Psychology Internship Program

Applications must be received on or before Nov. 1, 2024. As a member of the Association for Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC) and in accordance with its policies, our application constitutes the AAPI Online Form. We require 3 letters of recommendation.

We welcome applications from students in APA-accredited doctoral programs in clinical, school or counseling psychology (Ph.D., Psy.D., Ed.D.) who have completed all required coursework and defended their dissertation proposal by the application deadline. We review applications holistically, focusing on the overall fit with our program.

Key areas of focus in our application review include:

• Clinical Experience. We value applicants with substantial experience in child/adolescent/pediatric psychology, including intervention, consultation and assessment. Candidates with a broad range of experience across different age groups and settings, such as hospitals, integrated primary care clinics and multidisciplinary environments, are highly regarded.
• Diverse Populations. A demonstrated commitment to serving diverse populations and considering individual and cultural diversity variables in service delivery is essential. We seek applicants with strong personal awareness and experience with underrepresented groups. If your opportunities to work with diverse populations have been limited, your application will not be penalized. However, please acknowledge this limitation in your materials, and discuss your dedication to seeking more training in this area.
• Academic and Professional Excellence. We look for evidence of academic and professional leadership and achievements, such as grants, awards, research, publications, teaching experience, advocacy work, community outreach or program development.
• Evidence-Based Practice. We seek applicants demonstrating a commitment to evidence-based practice in clinical work, and who integrate research and clinical practice effectively.

By considering these elements, we aim to select interns who are not only academically and clinically proficient but also committed to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in the field of psychology.

The doctoral internship is a full-time experience for the calendar year, beginning July 1, 2025 and ending June 30, 2026.

Interviews are by invitation only. In order to be considered for an interview, your completed application must be received by Nov. 1, 2024. Interviews will be conducted entirely virtually this year on two dates: Jan. 8 and 15, 2025. Invitations for interviews will be sent before Dec. 15. Please do not call before Dec. 15.

The Internship Program at Children's National is a member of the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC). This site agrees to abide by the APPIC policy that no person at this training facility will solicit, accept or use any ranking information from any intern applicant. Children’s National will be participating in the APPIC Internship Matching Program; applicants should register for the match.

Interns receive a yearly stipend of $48,006 plus the fringe benefit package for all trainees at Children’s National. In addition, interns receive a professional fund of $1,000 and will receive a $500 stipend for moving expenses. Interns have 4 weeks of paid vacation, 8 national holidays and 12 days of sick leave. Subsidized health insurance and parking are available.

An administrative assistant for Psychology and Behavioral Health is available to support the internship program. The clinical services are also supported by the administrative staff in the Outpatient Psychiatry and Psychology Department who assist interns in scheduling families, do all insurance authorization and facilitate the patient check-in process.

All Occupational Health requirements and pre-employment requirements must be satisfied prior to June 30. The District of Columbia Municipal Regulation Title 22 requires new employees/trainees to have a physical health screen. In addition, Children’s National requires proof of immunity for Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis), Flu (seasonal), and COVID-19. All applicants must complete the required labs and urine drug screening, which will test for the following: ETOH, amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, cocaine metabolites, marijuana metabolites, opiates and phencyclidines. A positive result for any of these substances will potentially make the candidate ineligible for hire.

A background check is also required, which will pull information from the following databases below. Under DC law, Children’s National is barred from hiring anyone with a conviction within the prior 7 years related to abuse, illegal substances or theft. Children’s National is prohibited from hiring anyone who is a registered sex offender, or who has been excluded from federal health care programs. Therefore, any history related to these prohibitions will make the candidate ineligible for hire. Inability to verify stated previous employment or education will also make the candidate ineligible for hire.

• Sterling Background Check 
• SSN Trace 18
• County Criminal Record
• State Criminal Record
• Federal Criminal Record
• Driver’s Record
• Employment Verification
• Education Verification
• FACIS L3 – Fraud and Abuse Control Information System
• DOJ Sex Offender Search
• Extended Global Sanctions

The Division of Psychology is committed to attracting and retaining interns and faculty from a diverse range of ethnic, racial and personal backgrounds. Consistent with such efforts, it acts to ensure a supportive and encouraging learning environment appropriate for the training of diverse individuals and the provision of training opportunities for a wide spectrum of individuals. In addition, the Division of Psychology is committed to providing opportunities for interns to learn about cultural and individual diversity and the promotion of health equity as they pertain to the practice of professional psychology.

To this end, the Division has established a Psychology Diversity Committee, whose mission is to promote awareness and inclusion across all areas of diversity including, but not limited to race and ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, language, disability and illness.

Interns participate in a Diversity Seminar series and have opportunities to engage in learning through our Spanish Training Emphasis Program (STEP) and Racial Equity Series. Further, interns are invited to participate more actively in community engagement and advocacy efforts (e.g., Intern Advocacy Day, Community Health Improvement Week). Children’s National Hospital is committed to a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion. Please see more about the institution’s commitment and effort to diversity, equity and inclusion.

The Children’s National internship program is fully accredited by the American Psychological Association. Applicants may contact the American Psychological Association’s Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation for additional information pertaining to our accreditation.

Phone: 202-336-5979 
Address: 750 First St, NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242
Email

Class of 2024-2025

• Ariel Blakey – Boston University
• Joshua Golt – University of Alabama
• Mary Quattlebaum – University of South Carolina
• Manuela Sinisterra – University of Florida 

Class of 2023-2024

• Caroline Lowman – Virginia Commonwealth University
• Cara Lucke – University of Minnesota
• Anniette Maldonado – University of Utah
• Beverlin Rosario-Williams – CUNY Hunter College

Class of 2022-2023

• Alexis Exum – University of Kansas
• Perrine Heymann – Florida International University
• Emma Chad-Friedman – University of College Park
• Samantha Birk – Temple University

Class of 2021-2022

• Kaitlyn Brodar – University of Miami
• Paige Johnson – University of Texas at Austin
• Raelyn Loiselle – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Sefania Pinto – University of Florida 

Class of 2020-2021

• Molly Basch – University of Florida
• Enitan Marcelle – University of California Berkeley
• Mercedes Palacios – Palo Alto University
• Sharon Shih – Georgia State University

Class of 2019-2020

• Andrea Kulish – University of North Carolina Greensboro
• Haley Meagher – Catholic University
• Allison Gornik – Michigan State University
• Katerina Dudley – University of North Carolina Chapel Hill

Class of 2018-2019

• Alyssa Ames-Sikora - Georgia State University
• Erika Ciappini – Temple University
• Maya Mosner – University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
• Christine Wang – University of Maryland College Park

Class of 2017-2018

• Serene Habayeb – Catholic University
• Laura Kurzius – Catholic University
• Stephanie Merwin – University of Maryland College Park
• Olivia Soutullo – University of Florida

Class of 2016-2017

• Lilia Mucka Andrew – Wayne State University
• Jenna Calton – George Mason University
• Gillian Regan – Virginia Commonwealth University
• Ashley Ramos – Texas A&M University