Mission

Empower the next generation of psychologists to excel in service by providing exceptional training, mentorship, and opportunities for professional and personal growth.

Vision

Graduate scientifically-oriented psychologists primed to rigorously tackle complex clinical and community problems.

Aims

The aim of this program is to train internship graduates, who are well-prepared to serve as entry-level psychologists. Our graduates must demonstrate flexibility, ethical mindedness, and solid interpersonal skills. An effective psychologist and Air Force officer must maintain a balance between these factors and clinical competence. Program values include: Collaboration; Adaptability; Scientific rigor; Comprehensive training; Diversity; Initiative; Perseverance; and Accountability.

The internship emphasizes a strong knowledge base for professional practice through extensive didactic and readings programs at the rotation and department level. Rotation supervisors incorporate research discussions on topics relevant to particular cases. Didactics at the department level consist of an organized series of weekly classes on issues or topics that transcend rotational emphases. At Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center, didactic sequences tend to stress advanced intervention and assessment strategies, current research in specific areas, the integration of general psychological principles and practices and special applications to military psychology. Furthermore, following department-level didactics each week, we also host an Empirically Based Practice Lab regarding various EBPs such as Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Processing Therapy and Prolonged Exposure for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. The EBP lab includes didactic information as well as dedicated time to practice skills and review cases.

In addition to “in-house” training, our program brings in two to three Distinguished Visiting Professors each year, some who are deliberately recruited for their focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion. DVPs commonly provide two presentations and spend informal time with the faculty and interns at lunches and dinners.

Outpatient Mental Health Clinic Rotation (four months)

• Initial Intake Evaluations and Therapy Cases: Individual and Group
• Crisis Assessment and Intervention (e.g., walk-in triages, vectoring patients)
• Psychological Assessment/Testing (e.g., security or medical board evaluations)
• Commander Directed and Fitness for Duty Evaluations (i.e., personnel evaluations) and Consultation to Leadership

Clinical Health Psychology and Health Habit Lab (four 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
• Phase I Training in Primary Care Behavioral Health
• Training in brief psychotherapy services
• Opportunity to fine-tune behavioral interventions, make level of care determinations, provide daily feedback to medical professionals, and provide on the fly consultation
• Health promotions (e.g., tobacco cessation, sleep, and weight management)

Behavioral Analysis Service Rotation (one 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.) and Consultation to Leadership

Assessment Rotation (one month)

Includes both basic Psychological Testing and Neuropsychology Screening

Small Base Mental Health Flight Operations (one month)

This rotation involves three one-week training experiences at Randolph Air Force Base (located 31 miles from Lackland AFB) and one week at a local or distant training location including: 

• Alcohol Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment Program: This experience will expose interns to the administrative, supervisory, and clinical responsibilities of an ADAPT Program Manager.
• Family Advocacy Program: This experience will expose interns to the administrative, supervisory, and clinical responsibilities of a Family Advocacy Officer.
• Mental Health Flight Leadership: This experience will expose interns to the administrative, supervisory, and clinical responsibilities of a Mental Health Flight Commander.

The final week of the Small Base rotation occurs at a local or distant training location (based upon intern preference) and focuses on military-specific applications of psychology practice. During this Military Unique Curriculum week, interns have the opportunity to participate in a training to increase their exposure to operational and military readiness experiences (e.g., Aviation Psychology; Special Operations Psychology).

Dissertation/Clinical Investigation Rotation (one month)

Interns have an opportunity to devote up to one month to the completion of their dissertation. If an intern has not completed their dissertation prior to the timing of their elective rotation, they must use their elective rotation to complete their dissertation. 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 (described below).

Elective Rotation (one month)

Current authorized electives include Operational Psychology, Evasion and Conduct After Capture, Military Training Consultation Service, Biofeedback Plus, BAS Plus, Examination for Professional Practice of Psychology Preparation, Research, Motivational Interviewing, Leadership, Population Health, Substance Use Assessment and Treatment, ADAPT/FAP, CHP Specialty (e.g., Women’s Health, Center for the Intrepid, Transgender Health Medical Evaluation Unit, and Neuropsychology. Interns also have an opportunity to propose new elective rotation experiences; faculty review and conduct final approval of all new elective rotations.

