GENERAL INFORMATION, CRITERIA/REQUIREMENTS, LEARNING OBJECTIVES
The purpose of the clinical internship is to acquire practical knowledge and to practice skills such as consultation, evaluation, intake interviews, reporting, therapeutic techniques and working in teams. These skills form the basis for working independently as a psychologist. Besides gaining practical experience, it is important that students can behave in an ‘academic manner’ in the practical environment. This means that students not only participate in the organization’s activities but also spend some of their time deepening their knowledge by consulting academic and relevant literature.
Learning objectives for the clinical internship
The clinical internship activities differ per placement. Students must be able to achieve the following learning objectives:
Diagnostic skills
Students are able to...
- independently take a medical history from the client and/or from their environment.
- independently formulate diagnostic hypotheses with theoretical substantiation using questions.
- independently compile a battery of tests and conduct diagnostic research and are familiar with scientific research methods.
- assess research results and insights from a critical and analytical perspective.
- draw conclusions and make recommendations that are part of the research question.
- present the research results in a written report based on BAPD requirements.
- provide feedback on the research results to the client and propose further treatment.
Treatment skills
Students ...
- have in-depth knowledge of treatment options and current theories.
- in a clinical setting are able to convert this knowledge into a treatment plan and apply it in the treatment.
- are able to treat clients individually and/or in groups and offer guidance.
Other professional skills
Students are able to...
- adopt a professional attitude and adapt it where necessary to the clinical setting, with a focus on the following terms: proactive, reflective, independent, enthusiastic and respectful.
- report the research and treatment details verbally in a team.
Criteria for the clinical internship
You can start your internship in either September/October/beginning of November or February/March/beginning of April of each year. The end date of your internship does not play a role. The total duration of the internship amounts to 532 hours and must be spent on evaluation, assessment and treatment (unless agreed otherwise with the University of Twente). An internship agreement will be drawn up between the student and the work placement.
Time spent by students during the internship on preparation and/or data collection for their Master’s thesis does not count as internship time. The internship and the Master’s thesis are regarded as separate courses.
Days off do not count as internship time. During the internship students are allowed to take one week’s holiday. The internship then has to be extended with the equivalent of hours missed. If a student is ill for more than 1 working week, the internal supervisor will be notified and the internship will be extended with the equivalent of the hours lost, to ensure that the student works 532 hours at the internship. Time spent at evaluation meetings and intervision meetings does count as internship hours.
If the internal and external supervisors agree on the internship being insufficient, the student must redo the internship (in the same or in a different institution). The external supervisor is allowed to terminate the internship if the students’ performance gives rise to do so. In that case the internal supervisor has to be informed about the decision and the underlying reasons.