Program Components

The two levels of behavioral health externship positions available are an undergraduate level and a graduate level (masters and pre-internship level doctoral students). Undergraduate guidelines for weekly time and duration commitments are negotiated individually at this time. For the graduate level a minimum of 16 hours per week over two or more days is required- more is preferred. The minimum duration for graduate level positions is three months, however six months to a year is strongly preferred.


Listed below are a sample of activities (by externship level) that students may become involved in during their training. These activities may be tailored to better fit individual student interests and skill levels or altered at times to fit with the changing needs and training opportunities within the hospital. Individual training plans or contracts will be developed and documented during the interview and acceptance process.

Undergraduate Externship Level:

Students at this education and training level may participate in the following types of activities:

* Provide administrative support to the clinical staff that will include organizing and auditing medical records for completeness.
* Receive training and experience in observing triage, which includes level of care determinations and making referrals.
* Facilitate inpatients after-care follow-up by coordinating with the treatment team and assisting in scheduling appropriate appointments.
* As indicated, assist treatment team in inpatient or residential programs with clinical and administrative functions related to treatment planning, unit functioning and medical record documentation. (NOTE: Undergraduate externs are not authorized to independently document in the medical record)
* Attend and eventually co-lead inpatient/residential psycho-educational groups with psychology fellows, residents, interns and/or hospital staff.
* Prepare and deliver psycho-educational presentations for patients in inpatient, partial and residential units.
* Attend in-service training programs, case conferences, didactic seminars, and various mental health lectures that occur on a weekly basis (with other trainees).
* Assist staff in the Crisis Response Center as indicated.
* Receive training in and exposure to utilization review procedures to obtain approval from insurance companies for outpatient, partial and inpatient services.
* Assist outpatients with clinical intake evaluation procedures and assist staff with the administration of medical record documentation.