Navigating Psychology Internship and Fellowship Requirements at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) is a leading pediatric healthcare institution that offers comprehensive psychology training programs, including internships, externships, and fellowships. These programs aim to cultivate skilled and compassionate psychologists equipped to address the developmental, behavioral, emotional, and health concerns of infants, children, adolescents, and their families. This article will explore the requirements, structure, and opportunities within CHOP's psychology training programs, drawing heavily on information provided by the institution itself.
Psychology Internship Training Program at CHOP
General Information
The Psychology Internship Training Program at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation, American Psychological Association. The program is a one-year clinical experience for up to nine nationally matched interns. It aims to train future child psychologists for entry-level professional practice in health service psychology. The program prepares advanced doctoral-level students to take leadership roles in developing, providing, evaluating, and disseminating effective psychological services for a wide range of children and families with health and/or mental health needs. The Program is committed to preparing psychologists as leaders in the field, who will be engaged in clinical practice, interdisciplinary collaboration, advocacy and scientific investigation.
Training Approach
The Psychology Internship Training Program embraces a scientist-practitioner training model and is guided by developmental, ecological and systems-based theories of psychology. Children operate in multiple systems, most notably the family, healthcare, and school systems that have a profound impact on their cognitive, emotional, health and social functioning. As a result, training occurs in multiple formats and multidisciplinary environments, with significant emphasis placed on effective functioning as a healthcare team member.
The Psychology Internship Training Program embraces five overarching foci. These foci reflect our understanding of effective leadership training in child and adolescent clinical psychology:
- Using ecological-developmental/systems theories to understand children and families.
- Developing effective interdisciplinary relationships.
- Developing and implementing prevention and advocacy activities.
- Demonstrating leadership skills.
- Working with community-based and/or medically underserved patient populations.
Program Structure
The program is horizontally structured along the following clinical competencies: assessment, consultation, and intervention/prevention. In addition, there are cross-cutting competencies in cultural humility, professional development and research leadership.
Read also: Becoming a Child Life Specialist
The program is vertically structured through five clinical specialty tracks:
- Autism Spectrum Disorders
- Integrated Behavioral Health (community-based primary care)
- Clinical Child Psychology (care focused on primary behavioral health disorders)
- Pediatric Neuropsychology
- Pediatric Psychology
The five clinical training tracks form a single and coherent clinical child internship program that allows greater depth training within a clinical year designed to provide breadth of training in clinical child psychology.
Clinical Training Tracks
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD): This track is for interns aiming for clinical and research careers in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Three of the intern’s six clinical rotations will be ASD-track specific, and three will be chosen by the intern from the wide range of outpatient and hospital-based opportunities. A postdoctoral year with the Center for Autism Research is encouraged, but will ultimately depend on the trainee’s goals and interests and program needs and funding.
Integrated Behavioral Health Care: This track trains interns for clinical careers providing integrated intervention and consultation services to children, families, medical providers and school personnel within underserved communities. Interns in this track will spend approximately 33% of their total clinical hours dedicated to pediatric primary care in the Healthy Minds, Healthy Kids program. Both the intervention and consultation competencies are accomplished through track-specific clinical rotations in urban pediatric primary care settings.
Clinical Child Psychology: This track provides training for interns wishing to obtain more focused training in assessment and/or intervention skills in children with primary behavioral health conditions (e.g., anxiety, depression, eating disorders, ADHD, and behavioral disorders). There are no required rotations on this track, and interns are encouraged to participate in clinical rotations that support their training goals.
Read also: Choosing a Psychology Postgraduate Course
Pediatric Neuropsychology: This track is designed for interns wishing to pursue a career as a pediatric neuropsychologist. Interns devote approximately 50% of their clinical training within track-specific rotations. During one half of the year, interns participate in the inpatient neuropsychological assessment rotation, paired with the inpatient rehabilitation rotation (consultation), and select an intervention rotation. During the other half of the year, interns typically participate in the outpatient neuropsychological assessment rotation, paired with an outpatient consultation (for example, the Stroke Clinic), and select an intervention rotation.
Pediatric Psychology: This track trains interns wishing to pursue a career as a pediatric psychologist. Interns are encouraged to participate in clinical rotations that support their training goals, selecting from the wide range of hospital-based assessment, consultation and intervention rotations. Interns on this track will complete one rotation in the Healthy Minds, Healthy Kids integrated primary care service during one semester of the training year (in addition to completing 5 other rotations selected in support of their individual training goals).
The program is divided into two, six-month semesters. Interns select clinical rotations within each of the three clinical competencies each semester, guided by the training director, track leader, and their career focus within their depth area. In addition, psychology interns participate in the LEND (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities) program, in which they may satisfy their research competency.
