Clinical Training Program

Table of Contents

• Program Philosophy
• Program Requirements
• Length of Program and Program Costs
• Clinical Course Work
• Practicum Training
• Clinical Program Faculty
• Clinical Program Committee
• Clinical Associates and Supervisors
• Current Graduate Students
• Student Admissions, Outcomes and Other Data

Clinical psychology has a proud history at the University of Pennsylvania, beginning with Lightner Witmer, who founded the first psychology clinic in the United States at Penn in 1896. Witmer also named the field clinical psychology and founded the first journal to focus on this new field, The Psychological Clinic. Many date the inception of clinical psychology to Witmer's work at Penn.

Program Philosophy

The clinical training program, nested in the Department, is intended to provide preparation for research/academic careers in Clinical Psychology, Psychopathology or Personality. Clinical training (in assessment, diagnosis and psychotherapy) is seen as an integral part of the education of highly qualified, creative clinical scientists. Nevertheless, the principal goal of Penn clinical students is to become expert psychologists, not simply expert clinicians, and the program is designed to support that goal. A recent analysis of the programs for training clinical psychology faculty determined Penn to be the third-ranked program in this regard in the years 1968-1997 (Ilardi & Roberts, Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 2002). Moreover, our core clinical psychology faculty ranked first in a recent analysis of the eminence of faculty members at 157 university-based, APA-accredited clinical psychology programs (Matson et al., Research in Developmental Disabilities, 2005). Our program is a member of the Academy of Psychological Clinical Science (http://acadpsychclinicalscience.org/index.php), a coalition of doctoral training programs that emphasize the scientific basis of clinical psychology. Our membership in the Academy indicates our commitment to empirical research as the basis of theory, assessment, and intervention. The program is accredited by the American Psychological Association. Information on our program's status may be confirmed by contacting the Commission on Accreditation, American Psychological Association, 750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242, telephone: 202-336-5979, e-mail: apaaccred@apa.org, website: www.apa.org/ed/accreditation.

Since the clinical training program is fully integrated into the Department, clinical students have the opportunity to take courses in Learning Theory, Physiological Psychology, Neuropsychology, Cognitive Psychology, Decision Making, Personality, Social, Developmental, Language and Perception. The core of knowledge gained in these areas is expected to give clinical students a solid foundation of basic psychological science and research methodology from which to launch their clinical training and research. Click here to link to our general graduate program homepage, which includes application information, program requirements and so on. Graduate Program Homepage

Consistent with Penn's basic scientific orientation, the clinical training opportunities at Penn focus on empirically supported treatments. Practicum opportunities are heavily weighted towards cognitive-behavioral interventions. Experience with a variety of patient populations, diagnostic groups, and clinical supervisors helps the graduate students hone their own research questions, generate new hypotheses, and maximize the ecological validity and generalizability of their research. While practical clinical training can be gratifying in its own right, the clinical scientist model implies that research and clinical work are inextricably entwined, each in the service of the other. Thus, Penn graduates are not expected to pursue careers purely in the practice of clinical psychology. Anyone committed to such a career track would be well advised to apply elsewhere.

As Ph.D. level clinical psychologists, Penn graduates can be expected to advance the frontiers of basic science and to contribute to our understanding of the etiology, prevention, and treatment of psychopathology, and to the advancement of well-being. In addition, the Penn education prepares its graduates to participate in the development and validation of new, effective treatment and prevention programs. It is the combination of basic scientific knowledge, excellence in research, clinical acumen, and experience that prepares individuals for careers of such scope and impact.

Program Requirements:

Students who participate in the clinical training program fall under the same general academic requirements as other graduate students in the department, but must, in addition:

