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Become an Army Psychologist
Become an Army Psychologist
Ways they serve:
Army Psychologists may serve in a variety of psychology-related fields at locations stateside and abroad in a variety of settings, conducting traditional clinical work, as well as operational psychological support services.
Research Psychology:
Focus on research examining how physiological, psychological, and social variables impact the health and performance of Army members.
Help develop programs, such as interventions and prevention training, to improve the health and lives of Soldiers and their Families.
PhD scientists with specialization in any number of non-clinical branches of psychology and related fields, including cognitive, experimental, social, industrial/organizational, human factors, engineering, personnel, neuroscience, and physiology.
Clinical Psychology:
Focus on the diagnosis and treatment of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders, as well as the application of psychological science within an organizational and operational setting.
Requires a doctoral degree in Clinical or Counseling Psychology (PhD or PsyD), completion of a clinical internship and ability to obtain an unrestricted state licensure as a Psychologist.
What they do:
Traditional clinical work including therapy, assessment, and diagnosis
Health psychology
Assessment and selection of personnel
I/O assessments and recommendations
Executive coaching and command consultation
Embedded operational clinical and organizational interventions
Policy making and program development
Officership and leadership
Teaching
Preventative resilience building
Psychological first aid
Where they serve:
Hospitals and clinics
Embedded with operational commands (e.g., special forces units, aircraft squadrons)
Deployments with ground troops
When and how to join:
Prior to graduate school:
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS): a 4-year, APA-accredited PhD program in clinical psychology, with emphasis areas in medical and military psychology; get paid as an active duty Naval Officer while in school, with a guaranteed internship spot and postdoctoral supervision.
For more information
During graduate school:
Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP): receive funding and military training during graduate school, with a subsequent guaranteed internship spot and postdoctoral supervision as an active duty officer following completion of your academic program.
For more information
Email StudentAffairs@militarypsych.org to request an HPSP mentor.
Predoctoral Internship:
1-year, APA-accredited training in providing evidence-based, clinical psychological services within the military healthcare system. Support provided to licensure. Selectees who join for completion of internship typically incur a 3-year active duty obligation.
Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas
Madigan Army Medical Center, Joint Base Lewis-McCord, Washington
Tripler Army Medical Center, Honolulu, Hawaii
Womack Army Medical Center, Fort Bragg, North Carolina
All sites participate in the APPIC match program.
Email StudentAffairs@militarypsych.org to request an internship mentor.
Postdoctoral Residency in Clinical Psychology:
1-year, APA-accredited postdoctoral residency is offered at each of the 4 Army internship sites, providing guaranteed postdoctoral supervision and support for licensure.
Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas
Madigan Army Medical Center, Joint Base Lewis-McCord, Washington
Tripler Army Medical Center, Honolulu, Hawaii
Womack Army Medical Center, Fort Bragg, North Carolina
For more information
Post-Licensure:
Direct Accession: Available for licensed Psychologists to join following licensure for competitive early career pay and benefits and unique clinical opportunities.
Postdoctoral Fellowships:
The Army offers 24-month specialty postdoctoral fellowships at various training sites to active duty Army psychologists who have obtained independent licensure and have completed at least their first duty assignment. Army psychologists are selected to attend fellowships and typically incur a 4 year active duty obligation. Following fellowship, a “utilization tour” is completed in which the psychologist practices in the specialty.
Clinical Child/Pediatric Psychology: APA-accredited program in advanced training in child/pediatric psychology. Program emphasizes general clinical child psychology services as well as focus on work in a medical setting with medically ill children.
Tripler Army Medical Center, Honolulu, Hawaii
Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston Texas
Clinical Health Psychology: APA-accredited advanced training in the biopsychosocial model and evidenced-based interventions of clinical health psychology to addresses health concerns and illness through prevention, treatment and rehabilitation.
Tripler Army Medical Center, Honolulu, Hawaii
Clinical Neuropsychology: APA-accredited advanced training in the application of brain-behavior relationships for the benefit of patients suffering from disorder, disease, or injury to the central nervous system.
