Doctoral Internships in Health Service Psychology
Welcome to the Oregon State University (OSU), Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) Doctoral Internship in Health Service Psychology.
The positions available for the 2025-26 training year will be Clinical Fellows consisting of 12-month, full-time, 2000-hour appointments at the Oregon State University campus in Corvallis. This website outlines the model, philosophy, and goals of our internship program, as well as components of service delivery and training activities. Our program is a member of APPIC and thereby we participate in the APPIC intern match process.
-Ozge Akcali, PhD, Director of Training
The Doctoral Internship in Health Service Psychology at OSU-CAPS is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA). Verification of the accreditation status of the OSU-CAPS Doctoral Internship Program or answers to questions regarding APA accreditation can be obtained through the APA Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation:
APA Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
750 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242
Phone: (202) 336-5979
TDD/TTY: (202) 336-6123
Fax: (202) 336-5978
Email: [email protected]
About the Doctoral Internship Program
Commitment to Diversity
We are all cultural beings; our “identity and self-definition are fluid and complex” and the “multiplicity of [our] societal contexts” shape our identity and self-definition (APA Multicultural Guidelines, Guideline 1). CAPS staff embraces the challenges essential to developing cultural humility as clinicians and as an organization through the consideration of our own complex identities, associated power dynamics, and anti-oppression practice. While each of us at CAPS engage with varying levels of knowledge, skill, and cultural humility, we strive to incorporate culturally tailored and ecologically relevant assessments and treatments in our practice (APA Multicultural Guidelines, Guideline 5).
CAPS Staff is committed to work towards growing as a multicultural organization through diversifying the organization, seeking input from diverse constituencies, and working to best serve systematically non-dominant populations in our community.
Interns are supported in their multicultural development through professional issues seminar, which includes various topics of diversity, the option to participate in rotations focused on working with diverse students, and the opportunity to outreach to student groups. Given that the development of cultural humility and multicultural competence are dynamic and ever-evolving, we treasure the active exploration of new ideas and perspectives as well as re-evaluation of familiar and un-examined assumptions and commitment to anti-oppressive practices.
Training Model and Goals
OSU-CAPS subscribes to a developmental model of training. We strive to understand the experiences, strengths, and growth areas of trainees and support them accordingly. Our clinical and training experiences are designed to have greater structure and oversight early on in internship, moving toward increased autonomy as the year unfolds. We also find that this progression and the quality of internship experience equally depend on interns who are curious, willing to take risks, and are able to manage normative discomfort in the process of discovery. Interns will be prepared for professional practice upon completion of internship and display advanced to intermediate skill level across our competencies.
While CAPS adheres to a brief therapy model, we emphasize evidence-based practice and critical thinking as clinicians. Through supervision and seminars we draw on extant research while considering the unique, multicultural identities of our population. We also strive to be aware of how our own identities and values affect our assumptions and reactions. We recognize that our work is intimately related to the needs of our college population and occurs in partnership with departments throughout Student and Academic Affairs. As such, we provide training and experiences that will enable interns to excel in prevention initiatives, conducting psycho-educational workshops and consultation as well as clinical work.
Interns are selected to have a solid foundation in the clinical, professional and interpersonal skills that will be critical to their success in a college counseling center. Our intent is to provide a training trajectory that allows for success, struggle, and connection.
Internship Core Values
Self-Reflection: Continuously thoughtful and curious about the practice. Consideration of how one’s personal experiences and values influence professional life.
Integration of Science into practice: Utilizes current research to inform all areas of service. Considers how research can be adapted to the brief model/characteristics of the site. Displays critical thinking in decision-making.
Professionalism: Open to the examination of unique professional style and values and how these interact with the environment of OSU-CAPS.
Multiculturalism: Consideration of one’s own cultural identity and how it shapes interactions. Acquires necessary awareness, knowledge, and skills. Awareness of how power dynamics affect relationships. Advocates for social justice.
