Psychology Practicum
Department of Psychiatry Psychology Practicum Training
Boston Medical Center is the largest safety net hospital in New England and the primary teaching hospital for the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. The Department of Psychiatry is made up of a diverse group of psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, psychiatric nurses, and trainees. The psychology practicum training program offers opportunities to gain training in culturally responsive, evidence-based treatments for patients living with trauma and related disorders, chronic medical conditions, and substance use disorders. Trainees will receive training in trauma-focused treatments, immigrant and refugee mental health, integrated behavioral health, behavioral medicine, and trauma informed care.
Integrated Behavioral Health/Behavioral Medicine:
This placement is primarily located in the General Internal Medicine practice at Boston Medical Center. The practicum student will serve as a member of an interdisciplinary team that includes primary care providers, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, nurses, nurse practitioners, clinical pharmacists, medical assistants, and patient navigators. By expanding the reach of behavioral health services to medical settings, Integrated Behavioral Health (IBH) has the potential to reduce health disparities, particularly among individuals who have been historically underserved by the mental health system and/or socially marginalized. Practicum students are introduced to the role of a Psychologist in integrated primary care. In this role, trainees will learn to address complex interactions between physical and mental health concerns and support patients’ self-management of chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and chronic pain. Consistent with a stepped care model, interns learn to conduct focused evaluations to determine the most appropriate level of care. Attention to social determinants of health, use of evidence-based screening/monitoring tools, and implementation of evidence-based treatment principles are emphasized in supervision and didactic trainings. Learn more about IBH Behavioral Health here.
Boston Center for Refugee Health and Human Rights (BCRHHR):
This placement is located within the Boston Center for Refugee Health and Human Rights (BCRHHR), the mental health arm of the Immigrant and Refugee Health Center. BCRHHR provides comprehensive mental health services including counseling and medication management designed to meet the needs of refugees and survivors of torture, asylum seekers and immigrants. As many patients have been exposed to extremes of human cruelty, the center offers comprehensive core services including mental health, family medicine and obstetric and gynecological care. In addition, the center provides on-site career development and English classes, as well as linkages to the US immigration and social services systems. The program is a national leader in providing a multidisciplinary model, using staff and pro bono counsel, and forms highly effective partnerships with legal assistance groups to provide medical testimony that is often critical to successful asylum petitions. The practicum student will provide individual psychotherapy services to patients within BCRHHR, increase clinical competence in working with severely traumatized refugee and immigrant populations, and receive clinical training in writing effective psychological affidavits supporting asylum seekers claim of torture or violence in their native countries. The practicum student will demonstrate cultural humility and cultural responsiveness in their work. Learn more about BCRHHR here.
Deadline to apply: December 19, 2022
Interview date ranges: January 2, 2023 – January 20, 2023
Notification Day: on or before February 13, 2023