Universal Psychology Postdoctoral Directory Entry

Washington DC VA Medical Center Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship Serious Mental Illness Emphasis

Washington DC VA Medical Center
Washington, WashingtonDC

Starts on Monday, August 10, 2026

Applications due Friday, December 5, 2025

Elements of quality clinically focused postdoctoral training

This training experience is a planned and programmed sequence of training that aims to ensure preparation for advanced practice rather than one that is focused on providing supervised hours for licensure. Yes

This training experience ensures that training takes precedence over service delivery regarding the nature, content, volume, and quality of the postdoc’s activities. Yes

This training experience ensures that postdocs receive at least two hours of individual supervision per week for the duration of the experience. Yes

This training experience is administered by a doctoral-level licensed psychologist who directs and organizes the training experience and its resources, is responsible for the selection of postdocs, and monitors and evaluates the goals and activities of the experience. Yes

This training experience has two or more doctoral-level licensed psychologists who have sufficient time to provide quality supervision and training.   Yes

This training experience includes regularly scheduled structured educational activities that help postdocs its defined goals. These activities may include didactics, seminars, case conferences, and/or research activities. Yes

This training experience has written Due Process and Grievance procedures. Yes

This training experience has the stable and necessary financial (e.g., stipend) and physical resources (e.g., computers, physical space) needed for effective training. Yes

This is one of three emphasis areas within our APA accredited postdoctoral training program in Clinical Psychology. Our program follows the practitioner scholar model and is organized into three emphasis areas: Health, Serious Mental Illness and Trauma Psychology. Fellows apply for and are selected to one emphasis track. Our program mission is to support psychology fellows in developing their individual identities as psychologists while ensuring they possess the skills and advanced competencies to deliver patient centered, evidence based psychological services that attend to individual and cultural diversity in all aspects of assessment, treatment planning and intervention.

Postdoctoral fellows in the Serious Mental Illness Fellowship Emphasis Track have opportunities to work in both the Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center (PRRC) and on the acute inpatient psychiatry unit providing services to Veterans diagnosed with a serious mental illness (e.g. Schizophrenia, Major Depressive Disorder, Bipolar Disorder) and who experience significant functional impairment. Services provided on the PRRC, which is an intensive outpatient skills building program, are curriculum based and recovery focused. Fellows work as part of the interdisciplinary team on the PRRC and receive supervision from staff psychologists who have intensive VA training , consultation and certification in a variety of evidence based psychotherapies.

Fellows are supported as emerging clinical supervisors. Fellows provide supervision to psychology practicum students. A structured program of readings and discussion on the process of supervision is offered to the entire fellowship cohort.

In addition to their clinical roles, SMI emphasis Fellows partner with the clinical team on ongoing program evaluation and development projects and receive training and guidance program evaluation throughout the course of the training year.

https://https://www.va.gov/washington-dc-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/psychology-training-programs/

Additional Information

Agency Type: VA Medical Center
APPIC Membership: Yes
APA Accredited: Yes
Emphasis or focus area: Serious Mental Illness
Research Time: Less than 25%
Training Director: Candace Tomes, PsyD
Contact Email: candace.tomes@va.gov
Contact Phone: 202-745-8000 x54184
Virtual Interviews: Virtual Only
Duration in Months: 12
Hours Per Week: 40
# of Licensed Supervisors: 4
Number of Positions: 2
Applications recieved last year: 5
Accepts Int'l Students
Stipend: $60840
Will follow APPIC Selection Standards: Yes
Estimated offer date: Friday, January 23 2026
Created Date: Monday, November 14 2016
Unfilled Positions: 1
Fringe Benefits: Paid annual leave and sick leave, Paid federal holidays, transit benefits, medical insurance (including dental and vision)
Research opportunities: 20 percent of fellows time is able to be devoted to research and/or program evaluation/program development projects.
Application Instructions: Our program utilizes the APPA CAS system. Please access APPA CAS (APPIC Psychology Postdoctoral Application), a service of the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC). Complete the basic demographic, education, clinical training information, and transcripts required of all applicants for all APPA CAS programs. APPA CAS allows you to request letters of recommendation electronically, which are then uploaded by the letter writer. Additionally, please include a cover letter indicating any and all tracks of interest, a CV, and a letter from your graduate program detailing when your dissertation is expected to be completed. Applications are due December 5th. Interviews will not be held prior to January 1st and will be conducted virtually in mid-January. It is anticipated that offers will be extended by the end of the month.

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