1. Complete Psychology 810 (Psychological Assessment) and 811 (Psychodiagnostic Interviewing).
2. Gain first-hand experience with the phenomena of psychopathology, through some combination of observational, research, therapeutic and diagnostic interactions in Psychology 815 (Introductory Practicum) and Psychology 820 (Advanced Practicum). Students may begin taking Psychology 815 upon completion of Psychology 810 and 811.
3. Complete a half-semester course in Ethics (0.5 credits of the Clinical Psychology Seminar, Psychology 709).
4. Complete 3.5 semesters of Psychology 709 (Clinical Psychology Seminar) and attend the Pan Clinical Seminar – monthly meetings of faculty and students involved in the Clinical Program.
5. Complete the Psychopathology Proseminar (Psychology 600). This proseminar may be used to fulfill other requirements as well.
6. Complete distribution requirements inherent to APA accreditation of the program, including (a) biological aspects of behavior, (b) cognitive and affective aspects of behavior, (c) social aspects of behavior, (d) history and systems of psychology, (e) psychological measurement, (f) research methodology (including evaluation of interventions), (f) techniques of data analysis, (g) human development, (h) individual differences in behavior, including issues of ethnic and cultural diversity. Many courses fulfill both departmental and clinical program requirements.
7. Complete a 1-year, full-time clinical internship. To obtain a letter from the Director of the Clinical Training Program certifying that he/she has completed the APA-accredited clinical program, the student must have completed the aforementioned requirements.

Length of Program and Program Costs

Because the clinical students must meet all of the general requirements as well as the additional clinical components of their training, it is not unusual for clinical students to require an extra year to finish the program, in addition to the year of full time internship. Since 1989, 39% of graduates of the clinical training program have completed all of their requirements (including the pre-doctoral internship and the Ph.D.) in 5 years, 38% have completed the requirements in 6 years, 13% have completed the requirements in 7 years, and another 10% have taken more than 7 years.  Consistently over the last three decades the median and the mean time to completion has been 6 years. See Student Admissions, Outcomes and Other Data for more detail about time to completion of the program in recent cohorts. 

All students are fully funded for their first five years. The support covers full tuition and a stipend of at least $26,000 per year (including summer research and teaching). Every year a serious effort is made to increase the stipend. Regardless of the source of support, all students have the same opportunities and must meet the same requirements. All students are expected to play an active role in the undergraduate teaching functions of the Department. The department does not guarantee funding beyond the fifth year. However, most clinical students have no difficulty obtaining funding through a combination of teaching, grants and other independent funding sources.

Clinical Course Work

Psychopathology Proseminar

This course covers fundamental topics in psychopathology, with an emphasis on etiological and diagnostic issues, in the context of current nosology (Research Diagnostic Criteria, DSM-IV, etc.). Theoretical models of psychopathological phenomena and major syndromes (e.g. affective disorders, personality disorders, substance abuse) are discussed, with reference to relevant empirical findings. Implications for treatment are also considered.

Special Topics Seminars - Clinical Psychology

These courses cover a wide array of specialized topics in the area of clinical psychology. Some recent courses include:

• Debates in Classification

• Neuropsychopharmacology

• Empirically Supported Treatments

Psychological Assessment (Psychology 810)

This course provides a basic introduction to the theories and tools of psychological assessment. Students learn how to administer and interpret a number of standard cognitive, neuropsychological and personality tests including the WAIS-III, WMS-III, WIAT-II, Wisconsin Card Sort, Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and the Millon Index of Personality Styles. Attention is given to serving as a consultant, differential diagnosis, case conceptualization, and integrating test results into formal but accessible reports.

Psychodiagnostic Interviewing (Psychology 811)

This course, usually taken simultaneously with Psychology 810, provides a basic introduction to psychodiagnostic interviewing and differential diagnosis. Students learn to take clinical histories and to administer a number of standardized diagnostic interviews, including the mental status exam, the SCID I and II for DSM-IV, the ADIS, and various clinician rating scales such as the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression. Attention is also given to self-report symptom inventories such as the Beck Depression Inventory and the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised as well as to computerized diagnostic tools.

Practicum Training

Because of the wealth of opportunities for clinical training in the Philadelphia area, Penn does not run an in-house psychological services clinic. Rather, Penn's clinical students have the opportunity to participate in practica at local hospitals, clinics and research facilities staffed and run by world-renowned clinical scientists. The Associate Director of Clinical Training helps students decide which practicum experiences best suit the student's needs and interests, and arranges for placements at the appropriate sites. Some of these clinical opportunities include:

Assessment, Diagnosis and Consultation

During their second year, all clinical students participate in the assessment and diagnosis practicum, which is run and supervised by Dr. Melissa Hunt, the Associate Director of Clinical Training. Referrals for assessments and diagnostic consultations come from local hospitals and clinics, professionals in private practice, employee assistance programs, and the University's Student Counseling Center. Assessments cover intellectual functioning, academic achievement, neuropsychological tests, and objective personality tests. Diagnostic workups include structured and unstructured clinical interviews as well as validated symptom inventories and self-report questionnaires. Students complete approximately 8 full assessment batteries, analyze and integrate the results, and write up reports suitable for both the referring professional and the client.

