Mission

To develop world-class professionals are dedicated Army officers, skilled clinicians, and effective leaders, that can develop, implement, and lead clinical programs that provide healthcare services.

Vision

To be a premier clinical and organizational psychology training program within the military, known for producing highly competent, ethical, and insightful officers who are prepared to be strategic leaders in the field of healthcare. We aspire to set the standard for excellence in military behavioral health, fostering ongoing systemic change through continuous process improvement and academic research.

Aims

Fellows are expected to demonstrate core knowledge and competencies in both clinical and administrative settings. All fellows participate in training experiences designed to focus on the following competencies:

• Integration of Science and Practice
• Individual and Cultural Diversity
• Ethical and Legal
• Management, Administration, & Leadership
• Consultation and Program Evaluation
• Assessment
• Intervention
• Education
• Reflective Practice/Self-Assessment/Self-Care

Many didactic opportunities are available throughout the training year, covering assessment, intervention, ethics, cultural diversity, and professional development. There are also periodic faculty and intern journal clubs and case conferences. In addition, fellows may attend workshops offered by internship programs from Brooke Army Medical Center, Wilford Hall Medical Center, the South Texas Veteran's Health Care System, or the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Throughout the training year, workshops on various topics are presented by notable researchers and clinicians in their respective fields of psychology. These workshops are typically one to two days in length, and attendance is required.

The Fellowship consists of a two-day-per-week Outpatient Evidence-Based Therapy Rotation that lasts the full duration of the Fellowship, as well as four, six-month rotations in Trauma-Focused Intensive Outpatient Care, Program Evaluation & Process Improvement, Departmental Behavioral Health Administration, and Market Behavioral Health Administration.

The first year of fellowship is focused on the development and delivery of evidence-based clinical practices and integration of these experiences with available research and program evaluation data. These clinical experiences will occur within the Multi-Disciplinary Outpatient Clinic as well as the Trauma-Focused Intensive Outpatient Program. By the end of the first year, and continued into the second, Fellows will be able to demonstrate advanced clinical skills in the treatment of posttraumatic stress reactions, other commonly encountered psychiatric disorders within the military population (e.g., depression, anxiety disorders), and suicide risk assessment and mitigation. Fellows will receive training and supervision in Prolonged Exposure Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy, Written Exposure Therapy, and other evidence-based treatment modalities as available. During the Fellowship, it is expected that Fellows will gain a level of proficiency and expertise that allows them to provide expert consultation to other behavioral health providers in that modality. Fellows may also seek to train in other treatment areas as agreed upon by Fellow and Fellowship Program Director.

The first year of the Fellowship is also dedicated to the development of broad, foundational knowledge of clinical operations, program evaluation, organizational change management, and process improvement. Fellows will explore research and practice related to these areas through participation in a curriculum involving readings and didactic presentations. Additionally, Fellows will gain exposure to the development, implementation, and sustainment of military behavioral health programs within the Department of Behavioral Medicine. This will be accomplished by the Fellow participating in a rotation focused on program development and improvement. During the first year, rotation duties will primarily focus on observing and assisting clinic leadership with these tasks. Fellows will also be expected to begin to integrate knowledge and skills gained from readings, didactics, and trainings into their work assisting with various process improvement projects.

The second year is focused on administrative and leadership skills, with the goal of preparing the Fellow to assume a departmental or market leadership position upon graduation. Clinically, the Fellow is expected to demonstrate a progression of expertise with evidence-based treatments, such as providing supervision to newer trainees in the therapies, providing trainings and didactics to students, providing consultation to other professionals, engaging in research or professional writing on clinical issues regarding an evidence-based practice, and integrating clinical knowledge into their work at the administrative and program level. Within the departmental and market-level administrative rotations, Fellows gain familiarity with healthcare operations for military behavioral health, and are expected to work with leadership to take a more independent role with managing projects and conducting process improvement or program evaluation. During the second year, fellows will also be expected to reflect on leadership theory and their own leadership style, as they prepare to take on a management role following completion of the Fellowship.