Tripler Army Medical Center, Honolulu, Hawaii
Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston Texas
Forensic Psychology: Advanced training in forensic psychology with emphasis on UCMJ and military unique legal system requirements. Conducted in partnership with the Army’s forensic psychiatry fellowship at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland
Trauma Treatment and Health Care Delivery: Advanced training in traumatic stress disorders with emphasis on combat related trauma. Fellows develop expertise in psychological treatments of traumatic stress, and for designing and evaluating programs that address trauma and risk.
Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston Texas
Additional information:
For more information on the process for pursuing any of these options, visit the Army Clinical Psychology page
To contact an Army Health Care (AMEDD) Recruiter, go to https://www.goarmy.com or call 1-888-550-ARMY. If you encounter issues or need assistance navigating the commissioning process, you can reach out to Dr. Patrice Shanahan, PhD at Patrice.e.shanahan.mil@mail.mil (Army Psychology National Training Coordinator).
Become an Air Force Psychologist
Become an Air Force Psychologist
Ways they serve:
Behavioral Science/Human Factors Scientist
Air Force officers may serve in a variety of psychology-related fields at locations stateside and abroad in a variety of settings, conducting traditional clinical work, as well as operational psychological support services.
Behavioral Science/Human Factors Scientist:
Focus on basic and applied research in areas of behavioral science and human factors in order to enhance the safety and effectiveness of Airmen to complete their respective missions.
Requires a Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline such as behavioral sciences, psychology, anthropology, sociology, sociology and anthropology or rural sciences and a minimum 24 months of experience in a Behavioral Influence Specialist position or a master’s degree in approved disciplines
Clinical Psychology:
Focus on the diagnosis and treatment of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders, as well as the application of psychological science within an organizational and operational setting.
Requires a doctoral degree in Clinical or Counseling Psychology (PhD or PsyD), completion of a clinical internship and ability to obtain an unrestricted state licensure as a Psychologist.
What they do:
Traditional clinical work including therapy, assessment, and diagnosis
Health psychology
Assessment and selection of personnel
I/O assessments and recommendations
Executive coaching and command consultation
Embedded operational clinical and organizational interventions
Policy making and program development
Officership and leadership (e.g. Element Lead, Flight Command, Squadron Command)
Teaching and education (e.g. Uniformed Services University, Air Force Academy)
Population health initiatives
Disaster Mental Health
Where they serve:
Hospitals and clinics
Embedded with operational commands (e.g., aircraft, security forces, intelligence squadrons)
The Pentagon and The White House
When and how to join:
Prior to graduate school:
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS): a 4-year, APA-accredited PhD program in clinical psychology, with emphasis areas in medical and military psychology; get paid as an active duty Air Force Officer while in school, with a guaranteed internship spot and postdoctoral supervision.
For more information
During graduate school:
Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP): receive funding and military training during graduate school, with a subsequent guaranteed internship spot and postdoctoral supervision as an active duty officer following completion of your academic program.
For more information:
Predoctoral Internship:
1-year, APA-accredited training in providing evidence-based, clinical psychological services within the military healthcare system. Support provided to licensure. Selectees who join for completion of internship typically incur a 3 year active duty obligation.
Malcolm Grow Clinics and Surgery Center, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland
Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas
Wright Patterson Medical Center, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
All sites participate in the APPIC match program.
For more information:
https://www.appic.org/Internships/Match/About-The-APPIC-Match/Military-Internships
Email StudentAffairs@militarypsych.org to request an internship mentor
Postdoctoral Residency (Pre-Licensure):
“Notch” Fellowship – Program available for individuals who have graduated from an APA accredited program, but are not yet licensed.
Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas
Post-Licensure:
Direct Accession: Available for licensed Psychologists to join following licensure for competitive early career pay and benefits and unique clinical opportunities.
Postdoctoral Fellowships:
The Air Force offers 1-2 year specialty postdoctoral fellowships at various training sites to active duty Air Force psychologists who have obtained independent licensure and have completed at least their first duty assignment. Air Force psychologists are selected to attend fellowships and typically incur an additional 2-3 year active duty obligation. Following fellowship, a “utilization tour” is completed in which the psychologist practices in the specialty. Postdoctoral training spots are offered based on need and not all specialty fellowships are available each year.
