Training Directors’ Perspectives of Psychology Intern and Postdoctoral Fellow Training Experiences during COVID-19: A Changing Landscape

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic has affected professional training in health service psychology. Although training provided by psychology internship and postdoctoral fellowship programs has continued, programs have altered the opportunities available to assure the safety of patients and providers. This paper aims to describe training directors’ (TD) perspectives of how COVID-19 has impacted training experiences. Participants included 63 TDs from child and adolescent psychology internship and postdoctoral fellowship programs, most of which are located in the United States. A survey containing open- and close-ended questions was distributed to TDs to assess alterations to training experiences due to COVID-19. Responses described increased use of telehealth, video/virtual supervision, safety precautions/procedures, reduced in-person clinical opportunities, and decreased morale. Assessment, communication and interpersonal skills, intervention, and consultation and interprofessional/interdisciplinary skills were the profession-wide competencies most negatively impacted. Qualitative analysis revealed five themes describing how COVID-19 (1) affected the depth and breadth of training; (2) reduced organic, in the moment experiences; (3) increased stress and decreased trainee and staff morale; (4) limited in-person assessment training; and (5) altered and reduced interdisciplinary collaboration. The ongoing pandemic has had positive and negative impacts on the experiences of trainees completing internship and postdoctoral fellowship programs. Although TDs reported increased opportunity to train in telehealth service provision, it is imperative that trainees are able to gain clinical experiences in the context of this pandemic that meet training expectations in depth and breadth of skills needed to assure readiness to transition into the field of independent practice as emerging psychologists.