COVID-19 Adaptations for Health Service Psychology Internship Training in a Medical School

Heather Agazzi; Shadae Najmabadi; Jacquelyn Flood; Danielle Cimorelli; Tiffany Chenneville

doi:10.1007/s10880-021-09784-2

COVID-19 Adaptations for Health Service Psychology Internship Training in a Medical School

J Clin Psychol Med Settings. 2022 Mar;29(1):80-91. doi: 10.1007/s10880-021-09784-2. Epub 2021 May 9.

Authors

Heather Agazzi¹, Shadae Najmabadi², Jacquelyn Flood³, Danielle Cimorelli², Tiffany Chenneville⁴

Affiliations

¹ USF Health Department of Pediatrics, University of South Florida, 13101 N. Bruce B. Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA. hcurtis@usf.edu.
² USF Health Department of Pediatrics, University of South Florida, 13101 N. Bruce B. Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA.
³ Department of Psychiatry, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
⁴ Department of Psychology, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, FL, USA.

Abstract

Health service psychology internship directors confronted a myriad of training challenges in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, internship training directors were tasked with ensuring that interns received appropriate training in each of the nine profession-wide competency (PWCs) areas while also ensuring the physical and emotional well-being of staff and trainees. The purpose of this paper is to describe one internship's approach to adapting the nine PWCs during COVID-19 in the context of an academic medical setting. Successes and challenges associated with training adaptations in the context of each of the nine PWCs will be shared along with considerations for improving academic medical training programs' ability to support interns' educational goals and training requirements throughout and following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords: Adaptations; COVID-19; Internship; Medical; Profession-wide competencies.

MeSH terms

COVID-19*
Health Services
Humans
Internship and Residency*
Pandemics / prevention & control
Schools, Medical