University of Mississippi Medical Center Psychology Internship Training Program

2025-2026 Training Year

Jump to the table of contents.

*Note: Some links within this page will take you to external websites.

CONTENTS

Select a topic below to jump to a section.

Accreditation Status:

The UMMC Internship (Residency) Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association. The next site visit is scheduled for 2028. The Commission can be contacted at:

American Psychological Association
750 First St., NE, Washington, DC 20002
Phone: (202) 336-5979
E-mail: apaacred@apa.org
Web: www.apa.org/ed/accreditation

Back to Top

Program Overview and Structure:

The University of Mississippi Medical Center Psychology Internship (Residency) Training Program is housed in the Division of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC). Versions of the program have been accredited by the American Psychological Association since its inception in 1964. The Program was previously accredited as a consortium with the local VA, however, on July 1, 2017 began operating as an independent program. In Spring 2018 the UMMC Psychology Internship Program underwent an accreditation site visit to seek accreditation as an independent internship training program. The UMMC Internship Training Program was granted full accreditation status as an independent program by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association. The Program’s next accreditation review is scheduled for 2028.

The UMMC Internship Program offers a wide variety of clinical and research opportunities during the internship year, which are consistent with the Program’s training goals for interns. Although clinical training activities play a paramount role in our program, interns are expected to actively maintain involvement in research. Continuing education seminars, grant writing seminar, dissemination and implementation curriculum, and professional academic development didactics comprise an additional important component of training.

Training Goals/Objectives for Interns:

Goal #1 – Interns will be competent in assessment, intervention, supervision, and consultation skills.

Objective: By the end of the training year, psychology interns will be competent in assessment, intervention, supervision, and consultation skills as evidenced by at least high intermediate skill (requiring minimal supervision) in the following domains by the end of the internship year:

• Assessment
• Intervention
• Supervision
• Consultation and Interprofessional Skills

Goal # 2 – Interns will be skilled in the interface between science and practice.

Objective: Production of psychology interns who will be skilled in the interface between science and practice by applying scientific knowledge to the clinical setting, being educated consumers of empirical research and participating in active research projects and/or program evaluation as evidenced by demonstration of at least high intermediate skill (requiring minimal supervision) in the following domain by the end of the internship year:

• Research

Goal #3 – Interns will be competent in individual and cultural differences.

Objective: By the end of the training year, psychology interns will demonstrate competencies including, but not limited to, age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, language, national origin, race, religion, culture, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status as evidenced by demonstration of at least high intermediate skills (requiring minimal supervision) in the following domain by the end of the internship year:

• Individual and Cultural Differences

Goal #4 – Interns will display professional and ethical behavior.

Objective: By the end of the training year, psychology interns will demonstrate professional and ethical behavior. Interns will adapt professional behavior in a manner that is sensitive and appropriate to the needs of various clients, colleagues, and organizations as evidenced by at least high intermediate skill (requiring minimal supervision) in the following domains by the end of the internship year:

• Professional Values, Attitudes, and Behaviors
• Ethical and Legal Standards

Goal #5 – Interns will be competent in teaching and expressive skills

Objective: Production of psychology interns who by the end of the training year will demonstrate knowledge of didactic learning strategies, be able to apply teaching methods to multiple settings, and have verbal, nonverbal, and written communications that are informative, articulate, succinct, well-integrated, and demonstrate thorough grasp of professional language and concepts as evidenced by at least high intermediate skill (requiring minimal supervision) in the following domain by the end of the internship year:

• Communication and Interpersonal Skills

In addition to these general competencies, the Program provides opportunities to develop specialized competencies (e.g., motivational interviewing, dissemination, etc.) through our various training rotations and curricular offerings.

Training Model:

The UMMC Training Program endorses a cognitive-behavioral orientation within a scientist-practitioner model. Interest in, and experience with, this approach are important selection criteria. Interns gain clinical experience with a wide variety of patient populations and across multiple settings through inpatient, outpatient, and community placements. The training program fosters a collegial atmosphere and emphasizes a junior-colleague model with interns in a variety of clinical, research, and professional settings.

The internship year is divided into 3 four-month rotations and multiple clinical rotations are available (See Rotations below), each serving different populations and providing unique services. Interns are expected to accumulate at least 500 face-to-face clinical hours during the internship year. Rotation assignments are made based on interns' rankings and Training Program faculty input based on intern's training needs and clinical goals. Interns provide rankings twice during the year, prior to the start of internship and in September, to allow for experiences with the first rotation to be considered before making choices for the second and third rotations. Rotations are divided into Child and Adult emphasis areas. Interns are encouraged to gain experiences within both emphasis areas. Clinical supervision and training are conducted on a one-on-one and small group basis within each clinical rotation. For the 2025-2026 training year, the UMMC Psychology Internship Training Program will have 7 internship positions.

A unique aspect of clinical experiences offered through the Training Program includes the racial/ethnic and socioeconomic variations of patient populations served at UMMC. In Mississippi, more than 35% of the population is Black/African American, and 80% of the state is considered rural. Related topics are incorporated into supervision, research, didactics, and professional development activities during the internship training year.

Additional clinical opportunities occur through the General Psychology Clinic, where interns gain experience working with longer-term outpatient cases, and can receive supervision from Training Program psychology faculty other than their rotation supervisors. Currently services are provided in this clinic via telehealth from the main UMMC campus. Interns spend a half day per week providing clinical services through the General Psychology Clinic.

To facilitate growth and successful progress in the program, interns receive formal evaluative feedback on their progress on training goals/objectives during the end of each rotation and at the mid-rotation during the first rotation. Interns also meet individually with the Training Director monthly throughout the training year to discuss training related goals and program progress, as well as professional development related issues. Interns must demonstrate performance at the high intermediate level on all competencies to complete internship.