Behavior Therapy

Dr. Alan Goldstein conducts a two-semester practicum each year focused on behavior therapy for anxiety disorders. Students learn not only to apply empirically supported behavioral interventions but also to use the moment-to-moment analysis of the process of therapy to identify stumbling blocks to progress. Students carry a caseload of approximately three clients at any given time. Two to three students share a 2- to 3-hour group supervision that follows Dr. Goldstein's review of videotapes of their treatment sessions. Students also have the opportunity to participate in specialized training in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder with Dr. Jon Grayson at the Anxiety & OCD Treatment Center of Philadelphia (http://www.ocdphiladelphia.com/).  

Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapy

Dr. Robert DeRubeis conducts a practicum each year in which students learn to practice cognitive therapy with adult outpatients. Each student carries a caseload of between two and five patients who have been referred because of the patient's interest in cognitive therapy, or because the referrer believes cognitive therapy will benefit the patient. Most patients have difficulty with depressed mood, but they may also (or instead) have difficulties with anger, anxiety, or maladaptive eating patterns. Group supervision is held for 3 hours each week throughout the 1-year practicum. In a typical year, there are two to three students on the practicum team.

Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety

Under the leadership of Dr. Edna Foa, the CTSA offers students a unique opportunity to learn both the theory and practice of cognitive-behavioral treatments for anxiety disorders, including obsessive-compulsive disorder in adults and children, post-traumatic stress disorder, and social phobia. The CTSA is an important site for both practicum training and research opportunities for Penn graduate students.

Under the direction of Dr. Judith Coché, the Coché Center (http://www.thecochecenter.com/) offers students opportunities to participate in couples and family therapy, using both individual and group process modalities.  Dr. Coché employs a sophisticated, multi-modal intervention model based on cognitive-behavioral, family systems, group process and dynamic theory, grounded by a strong developmental, life-span approach. 

Clinical Program Faculty

The following is a list of Psychology Graduate Group members with research interests that are especially relevant to clinical psychology graduate students. All of these individuals are available, in principle, to serve on dissertation committees, or as principal advisors to graduate students. If you are interested in working with a particular faculty member, it would be wise to check with that person to determine whether he or she is available to take a first-year student. Please refer to the list of faculty in the Psychology home page for descriptions of each individual's research interests and primary appointment.  Drs. Chambless, DeRubeis, Ruscio and Seligman are members of the core clinical faculty within the department of psychology.

• Jon Baron
• Dianne Chambless
• Paul Crits-Christoph
• Robert DeRubeis
• David Dinges
• Angela Duckworth
• Martha Farah
• Edna Foa
• Marty Franklin
• Sara Jaffee (arriving 06/01/2012)
• Joe Kable
• Anne Kazak
• Irwin Lucki
  
• Adrian Raine
• Paul Rozin
• Ayelet Ruscio
• Robert Schultz
• Martin Seligman
• Thomas Wadden

Clinical Program Committee

• Dianne Chambless - Director of Clinical Training
• Robert DeRubeis - Core Clinical Faculty
• Melissa Hunt - Associate Director of Clinical Training
• Jason Dana - Departmental Faculty
• Sara Jaffee - Core Clinical Faculty
• Ayelet Ruscio - Core Clinical Faculty
• Martin Seligman - Core Clinical Faculty

The Clinical Program Committee consists of the four core clinical faculty (Drs. Chambless, DeRubeis, Ruscio and Seligman), one member from a non-clinical area of the department (Dr. Jason Dana) and Dr. Melissa Hunt. Dr. Chambless is the Director of Clinical Training. Dr. Hunt serves as Associate Director of Clinical Training. The Associate Director is responsible for much of the day to day administration of the clinical training program. In this capacity, Dr. Hunt meets with all of the clinical students regularly, helps them obtain appropriate practicum placements and serves as a liaison between students and their off-site supervisors. The Clinical Program Committee as a whole oversees the clinical training program, and helps to ensure that policies of the program are consistent with broader departmental policies and goals. The program committee also bears responsibility for helping students complete the program when special circumstances arise, or when students encounter difficulties with any aspect of their doctoral training.

