Students who meet the following eligibility criteria are invited to apply for internship with the Psychology Service, Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT.

Applicants for our predoctoral internship must meet the following minimum requirements:

1. Enrolled in a doctoral program in Clinical or Counseling Psychology that is APA accredited.

2. U. S. Citizenship

3. Passed required comprehensive examinations by the internship application deadline.

4. Completed all doctoral coursework no later than the beginning of the internship.

5. Certified as prepared for internship by their doctoral program's Director of Training by internship application deadline.

6. Completed at least 1000 "Grand Total" practicum hours or 500 Intervention/Assessment hours by internship application deadline.

7. If you are selected as an intern, you will have some rights and responsibilities as a Federal Employee. You will be subject to a background check to confirm information contained in your application and to make sure there are no pending criminal charges against you. In addition, you will also be subject to the government's drug testing procedures. Applicants who match to our program but do not successfully pass this background check and/or drug test will be dismissed from the internship (see APPIC Match Policy 4a).

Application Process

After a careful reading of the information on this web site describing the possible training rotations and making sure that you meet and accept our eligibility criteria, please download and complete the application form. The application procedure then includes the following steps.

1. Right click on the link below and select “save as” to download the application. This file is in Adobe Acrobat format, and you will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and print the file. If you do not already have Adobe Acrobat Reader, click here to download the free program.

Internship Application

2. Forward the application, the AAPI, and two copies of your current Curriculum Vita (CV). In addition to your CV, you should include a list of successfully completed, graduate level course work (relevant to the track(s) you are applying) and a statement of work that will likely be completed during the remainder of the year prior to internship. WE DO NOT REQUIRE UNIVERSITY TRANSCRIPTS.

3. Initiate three letters of recommendation from individuals who know your work. These can be included in your application packet.

4. All materials should be received prior to November 15.

5. Clinical staff will review all applications and will offer interviews to those who best match with our program and clinical tracks. Notification of interview status will be sent by December 15. Once offered an interview, in nearly all instances, the interview date you select in the application form will be confirmed. The interview day includes a series of presentations in the morning beginning at 8:30 a.m. that provide an opportunity to learn more directly about the clinical settings and training opportunities. At late-morning, applicants spend time with current interns in their area of interest prior to the start of individual interviews with staff. We have found that this procedure is quite helpful to all concerned in making decisions about training preferences.

Additional Information

1. The stipend for the training year is $25,024. We typically are provided stipends for six students, and these are currently distributed in the following manner: General Mental Health (3), Clinical Health Psychology (2), Clinical Neuropsychology (1).

2. This setting complies with all APPIC guidelines.

3. Local due process procedures are available by request.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION WRITE OR CALL
John Beauvais, Ph.D.
Director of Predoctoral Training
Psychology Service/116B
VA Connecticut Healthcare System
950 Campbell Avenue
West Haven, CT 06516

The VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven Campus Predoctoral Internship Program is accredited by the American Psychological Association. For information regarding APA accreditation of this internship or other accredited internships, please write or call: