All students are required to complete a full-time, one-year, APA-accredited clinical internship before receiving the PhD. Most students begin internship after completing their fifth year of graduate training. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the dissertation before beginning internship.
Before applying for internship, students must have completed the program’s required coursework, practica, research and examination milestones, presentation requirements, and dissertation proposal, as well as any applicable remediation plan. The Director of Clinical Training and Associate Director of Clinical Training work closely with students as they prepare their applications and identify programs that fit their clinical, research, and professional goals.
Consistent with our clinical science mission, students are encouraged to pursue internships that emphasize the integration of research and clinical practice, including internship programs affiliated with the Academy of Psychological Clinical Science. Our students apply to programs across the country and have been successful in obtaining high-quality placements in academic medical centers, Veterans Affairs healthcare systems, hospitals, and other research-oriented clinical settings. Because the number and range of internship opportunities in the St. Louis area are limited, students should anticipate that internship may require relocation.
Recent internship placement outcomes are reported in the tables above. Examples of internship sites attended by our students are listed to the right.