Psychology Internship Responsibilities

CSUSM SHCS has the following additional goals for interns:
- To provide a wide array of experiences so that interns will be professionally “well
rounded”,
- To foster each intern’s professional growth;
- To provide appropriate feedback via supervision in order to help interns refine professional
skills;
- To help interns clarify their plans in regard to securing future training opportunities
or employment subsequent to completion of the CSUSM SHCS Internship Program.
Intern Activities and Responsibilities
Time Commitments
- The internship is a 2000-hour, 12-month internship beginning in August which meets
APPIC requirements and supervised professional experience for licensure in California.
- Time-off includes vacation and sick time accrued monthly in accordance with the Collective
Bargaining Agreement and major holidays observed by the University. Additional time off must be approved by the interns' individual primary supervisor
and the SHCS Director of Counseling & Psychological Services/Training Director. Vacation
time must be requested at least 30 days in advance of time for approval to be considered.
Clinical Activities
- Devote 40%-50% of time providing direct clinical services (average of 16-20 client
contact hours/week), including psychotherapy (individuals, groups, and couple therapy),
intakes, crisis intervention, psychological testing, and clinical consultation.
- Psychotherapy
- Average of 16-20 face-face hours/week.
- Although a brief therapy model is used with the majority of clients, interns are allowed
to have 4-5 long-term clients.
- Provide multicultural competent services to the CSUSM student population and work
with at least 5 clients from different ethnic backgrounds from that of the intern.
- Provide individual primary supervisor with a minimum of five audiotapes and two videotapes
of therapy sessions each semester (total of 10 audiotapes, 4 videotapes).
- Initial Consults
- Interns will be responsible for one two-hour initial consult each week.
- Interns may see up to 3 new clients during this two-hour period.
- Crisis Services
- Interns will be available for crisis services on an as needed basis.
- Psychological testing
- Administer a minimum of two psychological test batteries during the course of their
internship year and complete accompanying testing reports under the supervision of
the testing supervisor. Batteries must include both objective and projective tests.
- Case Presentations
- Make two formal case presentations in group supervision, at least one of which includes
use of an audiotape or videotape.
- Administrative
- Maintain client charts and other clinical records as described in Clinical Policies
& Procedures.
Supervision & Training
(also see Internship Policies & Procedures, section E: Supervision)
- Receive 2.5 hours of primary individual supervision per week.
- Receive one 1.5 hours of group supervision per week.
- Receive group testing supervision, and individual supervision as needed, from testing
supervisor when cohort begins working on assessment batteries and written reports
(approximately October of each training year).
- Secondary supervision will be as needed or required (as described in section E.5: Secondary Supervision).
- Receive a 45 minutes psychiatric consultation/didactic per week with staff psychiatrist.
- Attend weekly 1.5-hour training seminars covering a range of topics presented by staff
and community based psychologists. A formal evaluation process of the training seminars
by the interns will help to provide regular feedback regarding the seminars and ensure
the quality and integrity of the organized training curriculum.
- Attend 1 hour biweekly supervision of supervision.
Calendar of didactic training seminars.
View: Biographical Statements for clinical supervisors. The licensed supervisory staff for the Psychology Internship Program include Dr.
Allison Peters, Dr. Tamara Savage, Dr. Jay Robertson-Howell, Dr. Kara Kornher, Dr.
Lissa Lim, Dr. Ryan Stevenson and Dr. Juan Alvarez.
Education and Outreach
- Participate in a minimum of two special psycho-educational events per semester. Events
may be coordinated by Counseling Services (e.g., Depression Screening Day) or other
university departments (e.g. Health Fair).
- Present/co-present at least one workshop, guest lecture, training seminar, or other
type of presentation per semester for a total of two presentations for the year.
Staff meetings
- Attend Counseling Services weekly staff meetings and monthly SHCS all-staff meeting.
University Meetings & Events
- Attend periodic Student Affairs and other University-wide meetings and events. An
intern will not be required to attend events scheduled outside her/his work hours
unless the SHCS Director of Counseling & Psychological Services/Training Director
or other University administrator indicates that attendance is critical (e.g., emergency
situation on campus).
Administrative Responsibilities
- Complete clinical paperwork in the Point N Click system in a timely fashion.
- Formal evaluations of supervisors and the training program are completed at the end
of the internship year (see section F: Evaluations,) however, ongoing evaluation and feedback to supervisors is strongly encouraged
throughout the year.
- Complete regular evaluations of weekly didactic training seminars.
- Complete various personnel forms as necessary.
- Maintain daily schedule on Point N Click scheduling software program used by Counseling
Services.
Sample of Weekly Activities:
Clinical
Activity |
Hours/Week (Minimum) |
Initial Consults |
2 |
Therapy/Testing |
16-18 |
Emergency Coverage |
(1) |
Administrative - Clinical Paperwork |
8 |
Supervision & Training
Activity |
Hours/Week (Minimum) |
Individual Supervision |
2.5 |
Group Supervision |
1.5 |
Psychiatric Consultation |
1 |
Testing Supervision |
As Needed |
Didactic Training |
3 |
Outreach & Education |
As Needed |
Administrative
Activity |
Hours/Week (Minimum) |
Staff Meeting |
1 |
Miscellaneous Activities |
2 |
Total Hours: 40