Program Philosophy

Program Aim

The Idaho Psychology Internship Consortium’s (ID-PIC) mission is to prepare and retain health service psychologists to provide culturally competent collaborative health care for Idaho’s diverse population. The Idaho Psychology Internship Consortium (ID-PIC) represents the collaborative effort of multiple Idaho agencies to share resources and faculty for the purpose of providing a diversified educational program for doctoral psychology interns. The consortium is designed to provide generalist training to prepare interns to meet the unique challenges of practicing psychology in Idaho and to ensure clinical competency in working with Idaho’s various cultural groups.

Profession Wide Competencies and Learning Elements

Overarching Goals: The Idaho Psychology Internship Consortium (ID-PIC) represents the collaborative effort of multiple Idahoan agencies and the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, WICHE, to share resources and faculty for the purpose of providing a broad and general educational program for psychology interns.

Our program offers one year, full-time internship positions at agencies across Idaho. It is expected that by the conclusion of the internship year, interns will have achieved intermediate to advanced competence in APA’s nine Profession Wide Competencies and associated Learning Elements. For a comprehensive list of all required Learning Elements, please see the ID-PIC Supervisor Evaluation of Intern in the Handbook. The following represents a list of all required competencies and a general summary of associated learning elements:

Competency 1:  Research

Learning Elements related to this competency include the following:

• Demonstrates the substantially independent ability to critically evaluate and disseminate research or other scholarly activities (e.g., case conference, presentation, publications) at the local (including the host institution), regional, or national level.
• Disseminate research or other scholarly activities (e.g., case conference, presentation, publications) at the local (including the host institution), regional, or national level.

Competency 2:  Ethical and Legal Standards

Learning Elements related to this competency include the following:

• Be knowledgeable of, demonstrate and act in accordance with each of the following:
  • The current version of the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct;
  • Relevant laws, regulations, rules, and policies governing health service psychology at the organizational, local, state, regional, and federal levels; and
  • Relevant professional standards and guidelines.
• Recognize ethical dilemmas as they arise and apply ethical decision-making processes in order to resolve the dilemmas.
• Conduct self in an ethical manner in all professional activities.

Competency 3:  Individual and Cultural Diversity

Learning Elements related to this competency include the following:

• Demonstrate an understanding of how their own personal/cultural history, attitudes, and biases may affect how they understand and interact with people different from themselves.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the current theoretical and empirical knowledge base as it relates to addressing diversity in all professional activities including research, training, supervision/consultation, and service.
• Demonstrate the ability to integrate awareness and knowledge of individual and cultural differences in the conduct of professional roles.
• The ability to apply a framework for working effectively with areas of individual and cultural diversity.
• The ability to work effectively with individuals whose group membership, demographic characteristics, or worldviews create conflict with their own.

Competency 4:  Professional Values, Attitudes, and Behaviors

Learning Elements related to this competency include the following:

• Behave in ways that reflect the values and attitudes of psychology, including cultural humility, integrity, deportment, professional identity, accountability, lifelong learning, and concern for the welfare of others.
• Engage in self-reflection regarding one’s personal and professional functioning; engage in activities to maintain and improve performance, well-being, and professional effectiveness.
• Actively seek and demonstrate openness and responsiveness to feedback and supervision.
• Respond professionally in increasingly complex situations with a greater degree of independence as they progress across levels of training.

Competency 5:  Communication and Interpersonal Skills

Learning Elements related to this competency include the following:

• Develop and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of individuals, including colleagues, communities, organizations, supervisors, supervisees, and those receiving professional services.
• Demonstrate a thorough grasp of professional language and concepts; produce, comprehend, and engage in communications that are informative and well-integrated.
• Demonstrate effective interpersonal skills and the ability to manage difficult communication well.

Competency 6:  Assessment

Learning Elements related to this competency include the following:

• Demonstrate current knowledge of diagnostic classification systems, functional and dysfunctional behaviors, including consideration of client strengths and psychopathology.
• Demonstrate understanding of human behavior within its context (e.g., family, social, societal and cultural).
• Demonstrate the ability to apply the knowledge of functional and dysfunctional behaviors including context to the assessment and/or diagnostic process.
• Select and apply assessment methods that draw from the empirical literature and that reflect the science of measurement and psychometrics; collect relevant data using multiple sources and methods appropriate to the identified goals and questions of the assessment as well as relevant diversity characteristics of the service recipient.
• Interpret assessment results, following current research and professional standards and guidelines, to inform case conceptualization, classification, and recommendations, while guarding against decision-making biases, distinguishing the aspects of assessment that are subjective from those that are objective.
• Communicate the findings and implications of the assessment in an accurate and effective manner sensitive to a range of audiences.

Competency 7:  Intervention

Learning Elements related to this competency include the following:

• Establish and maintain effective relationships with the recipients of psychological services.
• Develop evidence-based intervention plans specific to the service delivery goals
• Implement interventions informed by the current scientific literature, assessment findings, diversity characteristics, and contextual variables.
• Demonstrate the ability to apply the relevant research literature to clinical decision making.
• Modify and adapt evidence-based approaches effectively when a clear evidence-base is lacking.
• Evaluate intervention effectiveness and adapt intervention goals and methods consistent with ongoing evaluation.

Competency 8:  Supervision

Learning Elements related to this competency include the following:

• Apply supervision knowledge in direct or simulated practice with psychology trainees, or other health professionals. Examples of direct or simulated practice of supervision include, but are not limited to, role-played supervision with others, and peer supervision with other trainees.
• Apply the supervisory skill of observing in direct or simulated practice.
• Apply the supervisory skill of evaluating in direct or simulated practice.
• Apply the supervisory skills of giving guidance and feedback in direct or simulated practice.

Competency 9:  Consultation and Interprofessional/Interdisciplinary Skills

Learning Elements related to this competency include the following:

• Demonstrate knowledge and respect for and engagement with the roles and perspectives of other professions.
• Apply this knowledge of consultation models and practices in direct or simulated consultation with individuals and their families, other health care professionals, interprofessional groups, or systems related to health and behavior.

Direct of simulated practice examples of consultation and interprofessional/interdisciplinary skills include but are not limited to:

• Role-played consultation with others, peer consultation, provision of consultation to other trainees.