A Predoctoral Field Placement in Primary Care: Keeping It Simple.

Abstract

The supply of psychologists with clinical experience in primary care settings has not kept pace with the growing demand. Pre- and postdoctoral training opportunities in primary care are rare, in part, because of the administrative, cultural, and educational complexities associated with interdisciplinary training endeavors. The authors describe the development of a modest, half-day primary care placement that is offered as part of a predoctoral internship in child clinical psychology. They provide a model and recommendations for exposing trainees and other interested practitioners to the themes, culture, and clinical opportunities of primary care, while avoiding many of the logistical problems that can encumber such efforts.