and parent training to children/parents in elementary and middle school. A core component of the rotation is the Summer Intensive Outpatient program which focuses on providing a higher level of care during summer months for rising 3^rd graders to rising 8^th graders who would benefit from skill application in a group setting. IOP is a dynamic training opportunity to experience creative implementation of evidence-based treatment combined with supporting experiences such as yoga, martial arts, and mindfulness training. This rotation includes specific training and exposure to pediatric evidence-based treatments, skill-building in consultation with school staff, and group facilitation.

A typical workday runs from 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. and consists of any combination of individual and group psychotherapy, military-specific evaluations, psychological assessment, individual and group supervision, and/or didactic training. Interns are generally granted a full hour daily for lunch.

Interested applicants should consult with their doctoral program internship coordinator and refer to APPIC for the most up to date application procedures.

Applicants must come from an American Psychological Association accredited Ph.D. or Psy.D. program in Clinical or Counseling Psychology (including combined programs combining school psychology with clinical and/or counseling psychology). Applicants applying to Army Internship Programs must meet basic entrance qualification standards established by the Department of Defense and the United States Army in order to join Army as an active duty commissioned officer. 

The Womack Army Medical Center Clinical Psychology Internship Program is a doctoral training program located at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the Home of The Airborne and Special Operations Forces. The primary aim of the training program is to produce highly qualified, resourceful, and autonomous psychologists. Our aim is to nurture the mastery of profession-wide competencies and facilitate the development of a professional identity that will serve as a solid basis for an Army career. A Practitioner-Scholar model guides Internship training at WAMC, with an emphasis on clinical practice informed and validated by empirical research.

Our approach espouses the premise that training should be directly related to career outcomes, and our Interns are therefore prepared for the dual career of Army clinical psychologist and military Officer. Day-to-day training prioritizes improving clinical expertise and familiarity with evidence-based practices. Research and intervention are viewed as interlocking competencies that form the foundation of psychological knowledge and practice. Our approach to training emphasizes the practice of clinical psychology in a manner informed by psychological theory and research. WAMC CPIP rotations reflect the scope of practice of Army clinical psychologists. CPIP provides opportunities to develop skills of adult assessment, evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions, and clinical consultation. Interns also receive training in cognitive assessment, psychological testing, health interventions, and military psychology. Our overall objective is for our Interns to gain competency in using an integrative approach to examination and intervention that emphasizes the science of psychology as the foundation of effective clinical work. The aim of the CPIP is also to support the professional development of Army Officers by providing those skills necessary to perform satisfactorily wherever they are assigned after graduation.

The Army, Navy, and Air Force all offer APA-accredited clinical psychology doctoral internships. Applicants accepted to an internship with the Army, Navy or Air Force will also serve as active duty commissioned officers both during and after internship. Internship applicants must meet the basic entrance qualification standards established by the Department of Defense and each service to serve as active duty commissioned officers. Applicants are required to process through a recruiter in addition to submitting an application through the APPIC portal to each internship site. Applicants are highly encouraged to contact their nearest health care/health professions officer recruiter for the military service to which they are applying prior to submitting the APPIC application, as it can be a lengthy process (see “Recruiters” section below). Ideally, applicants should initiate contact with a recruiter six or more months in advance of each site's application deadline. However, if applicants are already within six months of the application deadline, they are still encouraged to apply. Application deadlines for each service can be found in the APPIC Directory and on each program's web site listed below. Applicants may apply to internship sites from all military services, but they must process through a Recruiter specific to the military service to which they are applying (e.g., if an applicant is applying to all three military services, then the applicant must process through an Army recruiter, a Navy recruiter and an Air Force recruiter). Recruiters assist in building a file on the applicant, which administratively goes before a Board for each Service. Applicants do not have to be in the military to apply for these internships. For civilian applicants, there is no military obligation unless an applicant matches with a military internship through the APPIC match. Students who are already enrolled in military psychology training programs, such as the Health Professions Scholarship Program, are subject to the contracts they signed when they accepted their scholarships. HPSP students should refer to their individual services regarding their military service obligations and internship application procedures. To contact an Army healthcare recruiter, go to www.goarmy.com or call 1-888-550- ARMY.

Initial Post-Internship Positions

• Total # of interns who were in the three cohorts: 8 (Military Health Care Center)
• Total # of interns who did not seek employment because they returned to their doctoral program/are completing doctoral degree: 0

Faculty report interns’ progress during monthly faculty meetings. Each rotation supervisor conducts an initial evaluation of the intern using The Psychology Trainee Competency Assessment form, as well as an end-of-rotation evaluation using this same document which includes rotation-specific competencies. Each intern meets with their training supervisors and with the program director to determine if objectives are being met and to evaluate the Intern using the benchmarks operationalized on The Psychology Trainee Competency Assessment form. Interns are given formal feedback on a quarterly basis, but also receive formative evaluations throughout their training on an as needed basis. Interns are encouraged to comment on feedback received regarding their progress as well as on the Internship program in general.

Fringe Benefits: Dissertation release time, dental insurance, disability insurance, health insurance, licensing exam release time, life insurance, professional development time, sick leave, vacation

Other Benefits: Stipends increase with years of military service and experience. Womack also provides high-quality EPPP materials to each Intern at no cost. We regularly offer world-class distinguished subject matter experts for training events. We offer full health care coverage and a supplemental housing allowance for family members at no cost to the Intern.