Clinical Associates and Supervisors

The following individuals have special departmental appointments as either clinical associates (who serve a 3-year term) or clinical supervisors (who generally serve a 1-year term). These individuals are not members of the department's graduate group, but are an integral part of our clinical training program. Often, they coordinate off-site practica and provide individual and group supervision to our clinical students. They also serve as guest speakers to clinical group meetings, and frequently offer their special expertise through clinical consultation and invited lectures. As a group, they reflect the breadth and diversity that our clinical training program offers. We are grateful for their efforts on behalf of our students.

• Judith Coché - Clinical Associate
• Alan Goldstein - Clinical Associate
  
• Jonathon Grayson - Clinical Associate
  
• Jenelle Nissley-Tsiopinis - Clinical Associate
• Steven Sayers - Clinical Associate
  
  

Current Graduate Students

You are invited to e-mail any of our current graduate students if you have questions about the nature of the training program here or would like to get first hand information about some aspect of the program. The student's advisor is listed in parentheses. It is worth noting that clinical students may choose as their primary advisor any of the faculty within the graduate group. This includes regular departmental faculty whose primary interests are not necessarily clinical, but who have overlapping interests or special skills that make them a good match for that particular student. It also includes members of the Graduate Group whose interests and research are in the clinical area, but whose primary appointment is elsewhere in the University (e.g., Psychiatry).

First Year Student (Enrolled in Fall 2011)

Zach Cohen zcohen@sas.upenn.edu (Robert DeRubeis)

Lorenzo Lorenzo-Luaces lorenzl@sas.upenn.edu (Robert DeRubeis)

Eliora Porter  eliora@sas.upenn.edu (Dianne Chambless)

Second Year Students (Enrolled in Fall 2010)

Moriah Brier mbrier@sas.upenn.edu (Anne Kazak)

Allison Nahmias asn2@sas.upenn.edu (Robert Schultz)

Ann Marie Roepke aroepke@sas.upenn.edu (Martin Seligman)

Third Year Students (Enrolled in Fall 2009)

Irena Ilieva iilieva@psych.upenn.edu (Martha Farah)

Fourth Year Students (Enrolled in Fall 2008)

Marie Forgeard mariefd@psych.upenn.edu (Martin Seligman)

Lauren Hallion hallion@psych.upenn.edu (Ayelet Ruscio)

Dahlia Mukherjee dahliam@psych.upenn.edu (Jacques Barber)

Anna Rudo-Hutt rudohutt@psych.upenn.edu (Adrian Raine)

Fifth Year Students (Enrolled in Fall 2007)

Emily Gentes gentes@psych.upenn.edu (Ayelet Ruscio)

Laura Sockol lsockol@psych.upenn.edu (Jacques Barber)

Sixth Year Students (Enrolled in Fall 2006)

Hilary Dingfelder dingfeld@psych.upenn.edu (Robert Schultz) On Internship 2011-2011

Daniel Hackman dhackman@psych.upenn.edu (Martha Farah) On Internship 2011-2011

Melissa Peskin peskinf@psych.upenn.edu (Adrian Raine) On Internship 2011-2011

Christian Webb webb@psych.upenn.edu (Robert DeRubeis) On Internship 2011-2011

Alyson Zalta zalta@psych.upenn.edu (Dianne Chambless) On Internship 2011-2011

Seventh Year Students (Enrolled in Fall 2005)

Kinjal Doshi kdoshi@psych.upenn.edu (Anne Kazak) On Internship 2011-2011

Rebecca Stewart restewar@psych.upenn.edu (Dianne Chambless)

Student Admissions, Outcomes and Other Data

1.  Admissions Data

2.  Program Costs

            All clinical students are fully funded for 5 years.  This includes coverage of tuition and fees, as well as health insurance and a living stipend.  For the current academic year (2011-2012) the stipend is $26,800.

3. Time to Completion for Graduates 2005-2011

4.  Internship Acceptance Rates 2004-2010

5.  Attrition Rates

* Students actually graduated with a doctorate in psychology (Ph.D.) but decided to not to pursue an internship and thus did not complete the clinical training program. 

6.  Licensure of Graduates 2001-2009