Pathways to Military Internships: The Winter Institute

Course Dates: 8-10 Jan. 2024

The Center for Deployment Psychology’s Pathways to Military Internships - The Winter Institute extends a unique training opportunity to more doctoral students by providing the curriculum online. The Winter Institute is a three-day course designed to raise doctoral students’ awareness of what it would be like to serve as a psychologist in the Armed Forces and to increase their competitiveness for a military internship. The course is:

  • Hosted online through Zoom
  • Offered at no cost
  • Intended for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th year doctoral students in clinical or counseling psychology
  • Aimed at students exploring the idea of applying to a military internship at one of the ten training programs located throughout the U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force
  • A program that will strengthen trainees’ backgrounds in military behavioral health as they gain first-hand knowledge of military culture and the work of military psychologists who treat active duty service members

Curriculum:

Through online didactics, panels, and group discussions led by CDP faculty and experts in the field, participants learn about:

  • Types of clinical and assessment opportunities for military psychologists
  • The warrior ethos, deployment cycle stress, military family challenges and resilience
  • The opportunity to explore situations that may expose military psychologists to unique ethical challenges faced by providers working in DoD settings
  • Clinical problems experienced by service members and interventions used at military clinics

Highlights of the course include:

  • A chance to interact with psychologists from different branches of the military
  • A panel discussion with Training Directors from each of the service branches where students can ask questions about military internships
  • A discussion of military life experiences for those with family members

Please note: Students may apply to either, but cannot attend both The Summer Institute and The Winter Institute. Course content and key objectives overlap. If students are not accepted to a course, they can choose to apply to the other course or to re-apply to a future iteration of that course.

The Application period has closed.

Questions can be emailed to Hakimah Campbell at hakimah.campbell.ctr@usuhs.edu.