Reforming Clinical Psychological Science Training: The Importance of Collaborative Decision-Making With Trainees

Abstract

To effectively address the staggering burden of mental illness, clinical psychological science will need to face some uncomfortable truths about current training practices. In a commentary authored by 23 current or recent trainees, Palitsky and colleagues (2022) highlighted a number of urgent challenges facing today’s clinical interns. They provid a thoughtful framework for reform with specific recommendations and guiding questions for a broad spectrum of stakeholders. Key suggestions are applicable to the entire sequence of clinical training, including doctoral studies that occur prior to internship. Although there is cause for cautious optimism, overcoming these systemic barriers will require a coordinated, all-hands approach and a more collaborative approach to policymaking.