Challenge: Being willing to move out of one’s comfort zone. Able to take risks and make mistakes. Accepts and learns from constructive feedback.
Relational: Values and cares about the professional community. Willing to invest time and energy in colleagues. Able to engage in productive conflict as needed.
Balance: Aspires to create some equilibrium between workload and personal life. Able to manage demands of work and care for self. Seeks support.
Direct Service
Psychotherapy and Counseling: Interns spend 18 to 20 hours per week providing psychotherapy and other clinical services to OSU students. This includes 10 to 12 sessions for individual therapy, co-leading one or two therapy/support groups, and conducting intake appointments. OSU CAPS operates under a brief therapy model, and interns are guided and supported as they enhance their therapy skills within this model.
On-Call Coverage: Interns will provide 11 on-call shifts each term. During the on-call shift, OSU students/clients with urgent concerns can be seen immediately for an initial assessment and/or crisis intervention. On-call duties also could require the therapist to respond to phone calls from faculty, staff, students, or parents requesting mental health consultation.
Consultation: Interns will provide 11 consultation shifts each term. During the consultation shift, interns will see OSU students/clients and explore their mental health needs and assign them up to the services that will be most helpful for them. In addition, interns will help a student, faculty/staff, family member, or anyone else concerned about an OSU student decide what steps they can take given their situation. Consultations take about 15-20 minutes.
Areas of Emphasis: Interns can work with staff in particular areas of interest. This may occur through group co-facilitation, outreach initiative work, and/or individual consultation. Some current staff interests include:
- Administrative
- Body Image Concerns/Eating Disorders
- Working with LGBTQ+ Clients
- Sport Psychology
- Individual Therapy with International Students
Supervision: Interns meet with their practicum supervisee one to two hours per week to supervise the student's work with clients. Interns also review tapes and help trainees develop a sense of professionalism. A weekly Supervision of Supervision seminar provides guidance as interns learn supervision skills.
Mental Health Promotion: Interns will participate in campus mental health promotion/prevention activities for an average of two hours per week. A portion of this time is dedicated to building relationships with key campus stakeholders in conjunction with a CAPS senior staff who is already facilitating work in a particular area.
Sample Average Weekly Schedule for Doctoral Interns
| Service Activities (direct/distance clinical services) | Approx. Hours |
|---|---|
| Individual Therapy (individual therapy and/or single session clinic) | 12 |
|
Group therapy (when groups are not offered, hours convert to individual therapy) |
1.5 |
| On-call (emergencies, crisis intervention, urgent care - counts only when providing face-to-face/distance consult, therapy) | 2 |
| Triage (consultations for any non-urgent personal issue to gather information about concerns and their impact on the person's life in order to help the caller with planning next steps) | 2 |
| Mental health promotion/outreach | 1-2 |
| Supervision of practicum students (winter & spring terms) | 1.5-2 |
|
Total for service activities |
20-21.5 |
| Training Activities | Approx. Hours |
|---|---|
| Individual supervision with primary supervisor | 2 |
| Group supervision with a licensed clinician | 1 |
| Supervision for other services (e.g. AOE, supervision of supervision) | 0.5-1.5 |
|
Seminars: Professional Issues, Group (hours vary by term) |
1.5-3 |
| Intern/TD meeting | 1 |
| Case conference with clinical team | 1 |
| Case conference with primary clinical provider (optional) | 1 |
| Consult groups (Optional; interpersonal violence, transgender & non-binary, etc.) | 1 |
|
Total for training activities |
9-11.5 |
| Administrative Activities | Approx. Hours |
|---|---|
| Alternating staff meeting/committee work | 1.5 |
| Paperwork/preparation time (e.g. notes, scheduling clients, case management, email, etc.) | 9.5-10.5 |
| Total for administrative activities | 11-12 |
| TOTAL HOURS* | 40-45 |
|---|---|
|
*We designed this schedule to work within the rhythm of the academic calendar. For example, there are heavier demands for service during fall, winter, and spring terms, while increased time for training and other professional development can be available during "slower" times such as orientation, breaks, and the summer. |
Administrative Functions
Preparation/Paperwork: Time is allocated weekly for completing progress notes, intake/assessment reports, preparing for supervision, seminars, and completing administrative tasks.