Aviation Psychology (1 year): Advanced training for psychologists to provide direct aeromedical support to aircrew and act as a human factors/safety expert, with emphasis on the overlap between aircrew and mental health related conditions, aeromedical waivers, prevention / intervention / optimization of aircrew with emphasis on utilizing mental health provider skillsets in operational aviator environments, and assessment and selection of aircrew and special operators. The fellowship trains a psychologist to provide direct support to Air Force Safety Investigation Boards, conduct aerospace and organizational safety assessments, conduct human factors research, and apply psychological principals for mishap prevention.
USAF Safety Center, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico
Operational Psychology (1 year): Advanced training in military operational psychology, focused on principles and application of operational skillsets, including Assessment / Selection, SERE, IO and MISO, HUMINT consultation, adversary profiling, personnel recovery, aircraft mishap investigations, and other critical operational functions.
Joint Special Operations Command, Ft Bragg, NC
Clinical Health Psychology (2 year): APA-accredited advanced training in the biopsychosocial model and the most up-to-date evidenced-based interventions associated with clinical health psychology. The goal spectrum addresses health concerns and illness through population health research, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. Emphasis on behavioral sleep medicine as it pertains to operational readiness.
Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas
Clinical Neuropsychology (2 year): APA-accredited advanced training in the specialty area of Clinical Neuropsychology in the application of knowledge of brain-behavior relationships for the benefit of patients suffering from disorder, disease, or injury to the central nervous system.
Brook Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston Texas
Other fellowships offered: Child Psychology, Forensic Psychology, Psychopharmacology
Additional information
,
To contact an Air Force Health Professionals Recruiter, go to www.airforce.com/#connect
Click on “Find a Recruiter.” Type in the zip code where you will be located at the time you would like to work with a recruiter. Select “Healthcare student or professional.” You will be provided with an address and phone number of the closest Health Professions Recruiter. You will also have the opportunity to “Chat Live” with a Recruiting representative.
Additionally, you can reach out to airforcepsychology@gmail.com for additional information and assistance.
Become a Navy Psychologist
Become a Navy Psychologist
Ways they serve:
Aerospace Experimental Psychologist
Navy Psychologists may serve at any one of more than 250 Navy and medical facilities around the globe. Opportunities are available stateside and abroad in a variety of settings, on board a surface ship or aircraft carrier, working closely with a nearby aircraft squadron, SEAL team, submarine fleet, or with Marine Corps units.
Aerospace Experimental Psychology:
Work to optimize human performance in the flight environment through advancements in Human Systems Integration, personnel selection, training, safety, and human factors engineering.
All job positions are located within the continental US. The work settings include research laboratories, test and development agencies, academic institutions, and headquarters commands.
PhD scientists with expertise in human factors and the behavioral sciences, including non-clinical areas of psychology such as cognitive, experimental, and industrial/organizational psychology, neuroscience, or an interdisciplinary program emphasizing human factors or behavioral science.
If you are a PhD student who has not yet defended a dissertation, you are encouraged to contact them early; the recruitment team will work with you to track your progress, work with your recruiter where applicable, and answer your questions – For more information
Research Psychology:
Focus on basic and applied research in areas of military medicine, human performance, and psychological issues.
PhD scientists with specialization in any number of non-clinical branches of psychology and related fields, including cognitive, experimental, social, industrial/organizational, human factors, engineering, personnel, neuroscience, and physiology.
Employed at Naval hospitals and facilities located throughout the world, as well as the major Naval research centers and laboratories. – For more information
Clinical Psychology:
Focus on the diagnosis and treatment of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders, as well as the application of psychological science within an organizational and operational setting.
Requires a doctoral degree in Clinical or Counseling Psychology (PhD or PsyD), completion of a clinical internship and ability to obtain an unrestricted state licensure as a Psychologist.
What they do:
Traditional clinical work including therapy, assessment, and diagnosis
Health psychology
Assessment and selection of personnel
I/O assessments and recommendations
Executive coaching and command consultation
Embedded operational clinical and organizational interventions
Policy making and program development
Officership and leadership
Teaching, training, and instruction (e.g., Naval Academy, internship sites)
Preventative resilience building
Psychological first aid
Where they serve:
Hospitals and clinics
Embedded with operational commands (e.g., SEALS, Marine Corps units, submarine units, aircraft squadrons)
Aircraft carriers and surface ships
Hospital Ships (USNS Comfort and USNS Mercy)
Deployments with ground troops
The White House
SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape) School
When and how to join:
Prior to graduate school:
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS):
Fully funded, APA-accredited, PhD in Clinical Psychology while receiving pay as an active duty Navy Officer
Open to civilian and military applicants
2 individuals are accepted into the Navy program per year
Program is 4 years with 1 year of internship (guaranteed slot)
Officers incur a 7-year active duty Navy commitment upon successful completion of internship.