Back to Top

Rotations:

The UMMC Psychology Internship Training Program offers clinical rotations in both child and adult emphasis areas. Interns are encouraged to participate in rotations in both areas. Some rotations offer both halftime (14 hrs/week) and full-time (28 hrs/week) experiences, as well as mini-rotation (4-8 hrs/week) opportunities. The rotation descriptions provide specific information about which options are available for each rotation.

Child-Focused Rotations:

Center for the Advancement of Youth (CAY)
Child Inpatient
Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH)
Pediatric Psychology

Adult-Focused Rotations:

Administrative
Adult Inpatient
Center for Innovation and Discovery in Addictions (CIDA)
Integrative Health
Methodist Rehabilitation Neuropsychology/Behavioral Medicine
Neuropsychology
Trauma and Dual Disorders

Rotation Descriptions:

Child-Focused Rotations

Center for the Advancement of Youth (CAY) Rotation, Dr. Banks (primary supervisor), Drs. Elkin, Sarver, Seifen, and Sutton: This rotation provides extensive training with diverse pediatric populations within the Center for Advancement of Youth (CAY). Residents will participate in a fully integrated multidisciplinary clinic and be provided with opportunities for psychological assessments and interventions that include infants through adolescents, including those with potential medical co-morbidities. The CAY clinic offers several clinical experiences among which the resident may participate in based on interest and availability. Assessment opportunities include: (1) interdisciplinary (psychology/developmental pediatrician) brief diagnostic and treatment planning assessments for children with developmental or emotional-behavioral difficulties and (2) psychological and psychoeducational assessment for a wide range of learning, developmental and psychological conditions. Treatment opportunities include: (3) provision of evidence-based therapy for mood, anxiety and externalizing behaviors for children (preschool – adolescence); (4) parent-management training delivered in clinic through the Brief Behavior Intervention (BBI) modality or in a weekly evening parenting group (children/adolescents). Additional opportunities for interested residents include early childhood/infant developmental assessment and autism screening evaluation. The clinic also provides PCIT services and Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT). Residents will have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with PCIT and CBIT intervention through observation and, in some cases, co-therapy based on clinic capacity, resident experience, and supervisor’s discretion. Some intervention services at CAY are provided through telehealth as well. The CAY rotation also offers professional development opportunities through didactics. Overall, this rotation emphasizes diagnostic and intervention skills necessary for future career opportunities in pediatric and child/adolescent psychology.

Child Inpatient Rotation, Dr. Seifen: This rotation provides extensive training in providing psychological services to children who are hospitalized on the acute psychiatric child inpatient unit at Children’s of Mississippi. The unit provides services for children ages 4-12 years who present with a wide range of psychiatric problems, including depression, anxiety, oppositional/conduct problems, trauma, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and other neurodevelopmental disorders. The typical length of the inpatient stay ranges from 7 to 14 days. The unit provides an excellent opportunity for residents to observe and work with children presenting with a range of mental illnesses including severe psychopathology. Residents will be part of a multidisciplinary treatment team and participate in daily rounds with the team. They will have the opportunity to be involved in developing treatment plans and appropriate follow-up care after discharge for each patient. Given the brief stay of the children on the inpatient unit, clinical services are typically acute and short-term. Assessment opportunities on the unit include: (1) self-report measures to help with diagnostic clarification and treatment planning, (2) brief cognitive testing for the purpose of a referral to residential care, and (3) additional testing if needed (e.g., academic testing, assessment of adaptive skills). Intervention opportunities consist of (1) brief evidence-based individual therapy, (2) group therapy consisting of daily mindfulness and relaxation activities, social skills training, or CBT/DBT groups, and (3) providing psychoeducation and teaching behavior management strategies to parents and caregivers of patients. Residents will also be involved in developing behavioral recommendations for children to support the staff on the unit in managing behavioral challenges.

Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH), Drs. Sarver and Walker: This rotation provides interns with diverse clinical experiences in the provision of services that support infant and early childhood mental health, with emphasis on high-risk children and their caregivers in the UMMC Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Newborn High-Risk Follow-Up Clinic. Interns will gain clinical experiences in (1) conducting perinatal mental health services (i.e., screening, assessment, brief intervention, and linkages to community-based services) for pregnant persons with high-risk pregnancies (e.g., prenatal congenital diagnoses) and parents of newborns/infants in the NICU requiring support; (2) multidisciplinary assessment of early neurodevelopmental and behavioral functioning of high-risk children under the age of 4 years with NICU histories including with assessment tools such as the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID), and the Screening Tool for Autism and Toddlers (STAT); and (3) brief consultation addressing common issues related to attachment, parenting behaviors, and developmental support in infancy and toddlerhood. Collectively, the experience provides interns with exposure to a continuum of care across early development for high-risk infants and toddlers. Interventions will be provided in person and via telehealth to support home transitions. Interns will provide services within a strong integrated setting that emphasizes collaborative clinical care among multiple professions (e.g., neonatology, nursing, social work, early intervention). Given that the UMMC NICU is the only level IV NICU in the state of Mississippi, interns will gain experience serving families from diverse racial/ethnic, geographic, and sociodemographic backgrounds and will gain exposure to an array of medical conditions (e.g., congenital heart disease; genetic disorders) influencing the developmental and behavioral health of children. Interns will have the opportunity to provide supervision to masters-level psychology students during assessments, co-facilitate a parent support group, and participate in multidisciplinary team meetings on the unit.

