Education and Training for Psychology Practice in Primary Care

Primary care psychology is the application of psychological knowledge and principles to common physical and mental health problems experienced by patients and families throughout the life span and presented in primary care. The Education Directorate is committed to promoting the education and training of primary care psychology.

The APA Education Directorate has compiled a list of doctoral, internship and postdoctoral programs that provide education and training in primary care psychology.

If you are a training director and would like to have your program listed in the directory, please contact Allison Gillens.

• Competencies for Psychology Practice in Primary Care (PDF, 586KB)opens in new window
  (Adopted by APA Council of Representatives, February 2015.) The report articulates competencies for primary care psychology practice developed by an interorganizational work group convened as an initiative of the 2012 APA President Suzanne Bennett Johnson PhD.

• Report of the BEA Task Force on Primary Care Psychology Training (PDF, 241KB)opens in new window
  This report provides (a) an overview of the rationale for education and training in primary care, (b) a summary description of current education and training efforts in primary care, and (c) recommendations regarding how to expand education and training in integrated primary care psychology.

• Interprofessional Health Care Services in Primary Care Settings: Implications for the Education and Training of Psychologists (PDF, 454KB)opens in new window
  Building on the need for greater emphasis on interprofessional education and training, the present project had as an objective the development of education and training principles and guidelines to prepare psychologists for primary health care services.

• AAMC MedPortal for Interprofessional Educationopens in new window

• The Patient Centered Primary Care Collaborativeopens in new window