For more information
During graduate school:
Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP):
Funds either the final 2 or 3 years of academic coursework (not internship year) while enrolled in an APA-accredited PhD or PsyD program in Clinical or Counseling Psychology
Includes payments for tuition, book stipend, fees, and a monthly stipend (as of 2021, more than $2,300 per month)
Must have 1st year of program completed prior to applying
2 separate scholarships (must apply to just one). 2 year: funds the last two years of academic coursework (so years 3 and 4 if you are completing a 5 year program with internship as your final year). 3 year: funds the last 3 years of coursework (so years 2, 3, and 4 if you are completing a 5 year program with internship as your final year)
Those who receive the scholarship will likely have the ability to complete Active Duty Training (ADT) during the summer and receive pay as an Active Duty officer during this time
Receiving the HPSP scholarship guarantees placement at a Navy internship (at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth VA)
Applicants must meet the medical and administrative qualifications to serve as an active duty Navy officer.
For more information
Email div19studentrep@gmail.com to request an HPSP mentor
Predoctoral Internship:
1-year, APA-accredited training in providing evidence-based, clinical psychological services within the military healthcare system. Support provided to licensure. Selectees who join for completion of internship typically incur a 3-year active duty obligation.
Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, VA
Naval Medical Center San Diego, CA
San Diego and Bethesda sites participate in the APPIC match program. Portsmouth internship slots are reserved for HPSP and USUHS graduates.
For more information
Internships Email StudentAffairs@militarypsych.org to request an internship mentor
Postdoctoral Fellowship in Clinical Psychology:
1-year, APA-accredited fellowship to prepare for licensure, while serving as an active duty Naval Officer with guaranteed postdoctoral supervision.
Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, VA
For more information:
Post-Licensure:
Direct Accession: Available for licensed Psychologists to join following licensure for competitive early career pay and benefits and unique clinical opportunities.
Accept applications on an on-going basis
Must have graduated from an APA-accredited doctoral-level clinical and/or counseling psychology program (PhD or PsyD)
Must have graduated from an APA-accredited doctoral internship. This may be waived if applicant is Board Certified from American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP)
Must have an unrestricted psychology licensed from any US state
Postdoctoral Fellowships:
The Navy offers 1-2 year specialty postdoctoral fellowships at various locations to active duty Navy psychologists who have obtained independent licensure and have completed at least their first duty assignment. Navy psychologists are selected to attend fellowships and typically incur an additional 2-4 year active duty obligation. Following fellowship, a “utilization tour” is completed in which the psychologist practices in the specialty.
Operational Psychology (1 year): Advanced training in a wide range of applications of operational psychology principles in practice, specifically within Navy Psychology.
Completed through rotations with various civilian and military federal government agencies in the National Capital Region.
Pediatric Psychology (1 year): Advanced training in the child psychology.
Can be completed at any approved, accredited civilian institution.
Clinical Neuropsychology (2 years): Advanced training in the application of brain-behavior relationships for patients suffering from disorders of the central nervous system.
Can be completed at any approved civilian institution.
Clinical Psychopharmacology (2 years): Advanced training culminating in the attainment of a Masters of Science in Clinical Psychopharmacology to prepare Clinical Psychologists to work within the military setting as Prescribing Psychologists.
Completed through the Chicago School of Professional Psychology, Chicago, IL
Forensic Psychology (2 year): Advanced training in forensic psychology with emphasis on military unique legal system requirements.
Conducted in partnership with the Army’s forensic psychiatry fellowship at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD
Additional information:
Division 19 In-Uniform Clinical Psychology Webinar
For more information on the process for pursuing any of these options, visit the Navy Psychology Recruitment page
To contact a Navy Officer Recruiter, go to: http://www.navy.com/careers/healthcare
Click on “Find a Recruiter” located at the bottom of the page. Type in the zip code where you will be located at the time you would like to work with a recruiter. Click on “Officer Recruiter.”
