Psychology Internship Program

Children's National Hospital offers a comprehensive internship program in child clinical and pediatric psychology to doctoral students in psychology. This training's intended result is a broadly experienced child clinical/pediatric psychologist who can succeed in a variety of settings, including hospitals, clinics, universities or the broader community and with a variety of patient populations.

The program strives to develop psychologists committed to enhancing access to healthcare, valuing cultural differences, and advocating on behalf of the patients, families and communities they serve. The internship is fully accredited by the American Psychological Association, initially earning accreditation in 1970.

Inside the Psychology Internship Experience

The Psychology Internship Program provides extensive training in the many roles and functions psychologists play in healthcare today.

Explore Our Program

Applications must be received on or before Nov. 1, 2025. As a member of the Association for Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC) and in accordance with its policies, our application constitutes the AAPI Online Form. We require 3 letters of recommendation.

Requirements for Admission

We welcome applications from students in APA-accredited doctoral programs in clinical, school or counseling psychology (PhD, PsyD, EdD) who have completed all required coursework and defended their dissertation proposal by the application deadline. We review applications holistically, focusing on the overall fit with our program.

Key areas of focus in our application review include:

Clinical Experience. We value applicants with substantial experience in child/adolescent/pediatric psychology, including intervention, consultation and assessment. Candidates with a broad range of experience across different age groups and settings, such as hospitals, integrated primary care clinics and multidisciplinary environments, are highly regarded.
Academic and Professional Excellence. We look for evidence of academic and professional leadership and achievements, such as grants, awards, research, publications, teaching experience, advocacy work, community outreach or program development.
Evidence-Based Practice. We seek applicants demonstrating a commitment to evidence-based practice in clinical work, and who integrate research and clinical practice effectively.

By considering these elements, we aim to select interns who are not only academically and clinically proficient but also committed to advancing healthy outcomes for all children in the field of psychology.

Requirements for Matriculation

All Occupational Health requirements and pre-employment requirements must be satisfied prior to June 30. The District of Columbia Municipal Regulation Title 22 requires new employees/trainees to have a physical health screen. In addition, Children’s National requires proof of immunity for Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis), Flu (seasonal), and COVID-19. All applicants must complete the required labs and urine drug screening, which will test for the following: ETOH, amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, cocaine metabolites, marijuana metabolites, opiates and phencyclidines. A positive result for any of these substances will potentially make the candidate ineligible for hire.

A background check is also required, which will pull information from the following databases below. Under DC law, Children’s National is barred from hiring anyone with a conviction within the prior 7 years related to abuse, illegal substances or theft. Children’s National is prohibited from hiring anyone who is a registered sex offender, or who has been excluded from federal health care programs. Therefore, any history related to these prohibitions will make the candidate ineligible for hire. Inability to verify stated previous employment or education will also make the candidate ineligible for hire.

Sterling Background Check
SSN Trace 18
County Criminal Record
State Criminal Record
Federal Criminal Record
Driver’s Record
Employment Verification
Education Verification
FACIS L3 – Fraud and Abuse Control Information System
DOJ Sex Offender Search
Extended Global Sanctions

Application Deadline

Applications must be received no later than Nov. 1st, 2025 to be eligible for consideration for this internship.

Internship Dates

The doctoral internship is a full-time experience for the calendar year, beginning July 1, 2026 and ending June 30, 2027.

Interview Dates

Interviews are by invitation only. In order to be considered for an interview, your completed application must be received by Nov. 1, 2025. Interviews will be conducted entirely virtually this year on two dates: Jan. 7 and 14, 2025. Invitations for interviews will be sent before Dec. 15. Please do not call before Dec. 15.

Interviews

Stipend and Benefits

Interns receive a yearly stipend of $51,500 plus the fringe benefit package for all trainees at Children’s National. In addition, interns receive a professional fund of $1,000 and will receive a $500 stipend for moving expenses. Interns have 4 weeks of paid vacation, 8 national holidays and 12 days of sick leave. Subsidized health insurance and parking are available.

An administrative assistant for Psychology and Behavioral Health is available to support the internship program. The clinical services are also supported by the administrative staff in the Outpatient Psychiatry and Psychology Department who assist interns in scheduling families, do all insurance authorization and facilitate the patient check-in process.

Offers and Acceptances

The Internship Program at Children's National is a member of the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC). This site agrees to abide by the APPIC policy that no person at this training facility will solicit, accept or use any ranking information from any intern applicant. Children’s National will be participating in the APPIC Internship Matching Program; applicants should register for the match.