Research Opportunities

The clinical PsyD program in Sacramento is designed for students interested in the professional practice of clinical psychology. Recognizing that this practice must be grounded in the most current literature and research knowledge, we strive to teach students to be competent consumers of research and confident in their ability to apply this knowledge to diverse populations across various settings.

One of the unique aspects of the clinical PsyD program is the design of its dissertation sequence. 四学期的课程顺序从第二年开始，在第三年完成. During the second year, students work on the development of their dissertation proposal that they typically defend at the end of the second year.  During the third year, 学生收集他们的数据，并完成他们的论文写作, which they typically defend at the end of their third year before students leave for internship. During these dissertation classes, 学生在论文指导老师的指导下相互支持, a core faculty member who serves as dissertation chair. 研讨会的形式利用了班上其他学生的技能来激发新的想法. In addition, this model allows the dissertation chair to provide ongoing helpful feedback as each student progresses through the dissertation process. This intensive structure has proven extremely successful in facilitating students completing dissertation prior to leaving for internship and in turn, completing the program on time.

In addition to course offerings, several faculty members lead voluntary research labs, providing opportunities for students to engage in hands-on research endeavors to present at state and national conferences, and to publish their findings. Below, please find a description of some of the current research initiatives involving students.

Education and Training Research Lab

Emil Rodolfa, PhD 

Throughout my career, I have been committed to enhancing the education and training of the next generation of psychologists. 从我还是德州农学院博士生的时候起&M where I was learning to supervise, 直到我成为APA/APPIC期刊的创始编辑, Training and Education in Professional Psychology, until today, I am fascinated by the process of professional development. It gives me great pleasure and a sense of personal and professional fulfillment to contribute to student learning and competency development.

My research lab has been developed to give students a chance to examine variables that contribute to the process of doctoral education in psychology. Each year, I take a small group of first year students and over their three years in the program we investigate a topic of interest to them in the broad area of psychology education and training.

These research opportunities have given students a chance to connect with each other and work together towards a common goal. 他们为学生提供了合作制定研究方案的机会, to apply to the University institution review board, to conduct the study, analyze the data collected, develop presentations, and write and submit papers describing the research. In addition, these projects give me a chance to get to know students; to work closely with them, to mentor, and to support them. As a result, 这让我有机会更多地了解我们的学生和他们的兴趣, to watch how they work as a member of our research team, and how they commit to an additional project in the face of all the other demands of our program.

I look forward each year to welcoming new students into my lab and helping them develop a project that they will feel excited about working on to its completion.

Jacqueline Fahey, PsyD

While still early in my career, 我有幸成为许多了不起的研究团队的一员. In particular, I have greatly enjoyed my participation on research teams exploring topics that fall in the realm of health psychology. During my undergraduate experience, 我是一个团队的成员，该团队评估了自恋和自恋之间的关系, biological sex, mood, and exercise exertion, which was published in the International Journal of Exercise Science in 2014.

In 2016, I traveled with some fellow graduate students to rural villages in Vietnam to examine the impact of introducing health behavior change on the rates of parasitic disease.

因为健康心理学是心理学领域中一个相对较新的分支, there is still a great deal that has yet to be explored. Regarding future research, 我对探索动机的主题特别感兴趣, perceived self-worth, and mood as it relates to an individual’s health behaviors. While these are topics that I am interested in, I find it to be an integral part of the process for students to discuss and identify topics that make them excited to work on a project.

Therefore, in the future when I open my lab to students, we will collaborate as we explore each student’s unique interests so they may gain invaluable research experience as a part of their professional development journey.

Training

Field Training

The clinical PsyD program in Sacramento emphasizes the integration of academic coursework with clinical practice. Students receive supervised clinical training during five semesters of practicum and one year of full-time pre-doctoral internship. Practicum students are placed through an extensive network of agencies throughout Central and Northern California. Potential sites include hospitals and other medical settings, schools, correctional facilities, group homes, clinics, universities, and state and county programs. Placements are available in agencies utilizing a variety of theoretical approaches and serving demographically and culturally diverse populations.

Skills learned in the classroom are quickly put to practice as students participate in their professional training experiences. 学生在第一年的下学期开始实习. This first-year practicum requires 12 hours per week for 17 weeks (approximately 200 hours) and draws on the skills learned during the first term in courses designed to prepare students for practice (such as Basic Foundations of Clinical Practice, Introduction to Ethical Practice & Law, and Intellectual Assessment). In the second and third years, practica are 16–20 hours per week for 50 weeks (approximately 800 hours each year) and use psychotherapy and assessment skills in a variety of settings. The director of clinical training facilitates a match process between students and agencies based on how the available training experiences match individual practicum learning plans. These are developed for each student to provide a breadth of experiences in keeping with the student’s level of experience and career goals.

In their final year of study, 学生有责任获得适当的一年课程, full-time internship (approximately 2,000 hours). 学生必须在比赛的第一阶段寻求apa认可的实习, and then during phase 2 (if needed) they may apply to APPIC or CAPIC member internships if desired. The Office of Professional Training and all of the faculty provide extensive support to students as they negotiate the internship application process.

Extra-Curricular Involvement

In addition to courses and field training, 学生也有机会更多地参与校园活动, both with the program and the university as a whole. One such opportunity is the Student Government Association (SGA)—considered the “voice of the students” at Alliant. The purpose of SGA is to promote and facilitate effective communication between faculty and administration by serving as the voice of the student body. This is done to strive for the highest quality of educational and professional engagement for the student body. SGA also works to promote social interactions and cohesion among all students and be a positive catalyst for change at all levels of the Alliant community.