Health Service Psychology Internship Program

Our commitment to education and our community

Part of our commitment is offering a doctoral internship program. We extensively train and prepare new professionals to provide culturally sensitive services so that we meet the rural community’s needs now and in the future.

DSRC’s Doctoral Internship Program is designed to educate health service psychologists who are committed to enhancing access to healthcare, value cultural differences, and advocate on behalf of the patients, families, and communities they serve.

The aim of our internship program is to prepare interns for general practice in health service psychology as informed individuals by scholarly inquiry with a thorough grounding in psychological theory, assessment, diagnosis, intervention, supervision, consultation, professional values and attitudes, communication and interpersonal skills, and research.

How it Works

Interns are matched to various training experiences based on their interests and clinical skill needs. Interns are encouraged to try training experiences and work with populations with which they may be unfamiliar in order to round out their clinical knowledge base, skills, and experience. The Intern assumes responsibility for a combination of assessment, consultation, and direct clinical care duties. The Intern is responsible for providing 18 hours on average of therapy a week with fewer hours at the beginning of the Internship year and direct service increasing as the Intern gains greater mastery. The modality of therapy can include individual, group, couples, or family intervention. The Intern is responsible for completing a minimum of 10 psychological testing batteries during the Internship year. Interns may participate in the formation of new therapy groups based on patient need and Intern’s interests.

Direct clinical training experiences include:

Primary Outpatient Therapy
Family Court Psychological Services
Juvenile Justice Detention and Family Court Clinic
Forensic Evaluations/Generalist Psychological Testing
School-Based Behavioral Health Services and Teacher Consultation
Parent-Child Interactive Therapy
Problematic Sexual Behavioral Services

Desert Sage Resource Center’s Doctoral Internship Program is grounded in a practitioner-scholar model of training and is applying for APPIC membership and currently awaiting decision.

The internship program is a year of full-time intensive training and mentoring starting July 1st and continuing through June 30th of the following year. Interns who successfully complete the internship Program and have completed his/her dissertation requirements with completion of degree may have an opportunity to be hired on as part-time or full-time staff.

How To Apply

Applicants may apply through the AAPI (APPIC).

Please download the DSRC Doctoral Internship manual below for all the details about the program, training, qualifications, and compensation.

Download Manual