Military Unique Curriculum (MUC) (one week) 

(See “Small Base Mental Health Operations” rotation description above)

All interns have the opportunity to participate in a local or distant training to increase their exposure to operational and military readiness experiences. A list of available MUC opportunities will be provided early at the start of the internship year. Unestablished operational opportunities, not listed, can be formally proposed to the Training Director and Education Committee.

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. These population health experiences may involve delivering a single session brief alcohol intervention to technical trainees, delivering a relationship enhancement workshop for the JBSA community, participating in a Community Action Team initiative, and/or interdisciplinary Disaster Mental Health response.

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, U.S. Space Force, 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.

Trainees will be required to complete training in the following evidence-based protocols: Cognitive Processing Therapy, Prolonged Exposure, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Suicide Prevention, and Motivational Interviewing.

EBP Lab (see also Didactics description above)

Interns will meet weekly for a 1-hour block of instruction regarding various EBPs such as Motivational Interviewing, CBT-I/BBT-I for insomnia, Imagery Rehearsal Therapy for nightmares, CPT and PE for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The EBP lab will include didactic information as well as dedicated time to practice skills and review cases.

Interns will take part in an Objective Structured Clinical Exam during the first quarter of the internship. The OSCE involves the intern performing assessment and intervention tasks for simulated patients. This serves as a baseline assessment. The interns will be given constructive feedback for their supervisor and the simulated patient.

Interns are given leadership responsibilities (e.g., paraprofessional supervision). Supervision and training forums focus on clinical and leadership development and foster the ability to work with a diverse group of patients, professionals, and faculty in various settings.

Population Health Seminar:

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 two to three times a month for one hour. At course completion, participants will have knowledge of the Air Force community’s behavioral health programs’ structures and functions, established professional literature pertaining to population level interventions, and one process improvement/research project product ready for scholarly peer-review (e.g., professional society poster or podium presentation). Participants will demonstrate understanding of the Systems Perspective in identifying and addressing health risk behavior and will 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. 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.

Our program is dedicated to regularly assessing and refining our curriculum, incorporating student and faculty feedback, and staying informed of the latest advancements and competencies in psychology and military leadership. Additionally, all interns complete Quality Improvement and Patient Safety training offered through the Institute for Healthcare Improvement Open School.

Our program prioritizes comprehensive professional development to empower future leaders in military psychology. We offer a variety of development opportunities for interns to engage in depending on their individual and personal goals. Each intern receives individual supervision from a faculty preceptor who serves as their mentor for the entire internship year. The Preceptor is responsible for the intern’s overall professional development including all issues relevant to the trainee’s growth and success as a Clinical Psychologist and Air Force Officer.

Contact one of the three AF Psychology Internship Training Directors and your nearest Air Force Health Professions Recruiter for essential information regarding the application process. Contact information for each of the AF Psychology Internship Training Directors is listed in the “Training Sites” section below. Contact Air Force Health Professions Recruiting or call 800-443-4690. If you have difficulty, request help from an Internship Training Director.

Establishing Eligibility

• Complete/Pass Military Entrance Processing Station physical examination.
• Certify as Ready for Internship by the Graduate Program’s Training Director.
• Be willing to serve for 4 years on Active Duty as an Officer in the United States Air Force.
• Screen and qualify for a Commission as an Officer in the US military.

Requirements include:

• U.S. Citizenship
• Meeting requirements for health/physical fitness
• Meeting standards for exemplary character
• Screen and qualify for a Secret level Security Clearance.
• Good academic standing at an APA-accredited program in Clinical, Counseling, or Combined Professional Psychology (Department of Air Force Instruction 44-119, 7.9.2.1; Defense Health Agency-Procedures Manual 6025.13, Vol. 4, Appendix, 6.b).
• Complete a “Senior Consultant Review” with one of the three AF Psychology Internship Training Directors
• Be willing to submit to random drug testing through urinalysis with risk of expulsion from the training program, mandatory separation from the USAF, and incurring criminal charges in accordance with the Uniform Code of Military Justice upon sufficient evidence of unauthorized illicit substance use (including prohibitions on the recreational use of marijuana, THC in any form, CBD, and hemp products)
• Additionally, the United States Air Force’s policy is to prohibit any and all recreational drug use. The Air Force tests for drug use, to include all forms of cannabis, at entry into the service and randomly throughout the year, for the duration of military service. Even drugs that may be permitted through some state’s laws, such as medical or recreational marijuana, are 100% prohibited upon entry into military service and at all times while in the military.

