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FAQ - Postdoctoral Fellowship Program

What is the application process?

Application materials can be requested by e-mailing (preferred), calling, or writing the Director of the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program at the following contact information:

Craig R. Lareau, J.D., Ph.D., ABPP
Director, Postdoctoral Fellowship Program
Patton State Hospital
Department of Psychology
Administration Annex, Room 230
3102 E. Highland Avenue
Patton, CA 92369
Phone: (909) 425-7927
e-mail: clareau@dmhpsh.state.ca.us

Please provide all necessary information for an application packet to be mailed to you.

Please note that in addition to the other application materials, a complete application requires three (3) letters of recommendation: one from the applicants dissertation chair; one from the internship director or primary supervisor; and one from a licensed psychologists who knows the applicant’s work well. In addition, official transcripts from all graduate institutions attended must be sent as part of a complete application.

Once completed applications are received, the most qualified applicants will be contacted to schedule an interview. Because completing a work sample is part of the application process, on-site interviews are required. Though fellowship offers are made in February, actual employment in September is contingent on passing a physical examination (including a drug-screening) and a security clearance following fingerprinting.

What is the application deadline?

The application deadline is February 1.

What are the minimum qualifications required to apply to the Patton fellowship program?

To begin the fellowship, fellows must have completed all requirements for receipt of the doctorate in clinical psychology. At the least, fellowship applicants must be completing a doctoral program (APA Accredited strongly preferred) in clinical psychology at a recognized university or professional school, completing a predoctoral internship in clinical psychology (APA accredited), and must meet our prerequisites. Internship training must be of at least 1,800 hours duration, and experiences should include, at a minimum, administration, scoring and interpretation of intelligence tests and personality assessment instruments, and experience in providing individual and group psychotherapy. The applicant must have experience writing integrated assessment reports. Successful candidates commonly have demonstrated interest and experience in the area of specialization sought, have worked in settings with the severely mentally ill, and have excellent writing skills.

What personal characteristics are necessary to succeed in Patton’s fellowship?

In general, the most successful fellows possess strong time management skills. Our fellowship is very demanding and requires fellows to balance time spent in supervision, providing treatment, conducting assessments, attending seminars, and writing reports. Also, given that significant time is spent with other fellows in seminars, interpersonal skills and a modicum of confidence are assets to allow the fellow to make the most out of the training experiences.

How many supervisors will I have during the year?

Each fellow is assigned a “Primary Supervisor,” who serves as a mentor and who provides a minimum of one hour of individual supervision per week. In addition to the Primary Supervisor, each intern works with approximately five adjunct supervisors trained in the relevant speciality area. The hospital presently employs 64 psychologists on staff, and all psychologists either are licensed in California or are actively pursuing California licensure.

What resources are available to fellows during the training year?

Patton’s fellowship program has access to a wealth of internal and external training resources including an excellent staff library, computers, voicemail, teleconferencing ability, assessment materials, assessment software and dictation equipment. There are many inservice and community training conferences/workshops scheduled throughout the year. The fellowship budget generally allows for funding attendance at one or more external training workshops during the year.

What is the salary?

Salary funding is through a California civil service appointment for Clinical Psychology Intern (CPI). Current salary is $3,717 per month (approximately $44,600 per year), with full medical and dental benefits, holiday time, plus accrued sick leave and two weeks vacation. Starting date is typically September 1.

Where is Patton State Hospital?

Patton State Hospital is the largest state forensic hospital in the nation, and is in southern California. The hospital is in the greater San Bernardino area, and lies about 20 miles north of Riverside, and approximately 80 miles east of Los Angeles. San Bernardino, California, is a city of approximately 190,000, within a county of over one million people. It is in a valley surrounded by mountains and foothills that are snow-covered in the winter.

Where do fellows live?

There are several nice apartment communities within a 15-20 minute drive from the hospital. Although California has a higher cost of living than many other areas of the country, the cost of living in the areas surrounding Patton is cheaper than that of many other locations in California. Successful applicants who are selected as fellows will be contacted by the Fellowship Director and, if desired, will be provided with a list of apartment complexes that are recommended by former trainees.