Each semester, interns work with their Track Leader (advisor) to choose rotations in assessment, intervention, and consultation to support the development of these core competencies. In addition, to support leadership and professional development as a clinical child psychologist, didactics, focused supervision, and other activities are provided. Throughout all training activities, best practices, as evidenced by available empirical data, are emphasized. The recursive relationship between research and practice is examined through the content of regular didactic seminars and journal clubs, as well as group and individual supervision.
Competencies
Internship graduates are expected to demonstrate intermediate to advanced "entry to practice" level competencies as defined by the American Psychological Association Standards of Accreditation for Health Service Psychology
Read also: Internships in D.C. for Psychology Students
Foundational Competencies:
- Professional values, attitudes, and behavior: Integrity, honesty, personal responsibility and adherence to professional values; deportment; accountability; concern for the welfare of others; and professional identity.
- Individual and cultural awareness: Sensitivity and skills in working professionally with individuals, groups and communities who represent various backgrounds and characteristics defined broadly.
- Ethical legal standards and policy: Application of ethical concepts and awareness of legal issues regarding professional activities with individuals, groups and organizations. Includes: knowledge of ethical, legal and professional standards and guidelines; awareness and application of ethical decision making; and ethical conduct.
- Reflective practice/self-assessment/self-care: Practice conducted with personal and professional self-awareness and reflection; with awareness of competencies; with appropriate self-care. Includes: reflective practice; self-assessment; self-care (attention to personal health and well-being to assure effective professional functioning); and participation in supervision process.
- Relationships: Relates effectively and meaningfully with individuals, groups, and/or communities. Includes: interpersonal relationships; affective skills; and expressive skills.
- Scientific knowledge and methods: Understands biological bases of behavior, cognitive-affective bases of behavior, application of science to practice, and development across the lifespan. Respects scientifically derived knowledge. Includes: scientific foundation of professional practice.
- Research/evaluation: Generates research that contributes to the professional knowledge base and/or evaluates the effectiveness of various professional activities. Includes: scientific approach to knowledge generation; and application of consultation and teaching to research practice.
Functional Competencies:
- Assessment: Assessment and diagnosis of problems, capabilities and issues associated with individuals, groups, and/or organizations. Includes: knowledge of measurement and psychometrics; knowledge of assessment methods; application of assessment methods; diagnosis; conceptualization and recommendations; communication of assessment findings.
- Intervention: Interventions designed to alleviate suffering and to promote health and well-being of individuals, groups and/or organizations. Includes: intervention planning; skills; intervention implementation; and treatment progress evaluation.
- Consultation: Ability to provide expert guidance or professional assistance in response to a patient's needs or goals. Includes: role of consultant; addressing referral questions; communication of consultation findings; and application of consultation methods.
Inclusion and Belonging
Interns have the opportunity to work with a wide range of children and families through clinical rotations. Also, didactic training in the Behavioral Health Seminar, LEND Seminar Series, Inclusion and Belonging Forum, and Interdisciplinary Seminar in Community-Based Practice provides interns with a conceptual foundation with issues related to inclusion and belonging in psychology.
Respect of the wide range of patients and families that CHOP serves is important in all aspects of our internship program. It is the responsibility of faculty, staff and interns to consider inclusion and belonging and to demonstrate cultural humility, and ensure that all colleagues, patients, and families feel welcomed, a sense of inclusion and belonging and respect in interactions. Emphasis is routinely placed upon application of cultural awareness within the context of relevant cases and throughout the course of individual clinical supervision.
Interns will have many opportunities to integrate knowledge and experiences regarding cultural humility into daily clinical practice. In addition, our faculty and staff strive to incorporate full consideration of issues of inclusion and belonging into regularly scheduled rounds, seminars, and group peer review conferences, which utilize interactive case management.
Psychology interns may work within community-based programs that serve children with special needs through training initiatives funded through the Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training (BHWET) Program (Integrated Behavioral Health track) and LEND programs of DHHS and Health Resources Services Administration.
How to Apply
A high priority is placed on selecting candidates who are the strongest match given their training goals and the program mission. This includes applicants who intend to pursue a career integrating research and practice focus on working with medically underserved populations, and those who demonstrate leadership interests.
Eligibility criteria:
- Interns must be in good standing in a doctoral program in professional psychology accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) or the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS).
- Nine internship positions are available, matched to the following internship program tracks: Clinical Child Psychology (1), Pediatric Psychology (2), Pediatric Neuropsychology (1), Autism Spectrum Disorders (1), and Integrated Behavioral Health Care (4).
- At the time of submitting an application, applicants should have completed 500 hours or more of supervised clerkship, externship or practicum training.
- It is preferred that applicants have at least 250 externship hours related to assessment, and at least 250 hours related to intervention/consultation.