Staff Meeting: All staff members meet on a varying schedule to discuss agency issues and needs, hear announcements and updates, and plan for upcoming activities.
Committee Membership: Interns are encouraged to serve on one or more CAPS committees such as clinical services, education & training, Mental Health Promotion, or a campus committee external to CAPS.
Training Activities
The OSU academic schedule begins classes the last week in September which allows interns the opportunity to spend the first four or five weeks becoming oriented toward the university, CAPS, and the training program.
The didactic component of our training program utilizes the science of psychology to inform current psychological practice. The goals of these seminars include providing interns with advanced didactic information, facilitating at times "difficult dialogues" and preparing interns for challenges that they may encounter in the future of the profession. Due to our developmental approach, we strive to tailor this seminar to the needs of the current intern class.
Throughout the year, interns participate in training seminars, or related activities, for an average of three hours per week. Many of the seminar topics require readings and most of the presenters provide resources and recommendations for further information.
Professional Issues/Professional Development Seminar
This three-academic term seminar addresses a wide range of professional issues intended to facilitate entry into the profession of psychology. Common areas addressed include specific clinical issues or special populations, evidence-based theories and treatment approaches, job search strategies, licensure requirements, and reviewing new developments in the field. The following are major areas of concentration for the professional issues seminar:
Diversity Related Topics: These topics are designed to assist interns, in different stages of development, with exploring and raising their self-awareness regarding their identity markers and with developing cultural humility. They aim to impact the interns’ work on the therapeutic relationship in addition to awareness and understanding of power, privilege, and systemic inequities that influence their identity markers, their role at CAPS and OSU, and the profession at large. We encourage discourse around issues of diversity to include examining various social identities, intersectionality, and an ecological framework for understanding psychological practices (i.e., counseling, assessment, consultation, advocacy, outreach/prevention, teaching, and research). This is accomplished through personal reflection and assignments, readings, experiential exercises, group discussions, and application of concepts to case presentations.
Career Related Topics: Objectives include (1) being able to evaluate one’s career journey to date at the entry of internship along with significant milestones and their influence on career decision making, (2) being able to use technology and print media to effectively determine, formulate, and implement a job search post-internship, (3) help with post-doc and/or job interviewing and ways to make yourself stand out when applying to various positions, (4) reflect on post-internship offers and what are the pros and cons of each offer/position.
Self-Care Related Topics: Interns will discuss how they manage organizational and personal stress throughout the internship. This module may include some self-assessment and goal-setting.
Mental Health Promotion Module: The primary goals of this module are to (1) inform interns about the public health model and best practice development in mental health promotion, (2) collaborate with the Director of Mental Health Promotion of CAPS and/or CAPS liaison and external partners to design and/or facilitate a project that is in line with the mission and priorities of CAPS, and (3) reflect on lessons learned in the process and identify ways that CAPS can utilize the project after the intern completes the program. Interns’ projects will be guided by the public health model, health behavior theories, and the social-ecological model.
Group Therapy Seminar
This seminar focuses on establishing a comfort level and proficiency in all aspects of facilitating groups including identifying what groups are needed at a counseling center, the referral and pre-screening process, co-leadership, multicultural sensitivity in groups, and dynamics involved in co-facilitating groups. The seminar provides didactic and experiential learning as well as supervision for groups that interns are co-leading.
Supervision of Supervision
Our interns are trained in supervision skills and participate in weekly supervision of supervision. The supervisory relationship between the practicum student and the intern will begin in the winter term and continue throughout the spring term. The intern will provide weekly supervision of the practicum student and review practicum therapy tapes. Practicum students are drawn from several regional programs and are selected through a competitive process. Their didactic training will largely occur in their home academic programs.
