Universal Psychology Postdoctoral Directory Entry

VA West Los Angeles Healthcare Center - Trauma Psychology

VA West Los Angeles Healthcare Center
Los Angeles , California

Starts on Monday, August 10, 2026

Applications due Friday, December 12, 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

Our training program seeks to ensure the development of advanced clinical competence in the general practice of professional psychology integrated with specialized, in-depth, training in a specific area of emphasis. Our program supplements clinical training with regular didactics and clinical research experience within a specific area of emphasis, to further develop depth in addition to breadth of exposure. All of our Residency emphasis areas enjoy strong connections with local academic institutions (especially University of California, Los Angeles) and/or on-site VA researchers, allowing for additional educational and research collaborations. Our program emphasizes the application of current scientific knowledge to professional service delivery, including strong training in evidence-based practices. At the completion of training, Residents are expected to be prepared to obtain licensure and, if relevant, be prepared for the board certification process in their area of emphasis. Ultimately, we strive to support the VA's training mission of producing competent, creative psychologists who will go on to either VA jobs or will work in academia, other medical centers, the private sector, etc.

https://www.va.gov/greater-los-angeles-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/west-los-angeles-healthcare-center-psychology-training/#clinical-psychology-postdoctor

Additional Information

Agency Type: VA Medical Center
APPIC Membership: Yes
APA Accredited: Yes
Recognized Specialty: Clinical Psychology
Emphasis or focus area: PTSD (Trauma)
Research Time: Less than 25%
Training Director: Steven Castellon
Contact Email: steve.castellon@va.gov
Contact Phone: 310-268-3597
Virtual Interviews: Virtual Only
Duration in Months: 12
Hours Per Week: 40
# of Licensed Supervisors: 20
Number of Positions: 1
Applications recieved last year: 16
Accepts Int'l Students
Stipend: $62,018
Will follow APPIC Selection Standards: Yes
Estimated offer date: Friday, January 30 2026
Fringe Benefits: Benefits: All VA fellows are eligible for health insurance and for life insurance, just as are regular employees. However, as temporary employees, fellows may not participate in the VA retirement programs. Holidays and Leave: Fellows receive the 10 annual federal holidays. In addition, fellows accrue 4 hours of sick leave and 4 hours of annual leave for each full two week pay period, for a total of between 96 and 104 hours of each during the year. Liability Protection for Trainees: When providing professional services at a VA healthcare facility, VA sponsored trainees acting within the scope of their educational programs are protected from personal liability under the Federal Employees Liability Reform and Tort Compensation Act 28, U.S.C.2679 (b)-(d).
Research opportunities: While this is a clinical postdoc, our residents may get involved in research projects, as available. Prior residents have gotten involved in Quality Improvement and/or Program Evaluation projects, as well.
Additional Comments: Please see brochure at: https://www.va.gov/greater-los-angeles-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/west-los-angeles-healthcare-center-psychology-training/#clinical-psychology-postdoctor
Application Instructions: We require submitted applications to come through the APPA CAS portal (APPIC Psychology Postdoctoral Application Centralized Application Service). Note that the time deadline on APPA CAS portal always refers to Eastern Standard Time.

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