Pediatric Psychology Rotation, Drs. Karlson and Ford: This rotation provides extensive training with pediatric populations in a variety of settings and clinics affiliated with UMMC. Experiences take place in the Multidisciplinary Pediatric Craniofacial Clinic, Children's Cancer Outpatient Clinic, Batson Children's Hospital Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Inpatient Unit, Multidisciplinary Pediatric Brain Tumor Clinic, Pediatric Neurology Clinic, and Multidisciplinary Cystic Fibrosis Clinic. During this rotation, interns will develop effective communication and consultation skills while working closely with families and other health care providers. Interns participate in consultation and liaison services for UMMC pediatric treatment teams, conducting supervised neuropsychology assessments, brief screening and diagnostic interviews, and psychological interventions for inpatient and outpatient populations with a number of different presenting medical diagnoses (cancer, sickle cell, stroke, genetic conditions, craniofacial conditions, headaches, tic disorders, arthritics, Cystic Fibrosis, etc.). Two unique aspects of behavioral pediatrics are (1) the exceedingly wide range of problems seen by interns including internalizing, externalizing, and learning disorders, and (2) the relatively brief time frame in which assessment and treatment can take place. This aspect of the rotation emphasizes the diagnostic and treatment skills necessary for handling, in a timely manner, the wide range of cases presented in a pediatric/hospital setting. Interns have addressed problems such as adjustment, adherence to medical regimen, adaptive functioning, disruptive behavior, feeding problems, sleep problems, toileting, pain management, grief, and other areas. Opportunities for quality improvement projects may also be available for interested interns.

Adult-Focused Rotations

Administrative Mini Rotation, Dr. Ford: This rotation aims to help interns prepare for the administrative roles that will be part of their careers. The rotation provides an overview of current administrative, strategic, and performance improvement initiatives and issues in the Department of Psychiatry. Interns will select a focus or project from among these options, which are tailored to the intern’s interests or training needs whenever possible. Interns will also have the opportunity to observe additional administrative activities by shadowing faculty in meetings.

Adult Inpatient Rotation, Dr. Voluse: The goals of this rotation are to learn how to assess and treat individuals as part of an interdisciplinary psychiatric team within an acute care inpatient psychiatric unit. Training takes place on two locked adult inpatient psychiatry units at UMMC. The intern works closely with the inpatient psychiatry team and serves as the psychology consultant on the unit. This includes experiences such as completing integrated assessment reports for diagnostic clarification, psychoeducation about psychological treatments, brief interventions (e.g., relapse prevention plans), a skills-based group, and in-service training and shadowing opportunities to medical students and psychiatry interns. The intern will serve as an important member of the treatment team and gain exposure to an interdisciplinary approach to psychiatric treatment. Common presenting problems include psychotic disorders, mood disorders, and trauma-related disorders. Given the high prevalence of substance misuse within acute psychiatry populations, there are opportunities for assessment and treatment of substance use and co-occurring disorders. Additionally, the intern will serve to provide brief consultation to medical inpatients who have come to the attention of the Psychiatry Consultation/Liaison Team due to a wide range of mental health concerns. This experience affords interns a chance to work collaboratively with psychiatrists in a medical setting in a consultant role.

Center for Innovation and Discovery in Addictions Rotation (CIDA), Dr. Voluse: The CIDA rotation is conceived as an opportunity for interns to work with adult patients with substance use disorders across a range of settings as follows:

Outpatient Settings

• Helping HAND is an initiative that identifies patients with substance use disorders (SUD) through use of Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) and offers motivational, behavioral, and cognitive-behavioral interventions for SUD. The rotation is set in the Department of Medicine’s Adult Special Care Clinic, a sub-specialty medical clinic for individuals living with HIV/AIDS. The rotation provides extensive experiences with racial, ethnic, and sexual minorities and provides exposure to HIV care. Interns rotating on CIDA are assigned a caseload of Helping HAND patients and follow them for the duration of the rotation. Additionally, interns on this rotation will have exposure to applying contingency management as an effective intervention.
• River Chase Flowood (RCF) is the Department of Psychiatry’s general outpatient clinic. Within RCF’s services is the Addiction Clinic where interns rotating on CIDA will have the opportunity to provide SUD evaluations and deliver behavioral and cognitive-behavioral SUD treatment in person and via telehealth technology. As with Helping HAND, interns will follow a caseload of patients throughout the rotation. As the clinic also provides Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT), the intern will gain exposure to this treatment modality as well. Based on availability, opportunities may exist for interns to engage in assessment and treatment of patients who are either pre- or post-liver transplant due to alcohol consumption.

Inpatient Settings

• The intern will serve as an addictions-focused consultant to the Department of Psychiatry’s Consultation/Liaison (C/L) Service. C/L evaluates patients throughout the medical center’s inpatient units and seeks input from the CIDA intern to include in their treatment recommendations. The intern has an opportunity to work in a medical setting and to provide brief motivational interventions as well as engage in planning and recommendations for treatment.
• Patients with known or suspected SUD are identified while admitted to the Department of Psychiatry’s two inpatient adult psychiatric units: a high intensity unit (7 West) and a psychiatric stepdown unit (7 East). As in the C/L role, interns are called upon to work with patients from a motivational framework and to develop evidence-based treatment recommendations, although in a psychiatric rather than a medical setting. Additional opportunities to lead skills-based groups and complete integrated reports may be available.

Taken together, the settings encompassed in the CIDA rotation provide a comprehensive context for SUD evaluation and treatment, and expose the intern to the larger system framework in which SUD treatment takes place.

Trauma and Dual Disorders Rotation, Dr. Schumacher: The goal of this rotation is to learn how to assess and treat the acute and chronic sequelae of exposure to psychological trauma in inpatients and outpatients with and without co-occurring substance use disorders. The primary focus is on evidence-based treatment of trauma-related disorders, particularly the treatment of PTSD using exposure-based treatment, cognitive processing therapy, or other evidence-based approaches and transdiagnostic treatment of emotion dysregulation with dialectical behavior therapy skills, with the opportunity to also acquire advanced skills in motivational interviewing. The treatments will be provided in group and individual formats. There also are opportunities to treat anxiety and mood disorders such as depression, social anxiety, generalized anxiety, panic, and bipolar disorder using a variety of evidence-based protocols. There are opportunities to complete evaluations of clients, to prepare integrated reports, and to make recommendations to other providers and treatment teams. The clinical experiences take place on UMMC’s inpatient and outpatient psychiatry services. Opportunities to train staff in cognitive behavioral treatment approaches, to provide general program consultation to services, and clinical supervision to doctoral students may also be available.

