Program Description
Michigan Medicine and the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System (VAAAHS) have collaborated to create a Network of training programs, consisting of two dual-site programs and two single-site programs. The two dual-site programs are in Clinical Neuropsychology and Clinical Psychology, and the single-site programs are in Clinical Child Psychology and in Mental Health Treatment and Research (at SMITREC). The Clinical Neuropsychology and Clinical Child Psychology programs are both additionally accredited as specialty practice areas. The overall Training Network – The Michigan Medicine/VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System Network of Postdoctoral Training Programs in Psychology - is led by the Psychology Training Committee Chair, J. Todd Arnedt, Ph.D.
Michigan Medicine and VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System provide a rich interdisciplinary training environment with seminars, invited lectures, and opportunities for collaboration with faculty across disciplines and departments. Fellows are offered a diverse set of clinical experiences in assessment, treatment, and consultation with a focus on empirically-based treatments; mentorship in conducting independent clinical research; and didactics focused on professional development, the integration of science and practice, cultural and individual diversity, and ethics and the law.
The training philosophy of the programs within this network is rooted in the scientist-practitioner model. The institutional philosophy and values of all the Network programs are focused on normative healthcare ethical values of beneficence, non-malfeasance, and social contract in a context of public service. The overarching aim of the network of postdoctoral program is to develop practitioner-scientists who are capable of working in a variety of settings for psychologists. The specific Aims of our training programs include:
Aim #1: To train psychology postdoctoral fellows to an advanced level of competency in the provision of psychology services for a variety of professional settings.
Aim #2: To train psychology postdoctoral fellows to an advanced level of competency in clinical research to be capable of independent and systematic clinical research.
Aim #3: To train psychology postdoctoral fellows to an advanced level of competency with respect to professionalism and ethical conduct to be able to function as independent practitioners for a range of professional settings.
Program Goals and Competencies
The primary goal of the training programs is to provide training at an advanced level of competency in the areas of clinical service, scholarly inquiry, professionalism and ethical conduct. The design of the programs in the Training Network is based on six core competencies, including:
- Integration of Science and Practice (Level 1)
- Ethical and Legal Standards (Level 1)
- Individual and Cultural Diversity (Level 1)
- Assessment/Intervention*
- Research (Level 2)
- Individual Professional Development (Level 2)
*Assessment and Intervention is a Level 2 competency for the Clinical Psychology Consortium and a Level 3 competency for the Clinical Child Psychology specialty program. The Clinical Neuropsychology Consortium specialty program identifies Assessment as its Level 3 competency.