- Our program recognizes that for the 2025-2026 application cycle, the APPI experience hours accrual end date has been moved to October 1st (one month earlier than in the past). We will apply our pre-internship hours accrual guidelines described above with this in mind.
- For applicants for the 2026-2027 internship class, the program understands that training experiences may have been negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Applicants are encouraged to describe in their cover letter and/or application materials the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic may have on their training plans.
- By the beginning of the internship, it is required that applicants will have completed all major graduate program coursework requirements and qualifying examinations for their doctoral degree and have only the dissertation requirement to meet.
- We expect applicants to have successfully defended a dissertation proposal and to have collected data for the dissertation study prior to the start of the internship, and we will give preference to those applicants who have completed their dissertation defense. The intern should have a reasonable certainty of being granted the doctoral degree within one year of starting the internship.
- Due to federal grant funding guidelines, trainees must be citizens of the United States, non-citizen nationals of the United States, or foreign nationals who possess visas permitting permanent residence in the United States. Individuals on temporary or student visas are not eligible.
Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship Program at CHOP
General Information
The primary goal of the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program in Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychology is to help fellows develop the clinical and research skills necessary to provide care for diverse pediatric populations and to obtain a position in a pediatric healthcare setting or university-based training program.
Fellows will participate in a variety of clinical and didactic experiences and will have opportunities to integrate research goals into their overall plan for the fellowship. In addition, fellows may have opportunities to supervise interns, externs and practicum students and to collaborate in multidisciplinary forums (case-centered consultations, research activities).
General Areas of Specialization
Faculty members of the Fellowship Programs in Psychology offer many fellowship experiences, as funding permits. Our general areas of specialization are:
Autism Spectrum Disorders: with placements specializing in autism spectrum disorders through the Center for Autism Research (CAR). These fellowships provide a mix of clinical and research opportunities- see individual position descriptions.
Pediatric Psychology: with placements in Oncology, Plastic Surgery, Injury Prevention, Solid Organ Transplant, GI, Feeding Disorders, Cardiology, Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment and Sleep Medicine, as examples. The pediatric psychology fellowships will each have a focus in a particular area, with the addition of the option for minor rotations in other pediatric psychology areas.
Clinical/Primary Care/Community/Schools Psychology: with placements available in the outpatient division of DCAPBS (e.g. mood and anxiety disorders, ADHD program, etc), Healthy Minds Healthy Kids Program (integrated primary care), Center for the Management of ADHD, Community-based Youth Violence Prevention, and Behavioral Health in Urban Schools.
Pediatric Neuropsychology: with placements fulfilling INS-Division 40 and Houston Conference guidelines for training in neuropsychology.
Although these specialized postdoctoral fellowships vary in their clinical, didactic and research opportunities, there is a community of psychology postdoctoral fellows who share some common experiences throughout their fellowship training.
Program Requirements and Components
Completion of the Fellowship Training Program in Clinical Psychology requires a minimum of 2,000 hours of supervised clinical and research experience. Participation on a full-time basis for at least one full year, with two years of fellowship training is strongly recommended to accrue these hours. Part-time fellowship opportunities may be arranged at the discretion of the faculty mentors with approval of the director of Fellowship Training.
The Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC) requires that a psychology postdoctoral fellowship includes at least nine months of participation on a full-time basis, or its equivalent. Our program adheres to these guidelines.
To be a fellow at our institution, the individual must have been awarded their doctoral degree OR they must have met all of the degree requirements (and are just awaiting conferral of the degree). In situations where they are awaiting conferral of the degree, we request that the fellow’s university provide CHOP with a letter stating that they have met all of the degree requirements.
Competencies
Foundational competencies:
- Professionalism: as evidenced in behavior and comportment that reflects the values and attitudes of psychology
- Individual and Cultural Diversity: Awareness, sensitivity, and skills in working professionally with diverse individuals, groups and communities who represent various cultural and personal background and characteristics defined broadly and consistent with APA policy
- Ethical Legal Standards and Policy: Application of ethical concepts and awareness of legal issues regarding professional activities with individuals, groups and organizations
- Reflective Practice/Self-assessment/Self-care: Practice conducted with personal and professional self-awareness and reflection; with awareness of competencies; with appropriate self-care
- Relationships: Relates effectively and meaningfully with individuals, groups and/or communities
Scientific competencies:
- Scientific Knowledge and Methods: Understanding of biological bases of behavior, cognitive-affective bases of behavior, application of science to practice, and development across the lifespan. Respect for scientifically derived knowledge
Functional competencies:
- Evidence-based Practice: Integration of research and clinical expertise in the context of patient factors
- Prevention: Understanding of social determinants of health and incorporating contextual factors into case conceptualizations and prevention/intervention approaches.
