Updated September 17 th , 2026
Program Goals & Core Learning
• Develop comprehensive skills for independent practice as a psychologist, aligned with APA Accreditation competencies. • Gain expertise in a high-priority area of Veteran health care, choosing from five emphasis areas: Advanced Behavioral Health, Women’s Mental Health & Trauma, PTSD, Rehabilitation Psychology, or Clinical Neuropsychology. Competency attainment is measured by APA standards and specific skills outlined in the Fellowship Handbook. Fellows must demonstrate proficiency in research, ethics, diversity, professional conduct, and intervention, as well as emphasis-specific skills by the end of the fellowship. Program Structure Program Structure • Fellows work 40 hours/week, completing 2,080 hours annually (including leave), meeting California’s supervised experience requirements for licensure. • In the first month, fellows set training goals and create an Individualized Training Plan with their supervisor, focusing on personal and professional growth.
A breakdown of the encouraged weekly time distribution across programmatic and emphasis experiences is listed below:
Programmatic Experiences Approx. 10 hours per week • Seminars: 1.5–3.5 hours •
Emphasis Experiences Approx. 30 hours per week •
Clinical Work: 18–20 hours
Fellowship Project (optional): 3–4 hours Administrative Tasks: ~2 hours
Administrative Responsibilities: 8–10 hours
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Supervision Fellows schedule a total of four hours of supervision per week (10% of supervised professional experience time). At least two hours per week must be individual face-to-face supervision (one hour must be with the primary supervisor and the other hour can be with either the primary or delegated supervisor(s)). Additional supervision may be obtained via either additional individual supervision or group supervision. Seminars • Postdoc Professional Development: Weekly seminar covering topics relevant to clinical practice, self-care, career planning and overall professional development. • Postdoctoral Competencies: Bimonthly seminar including peer consultation, didactic presentations, readings, and case presentations covering a wide range of postdoctoral competencies. • Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) Seminar: Weekly seminar with psychology interns covering a wide range of EBPs offered throughout the VA as well as trainee case presentations
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