Integrative Health Rotation, Dr. Burgess: On this rotation interns will have the opportunity to be involved in delivering integrative health services to patients with a wide variety of medical concerns (i.e., cancer, hypertension, diabetes, chronic pain, organ transplant, obesity, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, traumatic injury, etc.) and psychological issues (i.e., stress, anxiety, grief, depression, posttraumatic stress, sleep problems, adjustment reactions, relationship conflict, etc.). Interns will work along with a team of healthcare professionals, including nurse practitioners, psychologist, physical therapy, psychiatry, and nutritionist through individual sessions, as well as interdisciplinary team meetings and staffings. In addition, interns will have the opportunity to be involved in various group interventions, such as health-focused groups, mindfulness-based therapies, yoga/Pilates, resiliency groups, movement therapies, and pediatric wellness classes. The goal of the rotation will be to train interns to promote and provide patient-centered care that enhances healing, health, wellness, and quality of life. An interdisciplinary, team-based model will be used to develop comprehensive treatment plans that integrate the mind, body, and spirit to facilitate each patient's natural capacity for health and healing.

Methodist Rehabilitation Hospital Neuropsychology/Behavioral Medicine Rotation, Dr. Evans: The goal of this rotation is to provide interns with supervised assessment and treatment of clinical cases in a physical medicine and rehabilitation setting. Experiences include consultation on inpatient brain injury, stroke, general orthopedic, and spinal cord injury services. Interns will learn to conduct brief cognitive exams for TBI, stroke, anoxic brain injury, and brain tumor patient populations utilizing formal instruments such as 3MS, MOCA, CAP/GOAT, ABS, NAB and MAST to monitor patient change over time and report findings in the medical record. Interns have opportunities to learn to administer and interpret formal neuropsychological evaluations and provide recommendations given in these types of settings if desired. Interns will be supervised and trained in giving patient and family feedback on both formal and informal evaluations. There is opportunity for involvement with family conferences for provision of test results and education regarding course of recovery. They will also be actively monitoring mood/emotional adjustment in patients. As a second option, this rotation can be tailored with more of a therapy focus than assessment focus. Interns will have opportunities to provide psychotherapy targeting depression, anxiety, and adjustment to disability. They will also be trained in provision of brief cognitive and behavioral interventions targeting problems such as obesity/weight management, substance abuse, chronic pain, and smoking cessation. Inpatients often need education and assistance in making behavior changes to help manage newly diagnosed medical conditions.  Interns have the opportunity to observe weekly staffing for inpatient consults as time allows and work with treatment team members on specific behavioral or emotional issues.

Neuropsychology Rotation, Drs. Manning and Ross: Consultation service is provided to medical specialties including Neurology, Neurosurgery, Trauma, and Psychiatry.

Diagnostic issues addressed include:

1. Acute conditions – traumatic brain injury/concussion, stroke, and altered mental status associated with other trauma
2. Medical conditions requiring workup for treatment planning – epilepsy, brain tumor, chronic pain
3. Aging-related conditions – mild and major neurocognitive disorder
4. Behavioral-health conditions – psychogenic non-epileptic attacks

Services are primarily provided for the above noted conditions in an outpatient clinic, with occasional bedside exams in the hospital. In clinic and in the hospital setting, we offer more formal neuropsychological examinations/testing, physician and staff education/training regarding behavioral aspects of management of acute conditions, recommendations for ongoing rehabilitation. For epilepsy patients with intractable seizures and patients with brain tumors, we participate in pre-surgery evaluations, sodium Amytal/Propofol (Wada) procedures, fMRI, continuous neurobehavioral monitoring during awake craniotomies, post-surgery bedside exams and more extensive outpatient cognitive exams.

Clinical Training during COVID-19: During the 2019-2020 internship training year there were modifications made to our program’s clinical rotations to limit intern exposure to the COVID-19 virus and to comply with organizational and local recommendations. These modifications included conducting telehealth and telephone-based treatments, assessments, consultations, and supervision. Our interns were also involved in providing services to UMMC employees and students through a stress and coping hotline specific to COVID-19. All of our interns were able to obtain sufficient clinical hours to graduate the program. During the 2020-2021 internship training year, our clinical rotations returned to primarily providing services to patients in-person. Masks can be worn during patient encounters, but are not required for staff or patients. Various personal protective equipment is available for intern use during patient encounters. In addition, UMMC has a robust telehealth infrastructure and telehealth services continue to be implemented in a variety of our clinical outpatient settings. This allows psychology interns to gain experience providing telehealth services to a variety of patient populations. In the event that organizational and local leaders recommend limiting in-person services in the future due to the COVID-19 virus, our clinical supervisors are prepared for interns to provide telehealth services and supervise interns in the implementation of these services.

Curriculum:

Supervision

Clinical supervision is provided on clinical rotations in individual and small group formats. Supervision for the General Psychology Clinic is conducted in groups according to program track and patient population. Interns receive at least 4 hours of supervision a week, with 3 hours provided on clinical rotations and 1 hour provided for the General Psychology Clinic. The supervision model varies based on the clinical rotation and supervisor, but generally is developmental in regards to the intern’s previous experience in the setting and with the patient population, as well as intern individual clinical training goals.

Practice and Dissemination Curriculum

Beginning in 2008 with generous funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (R25DA026637, PI: Julie A. Schumacher, Program of Excellence in Practice and Dissemination of Motivational Interviewing), the UMMC Training Program began development and implementation of our Practice and Dissemination Curriculum. The curriculum was developed in response to increasing awareness of Training Program faculty that dissemination and implementation of evidence based behavioral treatments remains a major challenge for researchers, professional organizations, and federal and state agencies.

Despite the discovery of several promising therapeutic interventions for a variety of disorders, the gap between research and practice still exists and many practitioners continue to rely on treatments supported only by anecdotal and idiographic evidence. Further, although many facilities and practitioners base their treatment philosophy on evidence-based practices, the treatment provided may bear little to no resemblance to actual evidence-based practices.

