Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology
Training

Our Training Program

The O’Grady Residency in Psychology aims to prepare future leaders in psychology through excellent training in evidence-based clinical care, research, and advocacy. DEI initiatives are integrated into all levels of training and is integral to our commitment to promote cultural competence in training and clinical care. Throughout the training year, trainees are provided ongoing opportunities to enhance cultural competence through direct clinical care with patients from diverse backgrounds, didactic trainings, a monthly seminar series dedicated to diversity, and allotted time to study areas of DEI interest. As part of our on-going commitment to improve our curriculum and our clinical services, we invite residents to share their feedback about their experience as an O’Grady Resident. Trainee feedback is welcomed throughout the program and also more formally solicited at the end of the program.

Successful internship completion is evidenced by intern ability to achieve and demonstrate competency (i.e., knowledge, skill not requiring supervision) in all profession-wide competencies:

  • Research
  • Ethical and Legal Standards
  • Individual and Cultural Diversity
  • Professional Values, Attitudes, and Behaviors
  • Communication and Interpersonal Skills
  • Assessment
  • Intervention
  • Supervision
  • Consultation and Inter-Professional/Interdisciplinary Skills

Graduates will be prepared for entry-level independent, health service psychology practice. Evaluation of intern competencies occurs four times a year formally and in written form and supervisors discuss intern performance with interns. Evaluation ratings implement a Minimal Level of Achievement (MLA) on all nine competencies in order to assess intern progress throughout the training year.

Midyear, an intern is expected to have received a rating of “3” (intern is progressing/should remain a consistent focus of supervision) on all nine competencies. At internship completion, an intern is expected to have received a rating of 4 (competent/comparable to autonomous practice at the licensure level) on 90% of all elements and no more than one rating of 3 in any of the 9 competencies.

Interns have the opportunity to train with world-class clinicians and researchers who treat the full spectrum of pediatric diseases, child clinical disorders and advance health policy. Through supervised clinical, research and didactic experiences, we prepare advanced doctoral students to enter the field as elite psychology professionals.

Training During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Our program is committed to continuing to provide high quality, evidence-based training while being responsive to public health needs in our community. The Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology made changes to support trainees during the COVID-19 pandemic, including providing training in conducting psychotherapy via telemedicine as well as supervised telemedicine experiences to substitute in-person clinical interventions, as needed.

The O’Grady Residency in Psychology provides broad training in clinical psychology; however, interns focus their training through participation in one of three tracks:

Behavioral Medicine Track

Interns in the behavioral medicine track provide medical inpatient and outpatient behavioral health assessment and treatment to child and adolescent patients and their families. Interns complete several rotations, gaining experience treating patients with chronic illnesses, adjustment disorders, behavioral problems, and anxiety / depression.

Interns will be assigned to two of the four following six-month major rotations:

  • Inpatient Medical Consultation-Liaison Service
  • Sleep Disorders Center
  • Pain Management
  • Gastrointestinal (GI) Psychology Service

Additionally, interns participate in two of the following six-month minor rotations:

  • Epilepsy Clinic
  • Headache Center and biofeedback assisted relaxation therapy
  • Diabetes
  • Pediatric Primary Care
  • The Functional Independence Restoration Program (FIRST)

Finally, all Behavioral Medicine interns participate in one four-month assessment rotation in either inpatient toddler neurodevelopmental clinic, cardiology or neuropsychology. They also see outpatient therapy cases during the training year.

Child Clinical Track

Interns in the child clinical track gain year-long training experiences in conducting empirically-based assessment and family focused services to improve the functioning of children and adolescents with ADHD (both with and without a broad range of co-morbid conditions) through the Center for ADHD. Interns also use evidence-based interventions to address other primary concerns in children and adolescents based on their interests.

In addition, Child Clinical Interns participate in four six-month minor rotations. All interns will participate in the following rotation:

  • Evidence-Based Treatment for Youth who have Experienced Trauma or Neglect (includes training in PCIT and TF-CBT)

Interns will rank their preferences for their remaining three rotations:

  • Sleep Disorders Center
  • Epilepsy Clinic
  • Pediatric Primary Care
  • Toddler Neurodevelopmental Assessment Clinic (includes ADOS training and opportunities for multidisciplinary team experience)
  • Early Intervention for Children on the Autism Spectrum

Acute Care Track

Interns in the acute care track gain experience working within psychiatric inpatient, outpatient, and medical clinic settings. There are opportunities to treat youth with a range of behavioral and mental health difficulties (internalizing and externalizing concerns, PTSD, eating disorders), to provide mental health services to gender expansive youth, to conduct assessments, and to co-lead a DBT Skills Group.

Interns will be assigned to the following six-month major rotations:

Interns will be assigned to the following six-month minor rotation:

  • Neurodevelopmental Diagnostic Assessment Clinic-School Age / Adolescent (one half day per week)

Interns will rank their preferences for their remaining two minor rotations (one half day per week):

  • Gender Health
  • Inpatient Eating Disorders
  • Outpatient Eating Disorders Treatment
  • Sleep Disorders Center
  • Neurobehavioral Partial Hospitalization
  • Epilepsy Clinic

Finally, all Acute Care interns participate in a 24-week DBT skills group that adheres to the evidence-based DBT-A skills group manual (Rathus, 2014). They also see outpatient therapy cases throughout the training year.

All interns participate in a clinical research placement, which provides time to complete dissertations and become involved in the lab of a research faculty member. This gives interns in-depth training in research and provides an opportunity to begin or continue to make a public contribution (e.g., co-author an abstract or manuscript) to the field of psychology. Interns wishing to further explore the research side of their careers can collaborate with a mentor on manuscript reviews for journals and participate in a number of research activities, such as scoring and coding psychological measures.

Our hope is that O’Grady residents leave the program with a strong competitive edge, thanks in part to their clinical research activities.

O’Grady residents are evaluated every six months by primary supervisors and the training director. Evaluators use a combination of a standard form and verbal feedback to document each intern's professional growth. A summary report for each intern is submitted to the graduate program training director twice a year, and each intern receives a competency assessment in December and April. Interns also evaluate their supervisors to provide feedback and address their own needs and expectations.

The O’Grady Residency in Psychology focuses training on seven primary aims:

  • Evidence-based assessment
  • Evidence-based treatment
  • Integration of psychology research and practice
  • Multidisciplinary collaboration and care
  • Professional development
  • Cultural and individual diversity
  • Supervision

Interns explore each area through seminars, training sessions and the opportunity to participate in collaborative activities. Click here to learn more.

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