Internship Admissions, Support, and Initial Placement Data

Program Disclosures

Does the program or institution require students, trainees, and/or staff (faculty) to comply with specific policies or practices related to the institution’s affiliation or purpose? Such policies or practices may include, but are not limited to, admissions, hiring, retention policies, and/or requirements for completion that express mission and values? 

Yes or No: Yes

If yes, provide website link (or content from brochure) where this specific information is presented:

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.

Briefly describe in narrative form important information to assist potential applicants in assessing their likely fit with your program. This description must be consistent with the program’s policies on intern selection and practicum and academic preparation requirements:

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.

Does the program require that applicants have received a minimum number of hours of the following at time of application? If yes, indicate how many:

• Total Direct Contact Intervention Hours: Yes; recommended 400 hours
• Total Direct Contact Assessment Hours: Yes; recommended 150 hours

Describe any other required minimum criteria used to screen applicants:

Candidates must be enrolled in or graduates of APA-accredited doctoral programs (Ph.D. or Psy.D.) specializing in clinical or counseling psychology. To be considered, applicants must document a minimum of 400 intervention hours and 150 assessment hours on their AAPI and submit a de-identified sample of an integrative psychological assessment report. Each application undergoes a comprehensive review to ensure the candidate’s clinical background and professional goals align with the program's specific training model and mission. Following this review, selected applicants will be invited to interview; the selection committee considers in-person and virtual interview formats to be entirely equivalent.

Applicants should be mindful of the unique requirements associated with a military internship. To successfully match with this site, candidates must meet all U.S. Army Officer Commissioning Standards. Upon matching, interns are commissioned as officers in the U.S. Army and incur an Active-Duty Service Obligation (ADSO), which typically requires three years of service following the completion of training. In addition to the AAPI submission, it is critical that applicants initiate the military accessions process as early as possible by coordinating with their local U.S. Army Health Care Recruiter.

Financial and Other Benefit Support for Upcoming Training Year

Note. Programs are not required by the Commission on Accreditation to provide all benefits listed in this table.

Stipend/Salary

• Annual stipend/salary for full-time interns: $93,822
• Annual stipend/salary for half-time interns: N/A

Medical Insurance

• Does the program provide access to medical insurance for the intern? Yes
• Trainee contribution to cost required? No
• Coverage of family member(s) available? Yes
• Coverage of legally married partner available? Yes
• Coverage of domestic partner available? No

Other Benefits

Interns receive salary and military allowances as an Army Captain (O-3). Prior service, family size, and marital status may impact compensation.
(https://militarypay.defense.gov/Calculators/RMC-Calculator/)

Hours of Annual Paid Personal Time Off

30 calendar days (240 hours)

Hours of Annual Paid Sick Leave

Not Applicable. As an active duty service member, students receive all necessary paid sick time. They are required to go through the proper medical channels to receive approval for sick time, surgical procedures, and any subsequent convalescent leave.

In the event of medical conditions and/or family needs that require extended leave, does the program allow reasonable unpaid leave to interns in excess of personal time off and sick leave?

No – All students/service members are, however, permitted emergency leave in the event of an emergency situation. This counts against their annual leave. If they need time in excess of their accrued leave, they may take advanced leave which will count against leave they earn in the future. In these situations, pre-approval must be obtained by the students Chain of Command.

Other Benefits

All students receive benefits as active duty Army service members, to include housing allowance, authorized travel expenses, and other military benefits. The program also offers time for dissertation, attendance at local workshops, and other paid training opportunities as they are available.

Initial Post-Internship Positions

• Total # of interns who were in the three cohorts: 11
• Total # of interns who did not seek employment because they returned to their doctoral program/are completing doctoral degree: 0

Type of Position	Post-doctoral Residency Position	Employed Position
Academic teaching
Community mental health center
Consortium
University counseling center
Hospital/Medical Center: Military Health Care Center	10
Veterans Affairs Health Care System
Psychiatric facility
Correctional facility
Health maintenance organization
School district/system
Independent practice setting
Other		1

Each individual represented in this table is counted only one time. For former trainees working in more than one setting, the setting selected represents their primary position.