We believe that research oriented doctoral training programs, internship programs, and postdoctoral fellowship programs in psychology currently represent an important mechanism through which evidence-based behavioral practices are disseminated. However, many of these programs, including our own Training Program, specialize in training individuals who seek to become academic psychologists rather than full-time practitioners. Thus, our Practice and Dissemination Curriculum is designed to foster broader dissemination and implementation of evidence-based behavioral treatments by these programs.

The intent of this curriculum is to foster ongoing dissemination and implementation of evidence-based practices in the state of Mississippi and beyond, by: 1) fully integrating the curriculum into our training program, 2) instilling a desire for further dissemination and implementation work in our trainees, and 3) disseminating the curriculum as a model for training. The focus of this curriculum from 2008-13 was motivational interviewing for substance use disorders, from 2013-2016 it was exposure-based treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder, and from 2016-22 will focus on Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) for substance use disorders. Beginning the 2022-2023 training year, with the generous grant support from HRSA (PI: Sarver), the focus has been on Integrated Behavioral Health.

Seminars and Grand Rounds

The UMMC Training Program offers a series of didactic seminars that cover a broad range of topics, including professional development, grant writing (See Research Opportunities below for more information), assessment and treatment approaches with specific populations, neuropsychology, psychopharmacology, research methodology, legal and ethical issues, cultural diffferences, and supervision. Psychology interns attend the UMMC Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior grand rounds approximately every other week, which includes medical students, psychiatry residents and fellows, as well as faculty from psychology, psychiatry, and neurobiology and behavior research. A Research Rounds/Case Presentation series is presented by psychology interns and post docs. Interns are expected to present a job talk during the fall and a clinical case in the spring to psychology interns and post docs, psychiatry residents and fellows, and department faculty. More information regarding the interdisciplinary education programming in the department can be found here: https://www.umc.edu/Psychiatry/Curriculum. Finally, many other seminars, grand rounds and informal presentations offered by other departments are open to our trainees.

The UMMC Psychology Internship Training Program has a strong reputation for providing excellent professional development seminars aimed at psychology interns who intend to have an academic/research career. The professional development seminars include topics that range from negotiating salaries and start up packages to financial planning to work/life balance.

Internship Faculty for the 2025-2026 Internship Year:

• Gabrielle Banks, PhD, Assistant Professor, Center for the Advancement of Youth, Department of Pediatrics (CAY Rotation, TEAM Clinic)
• Danny Burgess, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior (Integrative Health Rotation, GPC Supervisor)
• David Elkin, PhD, ABPP, Professor, Executive Director, Center for Advancement of Youth, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior (CAY Rotation)
• Clea Evans, PhD, Director of Neuropsychology, Methodist Rehabilitation Center (Methodist Rehabilitation Hospital Neuropsychology/Behavioral Medicine Rotation)
• Hannah Ford, PhD, Associate Professor, Psychology Residency Training Director, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, (Pediatric Psychology and Child Inpatient Rotations)
• Cynthia Karlson, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology (Pediatric Psychology Rotation)
• Edward Manning, PhD, ABPP, Professor, Department of Neurology (Neuropsychology Rotation)
• Nathan Ross, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Neurology (Neuropsychology Rotation)
• Dustin Sarver, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior (CAY and IECMH Rotations)
• Julie Schumacher, PhD, Professor, Vice Chair of Education, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior (Adult Inpatient and CBDD Rotations)
• Tanja Seifen, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior (Child Inpatient Rotation)
• Monica J. Sutton, PhD, Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Child Development (CAY Rotation)
• Andrew Voluse, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior (Adult Inpatient and CIDA Rotations)
• Courtney Walker, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior (IECMH Rotation)

Back to Top

Research Opportunities:

While clinical training activities play a paramount role in our program, interns are expected to maintain active involvement in research, which is consistent with our scientist-practitioner model. To fulfill the core research competency requirement, it is expected that each intern will complete a research project during the course of the training year. To accomplish this goal interns are paired with a research preceptor who is a faculty member or affiliate faculty member from UMMC who is actively involved in a program of research. Prior to the start of the training year interns are matched with a faculty member whose research interests and experience are consistent with the interests or goals of the intern. These assignments are based primarily on intern rankings, as well as the availability of research preceptors. At the beginning of the training year it is expected that interns will develop a research plan for the year in consultation with their research preceptor and that throughout the year they will develop and plan a research project, carry out the research, and disseminate research findings. Interns are provided with protected research time each week to use for Program-related research including but not limited to submission of a first-authored publication or an equivalent research product under the supervision of Training Program faculty during the training year. There is considerable flexibility in the content, scope, and focus on research projects completed by interns; however, it is expected that it will consist of a project independent of the dissertation and consist of a first-authored manuscript submission or similar product. A high percentage of former psychology interns have authored or co-authored multiple publications based on their research activities during the internship year.

To facilitate achievement of these research goals and expectations, interns receive 8 hours of protected research time per week. Failure to meet research expectations will not result in failure of the internship program (as long as the intern achieves a rating of at least high intermediate on the Scientific Knowledge and Methods and Research/Evaluation domains), but may result in intern protected research time being reassigned to meet other training goals. The Research Training Oversight Committee oversees the monitoring of progress on research-related competencies and helps to facilitate a modified research plan in the rare instance that an intern’s research time is reassigned due to insufficient progress.

Didactics on grantsmanship are part of the internship training experience and all interns are expected to participate in this seminar series. Grant writing didactics are led by Training Program faculty members who have a strong history of attracting NIH funding and have considerable experience reviewing NIH grants. Interns are encouraged to begin, and perhaps complete, a draft of their own independent grant by the end of the internship year.