- Assessment: Assessment and diagnosis of problems, capabilities and issues associated with individuals, groups and/or organizations
- Intervention: Interventions designed to alleviate suffering and to promote health and well-being of individuals, groups and/or organizations
- Consultation: The ability to provide expert guidance or professional assistance in response to a patient’s needs or goals
- Supervision: Supervision and training in the professional knowledge base of enhancing and monitoring the professional functioning of others
Interprofessional competencies:
- Knowledge of key issues and concepts in related disciplines. Identify and interact with professionals in multiple disciplines
- Research/Program Evaluation: Generating research that contributes to the professional knowledge base and/or evaluates the effectiveness of various professional activities
Goals and Objectives
- Research: Fellows will be prepared for a career as a scientist practitioner that involves research within their specific field of study.
- Clinical work: Fellows will be able to provide clinical care that is based in theoretical and empirical knowledge bases.
- Relationships: Fellow will be able to interact professionally and responsibly with colleagues from other disciplines, within the field of mental health, schools, and/or the broader specialties within the Hospital.
- Teaching: Fellows will develop teaching and mentoring skills to prepare them for a career that involves enhancing and monitoring the professional functioning of others within the field of psychology and related disciplines.
Psychology Externship Program at CHOP
General Information
The Psychology Externship Program consists of year-long or semester-long rotations across several different programs at CHOP. Externs may participate in a variety of supervised activities including assessment, consultation, and evidenced based interventions for patients with various pediatric medical and mental health conditions. Activities may also include working with parents/caregivers and participating in parent training.
In addition, externs may be asked to assist with research projects and program development.
Externship students may also have the opportunity to attend educational presentations, such as lectures, grand rounds and seminars, relevant to pediatric conditions and professional development of healthcare providers. By providing such opportunities, we hope to contribute to the students’ professional growth, education and competence.
Application Process
Students must be enrolled in a doctoral level psychology program and have an interest in working with children and families from culturally diverse backgrounds. Each of the Externship placements may also have additional application requirements listed in their descriptions.
Interested individuals should send the following forms:
- Completed externship application
- Completed PENDELDOT application cover sheet & Match Agreement
- Current Curriculum Vita (CV)
- Unofficial transcript
- Cover letter detailing your area/s of interest and to which externship(s) you are applying (no more than four sites)
- Two letters of reference from an academic or work supervisor
Please send applications through the PENDELDOT portal at pendeldot.apa.org. Send one set of application materials to each program you are applying to. The maximum number of programs that you may apply to within CHOP is six. New cover letters are not required for each submission, however, please indicate in your cover letter all of the programs you are applying to. Please note any hour requirements on your application. You may apply to two programs as one if the two programs combined meet your hour requirement.
Letters of recommendation may be submitted directly by your supervisors through our online form. The following guidelines apply to all programs participating in this uniform timeline:
- Deadline for applications: Applications will not be accepted before Monday, January 6, 2025. All applications are due by Friday, January 17, 2025 by 5pm.
- Notification for interviews: All applicants will be notified beginning Monday, January 22, 2025, whether or not they will receive an interview.
- Dates of interviews: Interviews will take place between Monday, January 27, 2025 and Friday, February 21, 2025.
The credentialing process includes:
- Child abuse clearance
- Criminal history clearance
- Health and drug screening
- Reference check
- FBI finger printing
Students are responsible for the cost associated with the credentialing process.
Other Requirements
CHOP requires all workforce members and trainees who work in patient care buildings or who provide patient care to receive an annual influenza vaccine. Employees may request exemption consideration for CHOP vaccine requirements for valid religious and medical reasons. Please note start dates may be delayed until candidates are fully immunized or valid exemption requests are reviewed. In addition, candidates other than those in positions with regularly scheduled hours in New Jersey, must attest to not using tobacco products.
Specific Externship Opportunities
Externship opportunities available to graduate students in psychology span a variety of topics and specialties throughout Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Below are externship opportunities that have been offered at CHOP in recent years. Rotation availability is subject to change from year to year.
CRISSP
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) Research Institute Summer Scholars Program (CRISSP) is a 10-week competitive summer internship program for undergraduate students interested in careers in the biomedical sciences. The internship is designed to provide students with theoretical knowledge, practical training in academic research, and critical exposure to pediatric-focused career trajectories under the direct mentorship of CHOP faculty. Full time immersion in a lab or research group allows interns to experience science and discovery first-hand.
Up to 25 interns will be selected. Interns will receive a $5,000 stipend. Free housing will be available. Need-based travel awards may be requested and will be distributed based on availability.
CRISSP interns must participate in the entire 10-week program, attend all mandatory events, and abide by all guidelines of The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and CRISSP.
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