Psychology Internship Training Program

The UMMC Psychology Internship (Residency) Training Program is within the Division of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at UMMC. Versions of the program have been accredited by the American Psychological Association since its inception in 1964. The program was previously accredited as a consortium with the local VA. However, on July 1, 2017, it began operating as an independent program. In spring 2018, the UMMC Psychology Internship Program underwent an accreditation site visit to seek accreditation as an independent internship training program. After this site visit, the UMMC Internship Training Program was granted full accreditation status as an independent program by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association. The program’s next accreditation review is scheduled for 2028.

• Refer to the internship program's brochure for up-to-date information regarding clinical rotations and research opportunities available during the upcoming internship training year.

The training program offers a wide variety of clinical and research opportunities during the internship year, which are consistent with the program's training goals for interns.

Training goals

The main goals of the program include:

Goal 1 - Interns will be competent in assessment, intervention, supervision and consultation skills.

• Objective: By the end of the training year, psychology interns will be competent in assessment, intervention, supervision and consultation skills as evidenced by at least high intermediate skill (requiring minimal supervision) in the following domains by the end of the internship year:
  • Assessment
  • Intervention
  • Supervision
  • Consultation and interprofessional skills

Goal 2 - Interns will be skilled in the interface between science and practice.

• Objective: Production of psychology interns who will be skilled in the interface between science and practice by applying scientific knowledge to the clinical setting, being educated consumers of empirical research and participating in active research projects and/or program evaluation as evidenced by demonstration of at least high intermediate skill (requiring minimal supervision) in the following domain:
  • Research

Goal 3 - Interns will be competent in individual and cultural differences and diversity.

• Objective: By the end of the training year, psychology interns will demonstrate diversity-related competencies including, but not limited to, age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, language, national origin, race, religion, culture, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status as evidenced by demonstration of at least high intermediate skills (requiring minimal supervision) in the following domain by the end of the internship year:
  • Individual and cultural diversity

Goal 4 - Interns will display professional and ethical behavior.

• Objective: By the end of the training year, psychology interns will demonstrate professional and ethical behavior. Interns will adapt professional behavior in a manner that is sensitive and appropriate to the needs of diverse clients, colleagues and organizations as evidenced by at least high intermediate skill (requiring minimal supervision) in the following domains by the end of the internship year:
  • Professional values, attitudes and behaviors
  • Ethical and legal standards

Goal 5 - Interns will be competent in teaching and expressive skills.

• Objective: Production of psychology interns who by the end of the training year will demonstrate knowledge of didactic learning strategies, be able to apply teaching methods to multiple settings and have verbal, nonverbal and written communications that are informative, articulate, succinct, well-integrated, and demonstrate thorough grasp of professional language and concepts as evidenced by at least high intermediate skill (requiring minimal supervision) in the following domain by the end of the internship year:
  • Communication and interpersonal skills

In addition to these general competencies, our training program provides opportunities to develop specialized competencies (e.g., Motivational Interviewing, dissemination, etc.) through our various training rotations and curricular offerings.

Training model

The Psychology Internship Training program endorses a cognitive-behavioral orientation within a scientist-practitioner model. Interest in, and experience with, this approach are important selection criteria. Interns gain clinical experience with a wide variety of patient populations and across multiple settings through inpatient, outpatient, and community placements.

The internship year is divided into 3 four-month rotations. Currently, 11 clinical rotations are available, each serving different populations and providing unique services. Rotation assignments are made based on interns’ rankings and Training Program faculty input based on intern’s training needs and clinical goals. Interns provide rankings twice during the year, prior to the start of internship and in September, to allow for experiences with the first rotation to be considered before making choices for the second and third rotations. Rotations are divided into Child and Adult emphasis areas. Interns are encouraged to gain experiences within both emphasis areas. Clinical supervision and training are conducted on a one-on-one or small group basis within each clinical rotation.

Additional clinical opportunities occur through the General Psychology Clinic, where interns gain experience working with longer-term outpatient cases, and can receive supervision from psychology faculty other than their rotation supervisors. Interns are expected to accumulate at least 500 face-to-face clinical hours during the internship year, with 86 of those contacts occurring through the General Psychology Clinic. A unique aspect of clinical experiences offered through the program includes the racial/ethnic and socioeconomic diversity of patient populations served at UMMC. The UMMC psychology internship training program currently has 7 internship positions.

To facilitate growth and successful progress in the program, interns receive formal evaluative feedback on their progress on training goals/objectives during each rotation and at the mid- and end-points of the training year. They must demonstrate performance at the high intermediate level on all competencies to complete internship.

Administrative policies and procedures

• Financial support
  Interns are paid a minimum of $24,843 and receive the state financial health insurance plan, which is covered in their pay. Interns accrue 18 days of leave a year, 13 days of which are designated vacation or personal leave and 5 days of leave to pursue employment opportunities. Additionally, there are 10 paid holidays and professional leave time is available to attend conferences and for other professional experiences.
• Internship year
  The internship year runs for a full year - July 1-June 30.
• Due process statement
  Upon entry to our program, interns receive a copy of our policy and procedures manual which includes information on grievance processes, disciplinary actions (including termination), and addresses issues pertaining to impaired interns. Contact program administrator Kristy Herbison to request a copy of our policy and procedures manual.
• Equal opportunity
  The University of Mississippi Medical Center adheres to the principle of equal educational and employment opportunity without regard to race, sex, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, disability or veteran status. This policy extends to all programs and activities supported by the Medical Center. Under the provisions of Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, UMMC does not discriminate on the basis of sex in its educational programs or activities with respect to admissions or employment.