Significant resources are available to support research training activities. PCs are easily accessible with primary software packages including MS Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel), STATA, SAS, and SPSS among others.  Laboratory and A/V equipment include psychophysiological assessment and biofeedback equipment, video recorder/playback systems, DLP projectors, etc. Online survey and data management services are available through Qualtrics and REDCap. The Rowland Medical Library offers excellent facilities and receives all major psychology journals; in addition, the vast majority of these journals are available electronically. The capacity for database searches Medline, ERIC, CINAHL, HEALTH, PsychINFO and PsychLit (Psychological Abstracts) is available on-site and remotely.

Research Preceptors for 2025-2026 Internship Year:

Hannah Ford

• Research: Examining biopsychosocial factors associated with primary medical disorders (e.g., chronic pain, Cystic Fibrosis), sleep disturbance, and adjustment to chronic illness in pediatric populations; brief intervention for chronic pain; program evaluation and quality improvement in a multidisciplinary pediatric Cystic Fibrosis clinic; use of technology-based interventions in behavioral health settings.
• Experience with Funding: Co-I on multiple federal (HRSA, NIH) grants. PI on HRSA sub-grant. Site PI on ECHO ISPCTN clinical trial (NIH).

Cynthia Karlson

• Research: Chronic pain in children and adolescents with hematology/oncology conditions; influence of mood and sleep disturbance on chronic pain symptoms in children and adolescents; biopsychosocial and family factors in chronic pain and adjustment to chronic illness; biopsychological interventions for chronic pain; neurocognitive functioning in pediatric oncology and sickle cell disease; health disparities and impact of socioeconomic status on outcomes in pediatric oncology and sickle cell disease.
• Experience with funding: PI on NIH KL2 subaward, PI on Foundation grants, PI on Intramural and Intradepartmental grants, Co-I on NIH, HRSA and MS Department of Mental Health grants. Grant submissions (e.g., Foundations, NIH/NCI K07, COBRE) as PI and Co-PI.

Dustin Sarver

• Research: Dr. Sarver’s research interests are in the developmental psychopathology of ADHD, other neurodevelopmental (e.g., ASD), and externalizing disorders, primarily in children and youth. His research program aims to have a translational scope, ranging from understanding neurocognitive dysfunction, and characterizing patterns of various functional impairment areas, to understanding biopsychosocial and contextual influences on behavioral treatments for ADHD and externalizing behavior. On the applied end, his clinical research is recently aimed at evaluating behavioral intervention programs (e.g., PCIT, CARE, TCIT) designed to facilitate continuums of care for disruptive behavior in the community ranging from prevention and interventions services, to dissemination/implementation of behavioral treatment. Recent work has also been in telehealth and pediatric mental health networks/mental health access programs. Opportunities for research on large nationally and state-representative datasets on children, early childhood, and neurodevelopmental disorders are available.
• Experience with funding: PI on 12 federal (HRSA, SAMHSA), state, foundation, and intramural grants totaling over $16 million; Co-I on large multi-site grants from HRSA and national foundations (Simon’s National SPARK autism genetic study). NIH/NIMH LRP awardee and research mentor on NIH, NICHD LRP, and SAMHSA applications. Grant reviewer for national foundation and HRSA.

Julie Schumacher

• Research: Areas of active research include: etiology and treatment of co-occurring substance use disorders, violence, and trauma; motivational interviewing; dissemination and implementation of evidence-based psychotherapies. Opportunities for original data collection, as well as data sets for secondary analysis are available in these topic areas.
• Experience with extramural funding: PI on 3 NIH grants and one SAMHSA grant, LRP recipient and supervisor for 2 LRP recipients, F32 Primary Sponsor, and grant reviewer for NIH Center for Scientific Review, NIAAA Special Emphasis Panels, and CDC National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.

Courtney Walker

• Research: The influence of parenting factors, namely parenting behaviors and parental psychopathology, and adverse childhood experiences on young child neurodevelopmental and behavioral outcomes, particularly in high-risk populations (e.g., prematurity; NICU stay). Identification and dissemination of modifiable resiliency factors (i.e., access to services and parental knowledge of positive parenting practices and child development) through the development, evaluation, and dissemination of interventions for children and families in low socioeconomic, rural, and medically underserved communities.
• Experience with funding: NICHD LRP awardee; PI/Co-PI on federal (HRSA; SAMHSA; CDC), national (Center for the Study of Social Policy), and foundation grants (Zero to Three). Co-I on federal (HRSA; NICHD trial) and state (MS Department of Education) grants. Grant submissions (e.g., HRSA, NIMH) as PI or Co-I.

Andrew Voluse 

• Research: Substance use disorders (SUD), with a particular emphasis in underrepresented/underserved populations such as people living with HIV and/or hepatitis, rural populations, and women. Medication adherence within the SUD population. Inter-departmental collaborative care, with specific focus on improving education, screenings, and referrals.
• Experience with Funding: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA); Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA); Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS); VA Innovator Network Accelerator Program; VA Office of Patient Care Services/Specialty Care; Merck, Sharp, & Dohme Corp.

Back to Top

Training Committees:

The internship program consists of various committees that oversee intern's experiences throughout the year.

Residency Training Committee (RTC)

Chair: Hannah Ford

Vice Chair: Julie Schumacher

Role: Functions as the oversight committee for the UMMC Psychology Internship Program. The RTC and its Subcommittees serve to provide oversight related to the clinical, research, and diversity elements of interns training experiences. Through ongoing tracking of Training Program activities and intern progress these subcommittees also help the RTC to ensure that competency benchmarks and training goals are achieved.

Clinical Training Oversight Committee

Role: Oversees and tracks intern's clinical training to ensure needs and goals are met during the training year.

Research Training Oversight Committee

Role: Oversees and tracks intern's involvement in programmatic research and professional development activities to facilitate development of competencies associated with success in academic clinical psychology.

There is also a training oversight committee that assesses the training environment to ensure interns develop adequate competence relating to consideration of and attention to issues of various backgrounds in clinical, research, and professional development activities.