APPIC Policy Regarding Internship Offers and Acceptance

The Air Force Clinical Psychology Internship programs are members of APPIC and follow APPIC policy on internship offers and acceptances. We participate in the APPIC Matching Program for internship assignment. Details of the APPIC program and policies can be viewed on the APPIC web site.

APPIC mailing address: APPIC Central Office, 17225 El Camino Real, Suite #170, Houston, Texas, 77058-2748.

APPIC phone number: 832-284-4080.

The United States Air Force participates in the APPIC Match Day internship assignment process. For additional details about application procedures, visit the APPIC site, and navigate to the program entries for the USAF internships.

The Air Force Selection Board Process and Match Day

Selection for commissioning and training as an Air Force Psychology Intern is competitive. Successful applicants typically have outstanding records of academic achievement from well-respected academic institutions. They have obtained practical experiences that reflect a commitment to evidence-based generalist clinical practice and have demonstrated leadership skills in a variety of contexts.

After an applicant has completed all AF Recruiting screening procedures and is identified as eligible for selection, their complete application will be forwarded to the AF Recruiting Services in preparation for the Selection Board. The AF Psychology Internship Selection Board process includes the AF Internship Training Directors and the Psychology Consultant to the Air Force Surgeon General. Those who are ranked above the designated cut-off point will be selected as ELIGIBLE FOR RANKING on the APPIC Match Day. Training Directors will then independently review and determine rankings for the respective AF internship sites.

While applicant information is reviewed by all three Training Directors as part of the Selection Board process, each Training Director uses the list of those applicants selected as ELIGIBLE FOR RANKING to privately construct their rank ordered list that will be submitted to the APPIC Match. Applicants should be sure to make personal contact with the Training Director at each of the USAF sites where the applicant hopes to match.

To reiterate, please note there are actually two application processes, a military process and the APPIC process.

• The military process is carried out through the Health Professions recruiter and culminates in the Selection Board, described above.
• The psychology process is at the individual internship site level and culminates in each Training Director ranking applicants for their own site once an applicant has been selected through the formal Air Force Selection Board.
• Therefore, in addition to completing the procedures directed by a Health Professions recruiter, applicants should ensure that they select each of the individual AF internship sites they are interested in by entering the internship’s code number in their online AAPI application.

Please note that our program Interview Day is “by invitation only.” Thus, the earlier you turn in your application, the more likely you can be considered for attendance at either of our Interview Days, which are typically held in early December and January. Please contact an AF Internship Training Director if you have any questions or uncertainties about this somewhat complex process.

Step 1: Complete all parts of the on-line APPIC Standardized Internship Application Form.

Step 2: Using the on-line process request official transcripts of all graduate level courses.

Step 3: Arrange for a minimum of three supporting letters from your professors, program directors, supervisors or others familiar with your psychological skills, academic training, or supervised clinical experiences. General “character references” may supplement, but do not replace letters addressing your specific skills and training. If a letter is used to supplement the Certification by Program Director (Item 5), this may count as one of the three required letters. These letters should be completed using the on-line process.

Step 4: Submit Curriculum Vitae, listing honors, publications/research experience, clinical experiences, and other information relevant to your training and performance in psychology via the on-line application process.

Step 5: Submit a cover letter that, in addition to your introduction, also answers in bullet format the AF Psychology Applicant Questions (questions are available through your Health Professions recruiter, in the program brochure, or by contacting the program) via the on-line application process.

Step 6: IMPORTANT! In addition to the standard APPIC application process, applicants must work with a USAF Health Professions Recruiter to complete the military application. The Air Force Health Profession Recruiter must submit your complete recruiting package (including but not limited to, medical examination documents, credentials and background check information, etc.) to the USAF Accessions Selection Board. This process is highly involved and can take several months. Interested applicants are encouraged to contact BOTH an Internship Training Director AND an HP Recruiter as soon as possible. Be sure to check with your recruiter regarding specific due dates. A phone call to any Air Force recruiting station or 1-800-443-4690 will yield the exact location, phone number, etc., of the Health Professions recruiter you should contact. An on-line locator service is also available. The Health Professions recruiter is critical to the application process, providing information and assistance to you throughout the application process. The Health Professions recruiter’s job is to help you complete the screening process to determine your eligibility to serve as an Air Force officer. You must complete and pass the HP Recruiting Services screening process in order for the AF Psychology Internship Selection Board to consider you for an AF Psychology Internship.