The fellow is required to attain an advanced certification in an evidence-based psychotherapy. Most commonly, fellows attend the Consultant Workshop in Prolonged Exposure Therapy for PTSD, through the Center and Treatment for the Study of Anxiety at the University of Pennsylvania.

Our leadership curriculum is designed to cultivate military leader competencies through an in-depth focus on critical thinking, career development and profession, and ethical decision making. We explore various leadership styles, providing a comprehensive understanding of how different approaches can be effectively applied in the military setting. Additionally, fellows are required to complete the BAMC Front-Line Leaders Course and attend the annual Installation Director of Psychological Health Summit.

BAMC provides a robust platform for medical and psychological research. Within BAMC’s Department of Behavioral Health Education Division is a Research and Program Development section that oversees the department’s participation in approximately 40 research projects including collaborations with agencies such as the National Center for PTSD, South Texas Research Organizational Network Guiding Studies on Trauma and Resilience, U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity, Military Operational Medicine Research Program, Henry Jackson Foundation, 59th Medical Defense Wing, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, RAND Corporation, Research Triangle institute, University of Central Florida, and the University of Colorado.

Time will be allotted for the 2nd Year Fellow to work on a professional project which demonstrates the application of science in the practice of psychological treatment, program evaluation, or healthcare administration; is relevant to the Department of Behavioral Health; and in line with overall mission of the DOD organization. The proposal for this project will be made by the end of the first year and agreed upon by Fellow, Fellowship Director, and other appropriate faculty. A capstone requirement is associated with the second-year project and will include, at a minimum, presentation of the completed project to a professional audience.

Involvement in other research activities is flexible dependent upon the Fellow’s interest level.

As organizational assessment and process improvement are a core focus of our curriculum, our program is dedicated to regularly assessing and refining our processes, incorporating student and faculty feedback, and staying informed of the latest advancements and competencies in psychology and military leadership.

Active duty behavioral health clinicians participate via the Long-Term Health Education and Training program. Please reference the most current MILPER message for specific instructions. Candidates assessed as eligible by the National Training Coordinator will be asked to submit written materials including a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, de-identified clinical report sample, two letters of recommendation, and three most recent Officer Evaluation Reports. Candidates then are asked to participate in virtual interviews with faculty. Memos describing the fit of each candidate are completed by the Fellowship Director and submitted for consideration by the LTHET selection board.

Salary and Benefits

Military postdoctoral fellows do not receive an educational stipend per se, but instead receive their normal military pay, basic allowance for housing, and basic allowance for subsistence based on their rank and time in service, throughout the course of the two-year fellowship. Fellows also receive all military benefits, which include health and dental care for the fellow and their family members; paid annual leave, sick leave and federal holidays; and use of on-post facilities.

Program graduates will be eligible to apply for American Board of Professional Psychology board certification in Clinical Psychology, Organizational and Business Consulting Psychology, or Police & Public Safety Psychology. To become fully board certified, applicants must complete all requirements for each subspecialty listed at https://abpp.org/application-information/

We aim to create an environment where fellows feel valued, supported, and able to express themselves without fear of retribution. Self-care and work-life balance are critical to preventing burnout, including utilization of installation resources, such as the Military Family Readiness Center, Vogel Resilience Center, and Armed Forces Wellness Center. Fellows can also join the BAMC or SAUSHEC wellness committees, allowing them to actively promote wellness within the hospital and graduate health education, contributing to a supportive and resilient community.

Additionally, we aim to promote well-being by committing to supporting individual diversity and non-discrimination. We value all employees, students, and patients by embracing their diverse talents, perspectives, and experiences. Our goal is to provide a socially responsive approach that prepares fellows to serve diverse organizations with sensitivity and excellence, reinforcing our commitment to an inclusive professional community.

Diversity components are integrated throughout didactics and supervision sessions, where we explore multicultural competencies, address personal and systemic biases, and discuss strategies to ensure we are all providing inclusive care. Our goal is to develop students into leaders and advocates who can promote unit cohesion and effectiveness by leveraging diverse perspectives and strengths, ultimately developing more robust and adaptive organizations.