Current Interns:

Interns:

• Erich Aschenbrenner, MA (Alliant IU/CSPP-Los Angeles)
• Morgan Jusko, MS, MA (Florida International University)
• Lydia Stanhope, MS (Mississippi State University)
• Parker Kell, MA (University of Tulsa)
• John Vasko, MS, MPS (University of Wyoming)
• Megan Wolff, MA (East Tennessee State University)
• Taylor Perry, MA (SUNY Albany)

Back to Top

Application and Interview Process:

Eligibility:

Doctoral students in APA-accredited Clinical or Counseling Psychology programs, who have accrued a minimum of 500 hours of documented, psychologist supervised direct client contact hours through a combination of therapy and assessment experience as verified by the training director of the doctoral program, are eligible to apply to the internship program. All coursework required for the doctoral degree must be completed prior to the start of internship, as well as any qualifying, comprehensive, or preliminary doctoral examinations. We prefer candidates whose doctoral dissertations will be completed, or at least well under way, before the beginning of the internship year. In addition, we are interested in applicants who desire to become licensed psychologists and seek employment in academic and other clinical research settings. As an equal opportunity training program, the internship welcomes and strongly encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, age, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation, disability or other minority status.

Application Procedure:

We utilize the AAPI Online. The program application can be completed online at www.appic.org. Applicants are required to submit: 1) a completed AAPI, 2) three letters of recommendation, 3) a current Curriculum Vita, and 4) a transcript from all graduate programs attended. No additional materials are required. The application deadline for the 2025-2026 training year is November 15^th. In your program specific cover letter, please indicate which track (adult or child) you are most interested in, as well as identify a potential research preceptor.

Interviews for the 2025-2026 internship training year will only be offered virtually. Applicants will participate in virtual individual and group meetings with program faculty, as well as virtual meetings with our current interns. Please check our program website for announcements or contact the Program Administrator and Training Director regarding upcoming virtual events we are planning for prospective applicants to the program.

After we receive your application, we will let you know whether you have been selected for an interview via NMS Interview. You will be invited to schedule your interview date through the NMS Interview platform. Our program director will also reach out with additional information about the program and interviews.

We will be hosting a virtual open house on Friday October 25th at 4 p.m. CST for those who are interested in learning more about the program. The open house will include faculty, current interns, and alumni from recent years who will be available to talk about the program and answer any questions. If you are interested in attending the open house, please contact our program administrator, Jessica Brownlow, for the link.

Our program faculty would very much like to have the opportunity to meet with prospective candidates. Please feel free to introduce yourself if attending any upcoming conferences, such as ABCT. Additionally, please reach out to our program administrator, Jessica Brownlow, if you have any questions or feel it would be helpful to speak further with one of our faculty.

Notification of Acceptance:

As a member of the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC), the UMMC Training Program abides by the APPIC Policy on Internship Offers and Acceptances, and participates in the APPIC computer-matching program. No person at this training facility will offer, solicit, accept, or use any ranking-related information regarding any intern applicant.

Program Administrator:

Jessica Brownlow, program administrator, is invaluable to our internship program. She is the program's primary contact person and keeps the program running. Please e-mail Jessica (jbrownlow@umc.edu) for information about the program, the application process, or with general questions about the program.

Back to Top

Administrative Policies and Procedures:

Financial Support:

Interns accepted to the UMMC Psychology Internship Training Program are paid a minimum of $31,100 and receive the state financial health insurance plan, which is covered in their pay.  During the training year interns accrue 18 days of personal leave, and 5 days of professional leave time is available to attend conferences or for other professional experiences. Additionally, there are 10 paid holidays. As UMMC employees, interns receive retirement and health insurance benefits afforded all UMMC employees. Interns are required to contribute at least 9% of their salary towards retirement and have the option to participate in state or other retirement plans. UMMC also provides contributions towards intern retirement. Interns may incur additional costs for other elective health benefits coverage (e.g., lower deductible health insurance, dental, vision, etc.). Please visit the UMMC HR Benefits website for additional details about employee benefits, health insurance options, and retirement contributions. Employment at UMMC is contingent upon successful completion of all UMMC employee onboarding requirements, including but not limited to, background check and vaccinations. COVID-19 vaccination is no longer a requirement of employment. Please see the UMMC Faculty and Staff Handbook for further information.

Internship Year:

The internship year begins on July 1, and is for a full year, through June 30.

Due Process Statement:

Upon entry to our program, interns receive a copy of our policy and procedures manual which includes information on grievance processes, disciplinary actions (including termination), and addresses issues pertaining to impaired interns. Please contact our program administrator Jessica Brownlow (jbrownlow@umc.edu) to request a copy of our policy and procedures manual.

Equal Opportunity:

The University of Mississippi Medical Center adheres to the principle of equal education and employment opportunity without regard to race, sex, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, disability or Veteran status. This policy extends to all programs and activities supported by the Medical Center. Under the provisions of Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, the University of Mississippi Medical Center does not discriminate on the basis of sex in its educational programs or activities with respect to admissions or employment.

Back to Top

Internship Admissions, Support, and Initial Placement Data

INTERNSHIP PROGRAM TABLES

Date Program Tables were updated: August 1, 2024

Back to Top

Cultural/Recreational Resources

The Jackson metro area and Mississippi have a rich cultural history. Outside of the training program, there are a number of local community-based cultural organizations. Additionally, there are a number of cultural events that occur throughout the year and numerous recreational opportunities available.

(If available, select a location or organization name to visit the accompanying website [external links are subject to change].)