Professional Development & Dissertation Time
Interns have up to five (5) days per year allotted for professional development activities. These may be used for attending conferences or workshops outside of the office, going on job interviews, or attending dissertation defense or commencement. Interns are not required to be on-site or in the agency during these hours.
Interns can devote up to 80 hours of dissertation time per training year if indicated.
Intern Peer Support
Interns will have one hour every other week to meet informally as a group. This time can be used for getting to know one another on a deeper level, giving and receiving support, talking about the internship experience, doing some "reality testing" with one another, dealing with conflict, and developing a sense of cohesion as a group. Additionally, every other week interns meet with the Director of Training as a way to "check in" on the internship year to date.
Employment Terms
Dates of Employment: The Doctoral Internship in Health Service Psychology at Counseling & Psychological Services is a 12-month, fixed-term, full-time, unclassified paid position. The internship begins the early/mid-August and runs for one full year.
Stipend: Interns will earn $42,672 for the 2024-25 training year.
Holidays: Ten (10) University Holidays
Benefits: Interns are provided health, dental, and vision insurance. Optional coverage is provided for family members at an additional cost. Interns receive a faculty I.D. card, which allows them to use the Oregon State University library, receive discounts at the campus bookstore, purchase a pass for the Recreation Center, and purchase a faculty parking permit. Interns have a private office equipped with a telephone and a computer, including high-speed internet access. Each office has its recording equipment.
Program Policies and Procedures: Our training manual, which includes policies and procedures regarding our program, is available to all interested parties upon request.
Evaluation Procedures
Supervision Assignments: Interns have two primary clinical supervisors over the year. Interns may rank their preferences for supervisors, and the Director of Training will make assignments. Primary supervisors are responsible for facilitating comprehensive intern evaluations.
Evaluation of Interns: CAPS training staff discusses and evaluates intern progress throughout the internship year. CAPS training staff will conduct formal written evaluations at evenly spaced intervals throughout the year using the competency-based Intern Evaluation Form developed by our training staff using APA guidelines. Though other CAPS evaluative documentation might be included in an intern's permanent file, the Intern Evaluation Form is the basis for determining the intern progress. Copies of completed evaluations are shared with academic programs at the mid-point and end of the training year. CAPS training staff and supervisors do not complete evaluations developed outside of CAPS and/or enter into any additional training contracts designed by academic programs.
Intern Evaluation of Training Staff and Program: Interns complete written evaluations at various points throughout the year. Additionally, interns are encouraged to provide training staff with verbal feedback throughout the year.
Expectations for Successful Completion of Internship
| Activity | Required Hours |
|---|---|
| Total internship hours | 2,000 |
| Total direct service hours* | 500 |
| Individual supervision | 2 hrs/week |
| Group supervision | 1 hr/week |
| Weekly clinical team consultation | 1 hr/week |
| Supervision for group counseling (co)-facilitation (minimum one term) | 0.5-1 hr.week |
| Area of Emphasis supervision (optional) | 1 hr/week or 2 hrs/month |
| Meet the required minimum level of achievement (exit criteria) for nine profession-wide competencies at the end of the internship. | |
| Other Requirements | |
|
|
|
* Total Direct Service Hours include minimum 375 hours of Clinical Service Hours (i.e., individual therapy, co-leading group(s), consultation, triage, crisis intervention/urgent care and providing supervision to a trainee) |
|
Minimum Qualifications
We only accept applicants from APA or CPA-accredited programs. Applicants are welcome from PCSAS-accredited programs as long as their programs are also APA or CPA-accredited. Applicants must have completed a minimum of 450 adult and adolescent hours. At least 225 of these hours must be in individual (adult or adolescent) therapy. We do not count child or preschool hours as part of these totals. We count couples therapy hours but not hours of family therapy. Please notify the Director of Training if you have questions about your hours. Applicants must have completed at least one practicum experience in a university counseling center.
