AK-PIC’s aim is to prepare and retain psychologists to provide culturally competent collaborative health care for Alaska’s unique and diverse people.

Alaska Psychology Internship Consortium (AK-PIC) represents the collaborative effort of three Alaska agencies to share resources and faculty for the purpose of providing a diversified educational program for doctoral psychology interns. The consortium was designed to prepare interns to meet the unique challenges of practicing psychology in rural and remote settings and to ensure clinical competency in working with Alaska’s various cultural groups.

AK-PIC Competencies and Training Elements

AK-PIC offers one year, full time internship positions at treatment centers across the state of Alaska. Interns are expected to respond professionally in increasingly complex situations with a greater degree of independence across levels of training. It is expected that by the conclusion of the internship year, interns will have accomplished the following competencies and learning elements:

Competency 1: Research

• Demonstrate the substantially independent ability to critically evaluate and disseminate research or other scholarly activities (e.g., case conference, presentation, publications) at the local (including the host institution), regional, or national level.
• Demonstrate knowledge of and respect for scientific bases of behavior.

Competency 2: Ethical and Legal Standards

• Be knowledgeable of, demonstrate and act in accordance with each of the following:
  1. The current version of the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct;
  2. Relevant laws, regulations, rules, and policies governing health service psychology at the organizational, local, state, regional, and federal levels; and
  3. Relevant professional standards and guidelines.
• Recognize ethical dilemmas as they arise, and apply ethical decision-making processes in order to resolve the dilemmas.
• Conduct self in an ethical manner in all professional activities.
• Consult actively with supervisor to act upon ethical and legal aspects of practice.

Competency 3: Individual and Cultural Diversity

• Demonstrate an understanding of how their own personal/cultural history, attitudes, and biases may affect how they understand and interact with people different from themselves
• Demonstrate knowledge of the current theoretical and empirical knowledge base as it relates to addressing diversity in all professional activities including research, training, supervision/consultation, and service.
• Demonstrate the ability to integrate awareness and knowledge of individual and cultural differences in the conduct of professional roles (e.g., research, services, and other professional activities). This includes the ability to apply a framework for working effectively with areas of individual and cultural diversity not previously encountered over the course of their careers. Also included is the ability to work effectively with individuals whose group membership, demographic characteristics, or worldviews create conflict with their own.
• Demonstrate the ability to independently apply their knowledge and approach in working effectively with the range of diverse individuals and groups encountered during internship.
• Initiate supervision regularly about diversity issues and integrate feedback into practice.

Competency 4: Professional Values, Attitudes, and Behaviors

• Behave in ways that reflect the values and attitudes of psychology, including cultural humility, integrity, deportment, professional identity, accountability, lifelong learning, and concern for the welfare of others
• Engage in self-reflection regarding one’s personal and professional functioning; engage in activities to maintain and improve performance, well-being, and professional effectiveness.
• Actively seek and demonstrate openness and responsiveness to feedback and supervision.
• Respond professionally in increasingly complex situations with a greater degree of independence as they progress across levels of training.
• Accept responsibility for meeting deadlines, completing required documentation promptly and accurately.

Competency 5: Communication and Interpersonal Skills

• Develop and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of individuals, including colleagues, communities, organizations, supervisors, supervisees, and those receiving professional services.
•  Demonstrate a thorough grasp of professional language and concepts; produce, comprehend, and engage in communications that are informative and well-integrated.
• Demonstrate effective interpersonal skills and the ability to manage difficult communication well.
• Demonstrate knowledge of and comfort with the technological systems necessary to provide distance delivery.
• Engage in social media activities in a manner that maintains professionalism and respect.

Competency 6: Assessment

• Demonstrate current knowledge of diagnostic classification systems, functional and dysfunctional behaviors, including consideration of client strengths and psychopathology.
• Demonstrate understanding of human behavior within its context (e.g., family, social, societal and cultural).
• Demonstrate the ability to apply the knowledge of functional and dysfunctional behaviors including context to the assessment and/or diagnostic process.
• Select and apply assessment methods that draw from the empirical literature and that reflect the science of measurement and psychometrics; collect relevant data using multiple sources and methods appropriate to the identified goals and questions of the assessment as well as relevant diversity characteristics of the service recipient.
• Interpret assessment results, following current research and professional standards and guidelines, to inform case conceptualization, classification, and recommendations, while guarding against decision-making biases, distinguishing the aspects of assessment that are subjective from those that are objective.
• Communicate findings and implications of the assessment in an accurate and effective manner sensitive to a range of audiences.
• Articulate relevant developmental features, clinical symptoms, and cultural factors as applied to presenting questions and findings (e.g., intergenerational trauma).

Competency 7: Intervention

• Establish and maintain effective relationships with the recipients of psychological services.
• Develop evidence-based intervention plans specific to the service delivery goals.
• Implement interventions informed by the current scientific literature, assessment findings, diversity characteristics, and contextual variables.
• Demonstrate the ability to apply the relevant research literature to clinical decision making.
• Modify and adapt evidence-based approaches effectively when a clear evidence-base is lacking.
• Evaluate intervention effectiveness, and adapt intervention goals and methods consistent with ongoing evaluation.
• Demonstrate ability to conduct a multi-diagnostic differential assessment and applies specific evidence-based interventions (e.g., intergenerational trauma) for Substance Use/Co-occurring Disorders.

Competency 8: Supervision

• Apply supervision knowledge in direct or simulated practice with psychology trainees, or other health professionals. Examples of direct or simulated practice examples of supervision include, but are not limited to, role-played supervision with others, and peer supervision with other trainees.
• Apply the supervisory skills of observing, evaluating and giving guidance and feedback in direct or simulated practice.
• Demonstrate understanding of roles and responsibilities of the supervisor and supervisee in the supervision process.
  1. Collaborate with supervisor and provide feedback regarding supervisory process.
  2. Seek supervision to improve performance, presenting work for feedback, and integrating feedback into performance.
• Provide feedback to peers regarding peers’ clinical work in context of group supervision or case conference.

Competency 9: Consultation and Interprofessional/Interdisciplinary Skills

• Demonstrate knowledge and respect for the roles and perspectives of other professions.
• Apply this knowledge of consultation models and practice in direct or simulated consultation with individuals and their families, other health care professionals, interprofessional groups, or systems related to health and behavior.
• Direct or simulated practice examples of consultation and interprofessional/interdisciplinary skills include but are not limited to:
  1. Role-played consultation with others, peer consultation, provision of consultation to other trainees.
  2. Consultation within a direct care team or setting.