When contacting a Navy recruiting office, ask specifically to speak with a Medical Programs Officer Recruiter. Small recruiting offices may not have Medical Programs Officer Recruiters, but they can easily direct you to the nearest one.
Join the U.S. Public Health Service
Join the U.S. Public Health Service
Ways they serve:
Epidemiologist (Epi-Psychologist)
What they do:
Traditional clinical work including therapy, assessment, and diagnosis
Health psychology
Assessment and selection of personnel
I/O assessments and recommendations
Embedded operational clinical and organizational interventions
Policy making and program development
Teaching
Research
Community needs assessments
Disaster response
Where they serve:
At a variety of federal agencies, including:
Center for Disease Control
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Department of Defense
Department of Homeland Security
Environmental Protection Agency
Federal Bureau of Prisons
Food and Drug Administration
Healthcare Research and Quality
Health Resources and Services Administration
Immigration Health Services
Indian Health Services
National Institutes of Health
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Park Service
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
US Coast Guard
US Department of Agriculture
US Marshals Service
Benefits:
Internship opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students
Federal government compensation and benefits, including retirement/pension
Educational resources (e.g., GI Bill)
Loan repayment programs
Diverse career options in a variety of settings with portability between federal agencies
To join, you must have a PhD or PsyD from an accredited institution and a current, unrestricted psychologist license from any US state or territory (for Clinical Psychologists).
For more information
Become a Non-Uniformed Military Psychologist
Become a Non-Uniformed Military Psychologist
Psychologists serve the military psychology community in a number of diverse capacities, in diverse ways that impact active duty service members, veterans, and their family members:
Department of Defense:
Civilian positions with USN, USMC, USA, USAF – government Service (GS) and Contract positions available at a wide variety of positions with each of the branches for fully licensed Psychologists at clinics and hospitals providing medical treatment
Army Military Family Support Services: non-medical counseling
Department of Veteran Affairs:
Training opportunities: the VA is the largest provider of training in Psychology in the nation, most of which are APA-accredited.
Clinical Practicum Training: predoctoral, supervised clinical training offered at many VA medical centers throughout the country.
Internships: 711 positions across 133 programs located in all US states and territories.
Postdoctoral Fellowships: 454 positions at 145 programs.
https://www.va.gov/OAA/Advanced_Fellowships/Home.asp
Additional information:
Clinical work
Research
Civilian arenas:
Academic institutions (research and clinical/academic services to AD, veterans, and family members)
Private institutions (research and clinical services to AD, veterans, and family members
Research institutes
(advancing psychological science that impacts AD, veterans, and family members)
Air Force Research Laboratory https://www.afrl.af.mil/
Naval Research Laboratory
Postdoctoral Fellowship Program: approximately 40 fellowship appointments per year for individuals to received advanced training in areas of interest and relevance to the Navy at various laboratory locations throughout the US.
US Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences
Resources
Free Military Psychology Training
Center for Deployment Psychology: in-person and online webinars, courses, CEs, etc.
Academic Programs with Military Psychology Specialty Programs
Alliant International University, Certificate in Fundamentals of Military and Veteran Psychology
Arizona State University, Certificate in Working with Military Families
Fayetteville State University, Certificate in Military Behavioral Health
Temple University, Certificate in Military Counseling
University of Northern Iowa, Certificate in Military Psychology
Liberty University, BS in Psychology with a Military Resilience Emphasis
United States Military Academy West Point, BS in Psychology with Emphases in Applied and Organizational Psychology
Adler University, MA in Military Psychology
Colorado State University Global, MS in Military and Emergency Responder Psychology
Walden University, MS in Forensic Psychology Military Specialization
Austin Peay State University, PsyD with Concentration in Serving Military Service Members, Veterans, and Their Families
University of Denver, PsyD with Military Psychology Specialty
William James College, PsyD with Military and Veterans Psychology Area of Emphasis
Steven A. Cohen Military Family Center Training Programs at NYU Langone; Psychology Externships and Postdoctoral Fellowships Specializing in Clinical Services with Veterans and Families
Conferences
Advocacy in Military Psychology Summit – International Applied Military Psychology Symposium
International Conference on Military Psychology and Psychiatry
Podcasts
Other Resources
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