All coursework toward the doctoral degree must be completed by the beginning of the internship year. Required courses that will be taken later in the year before the internship should be listed on the AAPI form.
Candidates must have passed their comprehensive exams (or equivalent) by the time of application.
We prefer that you have proposed your dissertation by the time internship begins.
Application Information
Application Review and Interviews: Applications must be submitted by Friday, November 1, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. EST. The selection committee will review all completed applications and contact candidates selected for interviews by December 2, 2024. Interviews will be conducted via Zoom between December 2 and 13, 2024; phone interviews can be arranged upon request. Applicants not selected for interviews will also be notified by email no later than December 2, 2024.
Each interview, lasting 45–60 minutes, will include two CAPS staff members and will cover general questions about the candidate’s training, experience, and responses to a provided vignette, emailed in advance. Applicants will also have the option to attend one of two Zoom meetings with current interns to learn more about the internship experience. Meeting dates and details will be provided when interviews are scheduled. Applicants are encouraged to contact the Director of Training with any questions or to connect with current or former interns for additional insights.
Match and Selection: After interviews, CAPS will rank candidates and submit rankings to National Matching Services. Matched applicants and their academic programs will receive confirmation letters per APPIC Match Policies. If necessary, CAPS will participate in Phase II of the Match.
Additional Requirements: University regulations require a criminal background check for matched interns, conducted at no cost. A criminal conviction does not automatically disqualify an applicant but will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. If you have been a client at CAPS, notify the Director of Training; no details about your treatment will be requested beyond identifying the clinician(s) you saw. This ensures potential multiple relationships are appropriately addressed.
Equal Opportunity: OSU is committed to providing equal opportunity in all employment, services, programs, and activities, ensuring access regardless of race, national origin, sex, ability, or other protected status. We are also committed to addressing the needs of historically underrepresented groups and eliminating barriers caused by discrimination or harassment.
Submitting Your Application: Oregon State University Counseling & Psychological Services participates in the National Matching Service as approved by APPIC. Our NMS number is 175211. (Please be aware that each applicant needs to file the necessary form with NMS only once.)
You will complete the AAPI form on-line (See the APPIC website for more details). All of the application materials will be uploaded via the applicant portal on the APPIC website. We will not accept any paper materials. The electronic application includes:
- AAPI online form
- Cover letter
- Current CV
- Official transcripts for all graduate-level coursework completed
- Three standardized reference forms, with at least two completed by clinical supervisor
All application materials should be received by November 1, 2024, 11:59 PM, EST.
If you have any questions please contact Ozge Akcali by email [email protected] or call 541-737-2131.
About OSU
OSU is deeply committed to diversity, multiculturalism, and fostering a sense of community. We actively recruit and retain a diverse workforce and student body, including members of historically underrepresented groups. Our goal is to create and sustain a welcoming, supportive campus environment that nurtures creativity, builds community, and promotes equity and inclusion.
Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) at OSU is dedicated to affirming diversity in all its forms, treating everyone with dignity and respect, and opposing all forms of discrimination, prejudice, and oppression. As a predominantly white institution (PWI), OSU places a particular focus on centering the experiences and needs of students and staff with marginalized identities, offering holistic support specifically tailored to their unique needs.
We are proud to be an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and strongly encourage applications from individuals of historically underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, women, individuals with disabilities, veterans, LGBTQ+ community members, and others who align with our vision of fostering a diverse, inclusive, and equitable community.
About Corvallis
OSU is located in Corvallis, a vibrant community consistently ranked among the nation’s top five college towns and top 20 places to live. Nestled in the lush Willamette Valley, Corvallis offers easy access to the Oregon Coast, the Cascade Mountains, and Portland, all within a 90-minute drive. The area boasts a perfect blend of culture, nature, and outdoor recreation, making it an ideal place for work and play.