Who Should Apply?

Applicants should be US citizens although those with certain visa designations may also be considered. We accept applications from graduate students in good standing from APA accredited doctoral programs in clinical and counseling psychology. When evaluating application materials, faculty reviewers consider the applicant’s goodness of fit with our training program. What candidates bring to us is important, but more essential is whether our site has what a student needs to advance her/his career to the next level, which is the independent practice of psychology. We are not only evaluating applicants, but also whether ours is the best program to support their professional development and chosen career path in the most desirable way.

Our faculty will consider the reputation of your graduate program, the quality of your clinical experience, the quality of your academic performance, teaching and scholarly work, and the specifics of your letters of recommendation. The internship provides generalist training, so we favor an applicant who is well rounded. In addition, having at least some experience and interest in health care settings typically means a better chance of a good fit between you and this program, given that we are a large academic health center.

Because interns are very involved in a wide variety of activities throughout the medical center, it is also necessary for them to be mature, ethical, and sensitive to the limits and boundaries that define their competence at this stage of training. Interns should be able to work smoothly with other health care professionals and function well on teams. Since part of the training is self-directed, successful interns make a significant contribution to planning their professional development. The environment here is intellectually stimulating, but warm and cordial, and we value interns with a pleasant social style and a sense of humor, which has helped many an intern through a demanding day.

Our program strongly encourages applications from minorities and those from other under-represented groups. We follow the non-discrimination policies of both West Virginia University and the WVU Division of Diversity.

West Virginia University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, age, disability, veteran status, religion, sexual orientation, color, or national origin in the administration of any of its educational programs, activities, or with respect to admission or employment. Faculty, staff, students, and applicants are protected from retaliation for filing complaints or assisting in an investigation under the University's Equal Opportunity Policy/Affirmative Action Plan. Inquiries regarding the University's non-discrimination policy may be directed to the Director, Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity, at West Virginia University. And the CAMC Health Education and Research Institute, as found in the Resident Handbook.