Arts and Culture

Civil Rights Movement/African American History:

• Emmett Till Interpretative Center & Tallahatchie County Courthouse: 158 N. Court St., Sumner, MS; (662) 483-0048
• Margaret Walker Center: Jackson State University
• Medgar Evers Home Museum: Civil Rights leader. 2332 Margaret Walker Alexander Drive, Jackson, MS; (601) 977-7839
• Mississippi Civil Rights Museum: 222 North St., Jackson, MS; (601) 576-6800
• Mississippi Freedom Trail: Civil rights trail, To obtain a brochure: (601) 359-3297
• Smith Robertson Museum and Cultural Center: Jackson's first school for African Americans
• Museum of African American History and Culture: 301 Main St., Natchez, MS
• Sumner, Mississippi: A Child's Murder, A Nation's Outrage. Sumner, MS
• Tougaloo College: 500 West County Line Road, Tougaloo (Jackson), MS
• Whitney Plantation Museum: Only museum in Louisiana with an exclusive focus on the lives of enslaved people. 5099 Highway 18, Wallace, LA (halfway between New Orleans and Baton Rouge)
• Alluvial Collective (formerly William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation): University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS

Civil War Sites: 

• Grand Gulf Military Park
• Vicksburg Military Park: 3201 Clay St., Vicksburg

Festivals and Resources Celebrating Music Culture and Arts:

• BB King Museum: Indianola, MS
• Delta Blues Museum: Clarksdale, MS
• Elvis Presley Birthplace: 306 Elvis Presley Drive, Tupelo, MS
• Grammy Museum: Cleveland, MS
• Ground Zero Blues Club: co-owned by actor Morgan Freeman, Clarksdale, MS
• Jimmy Rodgers Museum: 1725 Jimmy Rodgers Drive, Meridian, MS
• King Biscuit Blues Festival: in October at Helena, AR, about 3 ½ hours from Jackson
• Mississippi Delta Blues and Heritage Festival: held in September, Greenville, MS
• Mississippi Blues Trail
• Mississippi Symphony Orchestra
• MSU Riley Center (Grand Opera House/MSU Center for Education and Performing Arts): 22 5^th St., Meridian, MS, 39301; (601) 696-2200
• North Mississippi Hill Country Picnic: focuses on Hill Country Blues, held in June near Holly Springs, MS
• Red's Lounge: authentic juke joint, 395 Sunflower Ave, Clarksdale, MS
• Sunflower River Blues and Gospel Festival: in August, Clarksdale, MS
• Tennessee Williams Home & Welcome Center: 300 Main Columbus, MS 39701; (662) 328-0222
• Walter Anderson Museum of Art: 510 Washington St, Ocean Springs, MS 39564
• Wyatt Waters Gallery: 307 Jefferson St., Clinton, MS 39056

History/Cultural Resources:

• Choctaw Cultural Center: Pearl River, MS
• Dockery Farms: 229 MS-8. Cleveland, MS 38732; (662) 719-1048
• Hot Tamale Trail: Latin American History, MS Delta located from Tunica to Vicksburg
• India Association of Mississippi
• International Museum of Muslim Cultures: 101 East Capitol St., Jackson
• Mississippi Agricultural and Cultural Museum: 1150 Lakeland Drive, Jackson
• Mississippi Children's Museum: 2145 Museum Boulevard, Jackson
• Mississippi Museum of Art: 380 South Lamar St, Jackson
• Mississippi Museum of Natural Science: 2145 Riverside Drive, Jackson
• Natchez, MS
• Grand Village of the Natchez Indians
• Windsor Ruins: 15095 Rodney Road, Port Gibson, MS

Recreational/Outdoor Activities

• Barnett Reservoir: Parks, hunting, fishing, boating, swimming, birding, camping; bounded by Rankin, Madison, and Hinds counties
• Clark Creek Natural Area: Woodville, MS
• Gulf Islands National Seashore: hiking, biking, bird watching, picnicking, Ocean Springs, MS
• DeSoto National Forest: Tuxachanie Hiking Trail (Wiggins, MS), Black Creek Trail (New Augusta, MS)
• Homochitto National Forest: Clear Springs Recreational Area Trails, near Brookhaven, MS
• Jackson Zoo
• Longleaf Trace: running, biking, hiking, horseback riding, runs 41 miles from Hattiesburg to Prentiss
• Mississippi Farmers Market
• Mississippi Petrified Forest: nature trail, museum, campground, gem fluming, Flora, MS
• Natchez Trace Parkway: scenic road stretching from Natchez, MS to Nashville, TN and running through the Jackson Metro area
• Mississippi State Parks
• Pearl River Waterfowl Refuge and Wildlife Management Area: Highway 43 about 1 mile east of the Natchez Trace
• Multipurpose Trail: 12 mile paved trail for biking, walking, and jogging, Ridgeland, MS
• Ridgeland Mountain Biking Trail: 10 miles of wooded trails
• Russell C. Davis Planetarium: one of the largest in the country; 201 E. Pascagoula St., Jackson
• Tanglefoot Trail: multipurpose rails to trails runs 43 miles from New Albany, MS to Houston, MS
• Woodall Mountain: highest natural point in MS, near Iuka, MS

Mississippi is known as the "heart of the Bible belt" with a wide variety of Christian organizations – too many to list here. The metro area is also home to many diverse religious organizations, some of which are listed alphabetically below. If you want help locating a religious or spiritual resource we haven't included, please let one of us know.

• Baps Shri Hindu Temple: 2390 Greenway Drive, Jackson, MS
• Beth Israel Congregation: 5315 Old Canton Road, Jackson, MS
• Catholic Diocese of Jackson
• Christian Church Finder
• Guru Tegh Bahadur Sikh Temple: 1087 I-20 Frontage Road, Jackson, MS
• Hindu Temple: 173 Vernon Jones Avenue, Brandon, MS
• Sita Ram Hindu Temple: 1940 US 80, Jackson, MS, (601) 948-1190
• Swaminarayan Hindu Temple: 1753 Old Whitfield Road, Pearl, MS; (601) 448-8599
• Quan Am Tinh Vien Buddhist Temple: 1757 University Boulevard, Jackson

Revision August, 2023

Back to Top

Psychology Internship Training Program Alumni

View Alumni

Back to Top