Selection Process

Intern Positions

There are two psychology internship openings for the training year. We offer two tracks: one in Pediatric Psychology with an emphasis on consultation/liaison, and the other in Pediatric Neuropsychology. Both interns will receive training in assessment, working with outpatient medical clinics, and outpatient therapy.

Training Period

The psychology internship begins the first week of July and ends the first week of July the following year.

Initial Screening

We will review the completed application and all materials. This includes assessing how well our program meets your needs and how your background and experience fit with our program.

By December 15, you will receive an email:

• requesting you contact us to schedule an interview
• or informing you that you are no longer under consideration

COVID-19 and Trainee Recruitment / Interviews

•  For the coming year, the psychology internship program at Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children's Hospital is in agreement with APPIC’s encouragement “to exclusively use virtual, remote, or on-line open houses, interviews, and/or tours for the entire selection process and not to utilize or offer in-person recruitment formats."  We also recognize that Interns and other trainees' practicum experiences have been impacted by COVID-19, in some cases resulting in fewer hours of experience.  Thus, our evaluation process will emphasize the acquisition of competence over the accrual of hours. 

Eligibility

To qualify, applicants should:

• Have completed at least four years of graduate school in psychology
• Have three years post-bachelor, supervised clinical experience
• Have two years post-bachelor supervised experience with children, adolescents and families
• By the start of the internship, have completed all doctoral coursework and all qualifying and comprehensive exams
• Have passed the proposal stage for doctoral dissertation
• Those applying to the Pediatric Psychology Track should have completed a minimum of 400 hours of supervised clinical experience, which includes practice in child, adolescent, and family therapy. At least 100 hours should involve psychological assessment and testing.  For those applying to the Pediatric Neuropsychology Track, preference will be given to those who have completed 300 hours of therapy experience, which includes practice in child, adolescent, and family therapy, and at least 350 hours of assessment experience.

Applicants must come from APA-accredited programs. Selection criteria include many other areas. 

Applicants are evaluated for:

• Their interests and goals appropriate to our internship program 
• Emotional maturity and stability
• Appropriate interpersonal skills
• Skill in translating theory into integrated practice
• A sound theoretical and academic foundation for effective clinical work
• Demonstrated sensitivity to and commitment to working with multicultural and diversity issues. 

Reference Checks

We may call some of your references for additional information during December, January and February.

Background Check/ Drug Screen

Phoenix Children’s Hospital requires successful completion of a standard background check, a 12-panel drug screen (including marijuana) and TB Test as part of the new hire onboarding. A positive test for marijuana, even with a medical marijuana card, will prevent hiring or result in termination. 

Criminal or other concerning history identified in a background check will be reviewed by the Training Committee, the Graduate Medical Education Committee and, if applicable, PCH Compliance, on a case-by-case basis to determine if there are mitigating factors that warrant proceeding with the onboarding process. PCH follows all applicable federal and state laws, including the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) in conducting any background screening.”

As we all know, the status of the COVID-19 pandemic has been frustratingly fluid since its onset.  Therefore, the information in this section is time-bound and subject to change with the course of the pandemic.  Interns coming from other states do not need to quarantine. 

• Full vaccination for COVID-19, among other diseases, is a condition of employment.

Changes to the program related to COVID-19

Our curriculum remains basically the same although the means by which some of the experiences are obtained has changed.  For example, didactic training can occur through video conferencing.  In addition, outpatient psychotherapy and some of the assessment process (e.g., interviews, informing sessions, etc.) can also be conducted remotely. We will provide training in tele-therapy and the use of the Phoenix Children's Hospital telehealth system.  Inpatient intervention and much outpatient assessment is conducted in-person.

Safety precautions during the COVID-19 pandemic

1. As the conditions of the pandemic are fluid, these precautions and recommendations are subject to change.
2. Interns and postdoctoral residents/fellows are considered “essential workers”.
3. Interns and other trainees may conduct outpatient psychotherapy through Zoom.
4. Interns and other trainees may have in-person contact for testing.  If Interns and other trainees would like to attend parent conferences, they may do so via zoom.
5. For in person testing, hospital-required PPE must be utilized. For most of our patients, this would include patient, parent, and student wearing a mask.   Currently, eye protection is not a standard PCH recommendation except when caring for patients undergoing testing or who have tested positive.  However, many providers have  chosen to purchase their own goggles.  If you choose to use goggles, please review the hospital policy on how to clean them between patients. 
6. Interns and other trainees should wash hands or utilize sanitizer every time they enter and leave a testing room.
7. Interns and other trainees should wipe all high-contact surfaces before the patient arrives and thoroughly wipe all materials after the patient leaves. Janitorial services should sanitize the testing room after each patient leaves. 
8. Only one family member may accompany the patient into the building as is hospital-wide policy.
9. The patient and the accompanying family member will be required to answer the COVID screening questions prior to Interns and other trainees having contact with the patient.
10.   Interns coming from other states do not need to quarantine. 

COVID-19 and Trainee Recruitment / Interviews

•  For the coming year, the psychology internship program at Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children's Hospital is in agreement with APPIC’s encouragement “to consider factors such as equity and inclusion and mitigation of bias in making decisions regarding the use of virtual interviews in recruitment.”  These decisions will be made by the Training committee and included in our public materials.  We also recognize that Interns and other trainees' practicum experiences have been impacted by COVID-19, in some cases resulting in fewer hours of experience.  Thus, our evaluation process will emphasize the acquisition of competence over the accrual of hours. 

Final Decision Making

Each applicant's strengths and weaknesses will be considered to determine if the internship at Phoenix Children’s is a good match. Applicants should consider if our hospital is a good fit for their training needs and professional direction. Consider talking with your advisor for help in the process. 

Match Day

We are hopeful that everyone we interviewed will be placed in the setting they want, and we are excited to find out who our interns are for the training year.

We will contact our matched applicants by telephone after the noon (EST) deadline on Match Day, in accordance with APPIC Guidelines. Within 72 hours, we will send matched applicants confirmation of their appointments.