COVID-19 Recruitment and Training Update
Overview
We hope everyone is doing well and taking precautions for themselves and their loved ones. The University of Washington School of Medicine’s Psychology Internship Program makes psychology resident safety our top priority. Our safety policies were established at the beginning of the pandemic and have evolved to continuously meet or exceed the latest CDC recommendations. First, all trainees are exempt from in-person contact with patients who have confirmed COVID-19 during their infectious phase. Next, all trainees receive full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to use in all their clinical settings, including surgical-grade masks and goggles if needed. Below is more specific information as to our program’s plans and a summary of our past handling of COVID-19 for the past several months by cohort.
2025-2026 COVID-19 Current Policies
We will continue to hold a full day Virtual Open House Event on Tuesday, January 7, 2024, using Zoom. We plan to inform applicants in early December if they have been selected to attend our Virtual Open House.
All Psychology Residents are considered employees of Washington State and are subject to state laws mandating COVID-19 and other required employee vaccinations. Thus, we may ask for proof of COVID-19 vaccination status or receive an approved medical or religious exemption by the start of your internship start date of July 1. When trainees start their internship year, each training site provides training on ways to migrate their risk of infection using Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
Should a psychology resident become positive with COVID-19, the program administration and training supervisors would work closely with the psychology resident to provide the appropriate accommodations to ensure a successful completion of the internship requirements. For example, if a resident tests positive, requiring a home quarantine for 10 days, the training program will attempt to shift the resident’s training-related duties to work that can be accomplished at home. If the resident becomes ill during this time and is unable to work from home, the resident could take sick leave as needed and if sick leave is accrued. If UW staff contract COVID-19 through an exposure at work, sick leave is provided by the institution. Our program has a history of successfully accommodating our psychology residents when there is a need for a resident’s personal health care.
The Psychology Internship Program encourages faculty and residents to discuss COVID-19 or other related issues during their 4 hours of scheduled supervision, weekly quick check-ins with the Training Director, and/or by scheduling personal meetings. Residents are encouraged to call the Director or Assistant Director at any time for consultation on this or other matters of concerns during the internship year. Again, our goal is to provide the best and safest clinical psychology training we can offer our residents. We also provide several resources to our residents to help with their coping including a monthly Stewardship Meeting designed to provide a safe space to discuss their own issues. We provide departmental resources to residents to help with coping such as https://psychiatry.uw.edu/clinical-care-consultation/covid-19-resources-for-mental-well-being/.
Information regarding UW Policies on COVID
https://huddle.uwmedicine.org/covid-19/
General Vaccination Requirements
Psychology Residents will work with UW Employee Health to make sure all immunization requirements (i.e., TB, measles, etc.) for hire to work in an academic medical center and other related health facilities are in compliance with all Washington State Laws at the time of hire.
Last Modified: September 1, 2024