The MCG-Charlie Norwood VAMC Internship makes use of the following evaluation components
in efforts to achieve the identified Goals of the Internship:
Rotation/Track Performance Evaluation. It is required that the supervisor and Intern
have a relatively formal discussion of the Intern's progress six weeks after beginning
each of the three required rotations. Each rotation/track supervisor makes a report
regarding internship performance not less than every four months using the electronic
evaluation system of One45 (SEE “ Intern Performance Milestones Evaluation” in Appendix
A). ) Goals/Objectives/ Competencies milestones are all rated by the supervisors as
the intern makes progress toward the milestones targeted for the completion of internship
– Level 3 or higher, which generally represents that the Intern is “competent to function
effectively in interdisciplinary teams independently with supervision/review”. The
general standard for progress through the program is for the intern to demonstrate
steady movement from Level 1 competencies toward Level 3 or higher. Failure to make
progress beyond Level 1 milestones are indicative of the possible need for some form
of remediation. The degree of administrative formality of the remediation plan is
dictated by the severity of deficit observed. The Training Director reviews all One45
evaluations of interns and releases those to the interns upon review. The Internship
Core Committee conducts end of rotation review of all evaluations for each Intern.
If significant problems are noted, the committee decides if any changes are to be
instituted. The committee can institute a four-month probationary period if indicated,
and this period can be extended. All reports and actions taken by the committee
are incorporated into the file kept on each Intern. The Intern Performance Milestones
Tracking Form provides a mechanism to verify at mid-year and end-of-year evaluations
that the cumulative intern evaluations are indicating that interns are developmentally
on course in regard to completion of the program goals/objective/sub-objectives and
their associated competencies.
Clinical Skills Verification Exam. At the end of the first rotation Interns are required
to complete a Clinical Skills Verification Examination. Individual each Intern presents
a 45-50 minute video of a new patient assessment to the directors of the Diagnostic
and Treatment Seminar and the Psychotherapy Process Seminar. The Overall Supervisor
would be invited to attend as well. Following the viewing of the video, the Intern
is expected to provide:
A concise and organized summary of the key information pertinent to the case.
An assessment plan that included key additional data needed to form an effective “theory
of the patient” - that may involve a proposal for psychological testing that could
provide valuable information in this process.
A “theory of the patient” that formed both a descriptive and etiological understanding
of the patient’s key problems and relevant strengths. This formulation should include
relevant constructs pertaining to the social/cultural context of the key issues at
hand and the biopsychosocial contributing factors.
A treatment plan that addresses the key biopsychosocial contributing factors and that
addresses the life goals that form the basis for an appropriate recovery/wellness
plan.
The AADPRT Clinical Skills Verification Examination Form CSV.3 is used to rate the
assessment performance along with the Intern Clinical Skill Verification Evaluation
Supplement – evaluates in greater detail evidence of conceptualization skills. Results
are immediately discussed with the intern and findings are submitted on the One45
evaluation system. The Training Director reviews all One45 evaluations of interns
and releases those to the interns upon review.
Contextual CBT Therapy Rating Scale. As part of the Diagnostic/Treatment Seminar all
interns must successfully conduct a Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Session judged
by the seminar directors/CBT instructors as “good” on the question, “How would you
rate the clinician overall in this session, as a cognitive therapist?” as part of
the Contextual CBT Therapy Rating Scale (See Appendix A). Results of the session evaluation
are immediately reviewed with the intern and the evaluation form is completed by the
seminar directors/CBT instructors in the One45 evaluation system, reviewed by the
Training Director and then released to the interns.
Midyear Evaluations. At the end of six months, the Internship Core Committee meets
with the Intern to review his/her ratings, discuss his or her progress, and make
specific recommendations. Evaluations of the Intern’s performance are provided by
the Rotational/Track Supervisors, the Overall Supervisor, and the Faculty Directors
of the Diagnostic/Treatment Seminar, the Psychotherapy Process Seminar, and the Professional
Issues Seminar (SEE “Intern Performance Milestones Evaluation – Seminar Form” in Appendix
A). Ratings for the performance in the Diagnostic-Treatment Seminar, Psychotherapy
Process Seminar, and the Professional Issues Seminar are completed by the seminar
directors and recorded in the One45 evaluation system. In addition, the Interns are
required to complete a self-evaluation rating of their performance in order to assist
in evaluating the progress in the Internship Training and to develop specific educational
goals for the remainder of the year (SEE “Intern Performance Milestones Self-Evaluation
Form” in Appendix A). Finally, at the Midyear Evaluation, the Overall Supervisor
for each respective intern completes and reviews the Intern Performance Milestones
Tracking Form with the intern and submits to the Internship Training Director via
the One45 system. This tracking form maintains a formal account of the progress of
each intern in meeting the internship training goals established generally by the
training model and specifically according to the individualized intern training goals.
The Training Director reviews and releases the tracking form results to the respective
intern via the One45 system as formal written feedback to the intern. The Internship
Training Director summarizes the findings of this Midyear Evaluation in a letter sent
to the Graduate School Training Director of the respective intern. The Intern is
given the opportunity of reviewing and requesting revisions of the Midyear Evaluation
letter prior to its being sent to the respective Graduate School Training Director.
Research Paper Evaluation. Interns must complete one research-scholarly project in
which there is a written product authored or co-authored by the intern by the end
of the 11 month of the training year. Proficiency of the research-scholarly product
is judged by two faculty not directly involved in the research project and the Training
Director using the Evaluation of Intern Research Paper form. The Training Director
reviews and releases the Research Paper Evaluation form results to the respective
intern via the One45 system as formal written feedback to the intern.
Outreach Educational and Prevention Presentation. Interns are required to participate
in at least one Outreach Educational and Prevention Team designed to provide mental
health education for consumers and/or providers in mental health and medically underserved
areas in the Region 2 of the Georgia’s DBHDD system. These psychology faculty and
intern teams typically provide lectures or workshops on issues of prevention and treatment
of mental health disorders based on the needs of the community mental health consumers
and providers. Proficiency of the intern’s presentation will be judged by the participating
supervisor(s) with an overall rating of average or better on the Outreach Educational
and Prevention Presentation Evaluation required.
End of the Year Evaluation. At the conclusion of the year, the Internship Core Committee
meets with the Intern to review his/her ratings, discuss his or her performance,
and make specific recommendations regarding post-internship professional development.
Evaluations of the Intern’s performance are provided by the Rotational Supervisors,
the Overall Supervisor, and the Faculty Directors of the Diagnostic/ Treatment Seminar,
the Psychotherapy Process Seminar, and the Professional Issues Seminar. Ratings for
the performance in the Diagnostic-Treatment Seminar, Psychotherapy Process Seminar,
and the Professional Issues Seminar are completed by the seminar directors and recorded
in the One45 evaluation system. In addition, the Interns are required to complete
a self-evaluation rating of their performance in order to assist in evaluating their
success in completing their educational goals during the Internship Training and to
assist them in developing future personal career educational goals. Furthermore, the
final Intern Performance Milestones Tracking Form is completed by the Overall Supervisor
and submitted to the Internship Training Director via the One45 system. By the end
of the training year the intern must be rated by the supervisors as having demonstrated
the majority of milestones targeted for the completion of internship – Level 3 or
higher, which generally represents that the Intern is “competent to implement clinical
skills independently with supervision/review”. Internship Training Director summarizes
the findings of this End of the Year Evaluation in a letter sent to the Graduate School
Training Director of the respective intern. The Intern is given the opportunity of
reviewing and requesting revisions of the End of the Year Evaluation letter prior
to its being sent to the respective Graduate School Training Director.
