Pediatric Psychology Internship Program

Internship Program Requirements and Expectations

It is important that interns have a clear and thorough understanding of the expectations for their performance, including expectations for continuing in and completing the internship program and conditions and procedures for termination. It is expected that interns will:

  1. Complete all goals and objectives for the required and elective rotations as indicated.
  2. Attend didactic seminars and supervision sessions as indicated.
  3. Become familiar with and follow all Division and internship policies and procedures.
  4. Become familiar with and follow all relevant hospital-wide policies as discussed during orientation and with their supervisors.
  5. Adhere to all relevant codes of ethical conduct as discussed during orientation and with their supervisors.
  6. Maintain appropriate caseloads for all rotations (as discussed at orientation and with their supervisors on each rotation). Interns typically do one psychological evaluation a week (throughout the 12 months), follow two to three inpatients at a time as part of their consultation and liaison experience (throughout the 12 months), and follow five to ten outpatients at a time throughout the year. Interns spend two mornings a week in the Feeding Day Treatment Program (6 month rotation) for half the year. During the obesity rotation, interns participate in the obesity screening clinic one morning a week and attend obesity team rounds. Interns typically attend and help facilitate one of the obesity groups on a weekly basis (10 weeks). They are also able to follow obesity patients on an outpatient basis. Caseloads for elective rotations are variable and are discussed at orientation and with their supervisors throughout the rotations. Completion of the internship requires a minimum of 2000 hours of supervised clinical experience and participation in the internship on a full-time basis for one full calendar year. If illness or other circumstances make it impossible for the intern to meet the 2000 hour minimum by the official ending date, special arrangements will be made.

The internship is structured so that each intern has experience with populations that vary in terms of age, gender, socioeconomic background, ethnic origin, and presenting problems.

Vacation time (Paid Time Off or PTO) consists of all hospital holidays (e.g., Memorial Day, Thanksgiving, Labor Day, New Year’s), in addition to two weeks of paid vacation. Interns get 10 sick days, one floating holiday, and 5 paid days for continuing education (along with allowance of $1200).

Interns will receive written feedback at the completion of each required and elective rotation (they will receive feedback after 6 months for the year long rotations), and their rotation supervisor will provide ongoing feedback through supervision sessions. Interns will also receive written feedback after 6 months and near the completion of the internship, provided by their primary supervisor (mentor). Feedback will address the intern’s performance and progress in terms of professional conduct and psychological knowledge, skills and competencies in the areas of psychological assessment and testing, intervention, and consultation. Feedback will also include the extent to which the intern has met or is meeting the objectives as defined for each rotation. Feedback will include timely written notification of all problems that have been noted and the opportunity to discuss them, guidance involving steps to remediate noted problems, and written feedback addressing the extent to which steps or corrective actions are or are not successful in addressing the issues of concern. Written feedback will be sent to the intern’s graduate school program after 6 months and at the end of the internship year.

If an intern is not meeting the expectations of the internship program, the internship faculty will develop a remedial plan for the intern, and the intern’s primary supervisor will contact the intern’s graduate school chair. If, after consultation with the intern’s graduate school program, the internship faculty determines that the intern is not able to meet the internship expectations, the intern will be terminated. A termination plan will be developed and implemented, along with recommendations for continued remediation outside of the internship program.

At the beginning of the internship program, interns will be given written procedures to follow for complaints or grievances involving disagreements regarding supervisor feedback or other issues that arise during the internship year.