Heidi Levitt, Ph.D.
Director of Clinical Training
The clinical program, having been fully approved by the American Psychological Association continuously since 1972, is guided by the scientist/practitioner model and places a particularly strong emphasis on research. Although diversity exists among the clinical faculty with respect to methods of inquiry and areas of study, there is unanimity in promoting scientific inquiry as the foundation of clinical psychology. Students with strong current research interests and corresponding career goals present the best fit with the clinical faculty and the educational opportunities available in our department. The emphasis on scientific inquiry is indicated by the clinical program's membership in the Academy of Psychological Clinical Science, which is an alliance of leading, scientifically oriented, doctoral training programs in clinical and health psychology in the United States and Canada. Academy membership is open to doctoral programs with strong commitments to, and established records of, successful clinical science training. To be accepted into the clinical program, students must apply for full-time studies. From their first week on campus, students are involved in both research and service activities. Research training after the first year is focused in the area of concentration chosen by the student and is further promoted by a required one year research assistantship during years two or three. Professional skills are developed within the core program in clinical psychology and through a minimum of one academic year of financially supported supervised activities in a variety of diagnostic and treatment facilities within the community. Conceptual orientations and research interests among the clinical psychology faculty range from humanistic to behavioral (where both social learning and operant viewpoints are represented). The orientation of all faculty members is empirical, emphasizing the relations between research evidence and practical clinical applications. Students are encouraged to develop their own conceptual synthesis. All students receive a basic curriculum of general clinical training, which is concentrated in the first year. The first year of training is highly structured with required clinical and general psychology courses; subsequently, the content of study is more flexible and determined by the student's area of concentration. Within the clinical program, there are opportunities for concentration in: It usually takes four calendar years on campus before a student is ready to begin the year-long, full-time clinical internship required for the doctorate. A total of five years after the baccalaureate degree is normally required to complete the program. Academic and financial counseling for clinical students is available within the department and is also offered through the Center for Student Development on campus. Students can receive reduced-fee personal counseling from community professionals. Once a student is accepted into the Clinical Program, every effort is made to provide an environment conducive to his or her successful completion of the program without compromising training standards. About 10% of the students who start the program fail to complete their doctorate. Unsatisfactory academic performance is probably the factor that contributes least to this attrition. Personal problems, disenchantment with graduate study, and difficulties in completing projects such as the Master's thesis are the major factors contributing to "drop-out" or termination from the program. We try to prevent attrition as much as possible through early detection of problems, either academic or personal, and through early counseling and constructive feedback. All Clinical students will be given at least one year of clinical placement. Current Tennessee reimbursement guidelines are undergoing revision; these will increasingly affect funding for any off-campus placements. One method of helping ensure a placement of choice is to register, as early in the Program as possible, as a Licensed Psychological Examiner. Students in the Clinical Program are strongly encouraged to sit for their Psychological Examiner's License examination, given twice annually, the semester in which the Master's Degree is obtained. Students accepted to our Program who have already obtained a Master's degree from a Clinical Psychology program may also be eligible upon matriculation at The University of Memphis. Registration materials should be obtained from the Board of Examiners in Psychology at least six months prior to the scheduled test. A copy of the registration packet is on file in the Clinical Office. The clinical program is accredited by the Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation at APA:
Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
750 First Street, NE • Washington, DC • 20002-4242
Phone: 202-336-5979 • TDD/TTY: 202-336-6123
Fax: 202-336-5978 • E-mail: apaaccred@apa.org Additional information:
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