Step 7: The entire application process usually takes at least 60-90 days and can take significantly longer. It is best to start as soon as possible. During this process, your recruiter should be in regular contact with you to ensure that all screening procedures, documents, etc. are processed in a timely manner. Do not let more than about 2 weeks go by without contact from your recruiter. Finally, if you encounter problems with this process, please contact one of the AF Internship Training Directors as soon as possible so that they can help you troubleshoot the difficulties.

Step 8: At the AF Accessions Selection Board in mid-January, you will be selected as eligible or ineligible for an AF psychology internship from an Air Force perspective. From the eligible list, each individual site Training Director will submit his/her own preferences in rank order through the APPIC Match. Selection at this Board does not constitute selection by the internship program, but rather means you will be eligible for consideration by the AF internship programs. You will only be notified of the results of the AF Internship Selection Board if you are determined to be ineligible for the AF. When submitting your Match list, you must list each AF site you are interested in (in order of preference) separately.

Step 9: Questions about the military application process and qualification as an Air Force officer should generally be directed to your Health Professions recruiter. Issues relevant to the profession of psychology or the specifics of the training programs should be addressed to the Director of Training at one of the AF internship sites. Training Directors are eager to work with strong applicants in determining whether our programs are well suited to your career plans and to offer any information you may need in planning this critical part of your professional education. You may call, e-mail, or write at any time.

Step 10: The AF also requires an interview with one of the three Training Directors (referred to as the “Senior Consultant Interview”) as part of the general application process. All applicants will be interviewed; therefore, no specific interview notification is provided. Applicants should contact Training Directors to arrange an interview. While only one interview is required, applicants are encouraged to at least do a phone interview with the Training Director at each AF program for which they are interested in being considered.

Step 11: WHASC requests that the application materials also be submitted one week before interviewing with the Training Director and early enough to allow for an invitation to attend an Interview Day. The WHASC Internship Interview Day dates are announced each summer. At that time, in addition to seeing our program first-hand, invited applicants receive interviews with the site faculty. At WHASC, such on-site interviews are not required for selection, but are strongly encouraged. Applicants who are invited to attend an Interview Day but are not able to visit and interview on the specified Interview Day dates can arrange different dates for a phone interview with the Training Director.

Step 12: AF internship programs subscribe rigorously to APA standards for program content and APPIC Policy for notifying and accepting applicants. This internship site agrees to abide by the APPIC Policy that no person at this training facility will solicit, accept, or use any ranking-related information from any intern applicant. Applicants are expected to support this Policy as well. As indicated above, a copy of the Policy should be available at the APPIC web site.

Step 13: See the Application Checklist for the WHASC Internship in the program brochure a summary of application instructions.

Clinical psychology, Neuropsychology, Clinical Health Psychology, Psychopharmacology, Organizational Psychology, Operational Psychology, Aeromedical Psychology, SERE Psychology.

All AF Psychology interns receive abundant opportunities to develop their professional skills through direct observation of expert faculty delivering clinical services and through mentoring and supervision experiences that occur during every rotation.

At WHASC, each intern receives individual supervision from Rotation Supervisor(s) and from a Faculty Preceptor who serves as their mentor for the entire internship year. Rotation Supervisors provide assistance with rotation specific casework, patient evaluation, treatment planning, therapy implementation, administrative issues and development of group therapy skills. The Preceptor is responsible for the intern’s overall professional development including all issues relevant to the trainee’s growth and success as a Clinical Psychologist and Air Force Officer. Rotation Supervisors and Preceptors meet regularly to discuss trainee progress and they collaborate in preparing the formal evaluations that occur every 2 months.

Starting during program orientation, the interns are provided with a series of personal resilience and self-care didactics that include education, discussion, and experiential activities. Our program’s Social Committee is charged with offering at least four social events throughout the year that are intentionally designed to promote connectedness, well-being, and fun for interns and faculty. In addition, our host institution has designated behavioral health resources for individuals enrolled in graduate medical education or graduate allied health education programs. Furthermore, at the institutional level, the Graduate Allied Health House Staff Council publishes and promotes a variety of well-being resources throughout the training year.