Guidelines for Defining an Internship or Organized Health Service Training Program in Psychology

The following criteria are used to identify internships or organized health service training programs in psychology: 

Internships that are accredited by the American Psychological Association (“APA”) or the Canadian Psychological Association (“CPA”) are usually recognized as meeting acceptable criteria. 

Or internships meeting the following criteria, (1 through 13) at the time the trainee was enrolled in the program: 

1) An organized training program, in contrast to supervised experience or on-the-job training, designed to provide interns with a planned, programmed sequence of training experiences. The primary focus and purpose assures breadth and quality of training. 

2) The internship agency had a clearly designated doctoral level staff psychologist who was responsible for the integrity and quality of the training program (i.e., internship training director) and who was appropriately trained and actively licensed at the time of the applicant’s training by the state/provincial/territorial board of psychology in the jurisdiction where the training occurred (psychologists practicing in a federal program must maintain at least one active, valid, unrestricted license). 

3) The internship agency had two doctoral level psychologists on the staff as supervisors who 1) were appropriately trained and actively licensed at the time of the applicant’s training by the state/provincial/territorial board of psychology in the jurisdiction where the training occurred (psychologists practicing in a federal program must maintain at least one active, valid, unrestricted license) and 2) carried primary clinical responsibility for the cases being supervised. 

4) The internship 1) included a minimum of two hours per week (regardless of whether the internship was completed in one year or two) of regularly scheduled, formal, direct individual supervision with one or more staff psychologist as defined in criterion #3 and 2) must be for the specific intent of dealing with health services rendered directly by the intern.  

5) The internship included at least two additional hours per week in individual or group supervision. Additional internship supervision was provided by a staff member of the internship agency or by an affiliate of that agency who was appropriately trained and licensed for their role in the program and who carried clinical responsibility for the cases being supervised. 

6) The internship included a minimum of two additional hours per week in learning activities, such as case conferences involving a case in which the intern was actively involved; seminars dealing with clinical issues; co-therapy with a staff provider including discussion; professional development groups; and other didactic activities. 

7) The internship provided training in a range of assessment and treatment activities conducted directly with patients seeking health services. 

8) At least 25% of trainee’s time was in direct patient contact (minimum 375 hours). 

9) Training was post-clerkship, post-practicum and post-externship level. 

10) The internship agency had a minimum of two interns at the doctoral internship level of training during applicant’s training period. 

11) Trainee had title such as “intern”, “resident” or other designation of trainee status. 

12) The internship agency had a written statement or handbook which described the goals and content of the internship, stated clear expectations for quantity and quality of trainee’s work and was made available to prospective interns. 

13) The internship experience (minimum 1500 hours) was completed within 24 months.