The essential clinical psychology skills in which all interns are expected to demonstrate competence include the following:
(a) psychological assessment including clinical interviewing (i.e., the development of an appropriate interpersonal contact that permits the gathering of information relevant to biobehavioral and psychosocial factors that cause or maintain the patient’s presenting problem or symptomatology) and the selection, use, and interpretation of standardized psychological tests and measures relevant to forming a diagnosis, conceptualization, or treatment plan for the presenting problem;
(b) consultation and communication with other professionals regarding the contribution of psychological factors to the presenting problem or diagnosis and the availability of appropriate psychological intervention alternatives;
(c) case conceptualization and report writing (i.e., the integration of interview data, test findings, and collateral sources of information into a coherent framework that allows for the communication of an accurate diagnosis and the development of an appropriate treatment plan);
(d) psychotherapeutic intervention (i.e., the development and implementation of an appropriate treatment derived from a data-based case conceptualization and an awareness of the relevant empirical literature regarding the efficacy of various treatments for the presenting problem or diagnosis);
(e) awareness of issues of professional ethics, legal issues, and individual and cultural diversity as they affect the practice of psychology; and
(f) knowledge of the methods and contributions of research and scholarly inquiry as applied to the practice of psychology.
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Competence in the essential professional skills (appropriate to an entry-level position) within the designated area of interest is required for successful completion of the internship program. Competence is also expected for skills outside the intern’s designated area of focus. Systematic training in the targeted professional competencies is assured through the following activities:
(1) the direct provision of clinical services that all interns accrue on their assessment/consultation rotations and psychotherapy/supervision activities;
(2) extensive ongoing individual and group supervision;
(3) the four hours per week of involvement in research; and
(4) the more than 150 hours per year of didactic training that addresses theories and methods of assessment/diagnosis and consultation, psychological interventions and their efficacy, strategies of scholarly inquiry, ethics and professional behavior, and issues of cultural and individual diversity.