Postdoctoral Fellowship

Introduction Letter

Dear Postdoctoral Fellowship Applicants,

Welcome to Stanford University’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship’s website! I appreciate your interest in our training program and I hope that the information on this website will provide you with helpful information about the training opportunities that CAPS offers.

CAPS commitment to social justice, diversity, equity and inclusion.
CAPS resolutely believes that #BlackLivesMatter* and that racism, classism, homophobia, transphobia, sexism, xenophobia, ableism and other systems of oppression are a threat to public health. Our guiding principles include cultural humility and solidarity with marginalized community members at an individual level—and striving toward equity, liberation and justice at a systemic level. For more information

• Overview
• Applying to the Postdoctoral Psychology Fellowship
• Postdoctoral Selection Guidelines

Overview

The Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) Postdoctoral Fellowship Program provides postdoctoral fellows with opportunities for advanced training in Health Service Psychology (HSP). Over the course of the year, postdoctoral fellows continue to enhance and solidify the development of clinical skills required for professional practice in psychology. 

The Postdoctoral Fellowship Training Program follows a developmental model that supports and builds on the knowledge postdoctoral fellows bring, and it provides opportunities to gain experience and training in multiple professional capacities. Postdoctoral fellows build competencies, confidence, and skills throughout the year to prepare them for full-time practice in college mental health.

Postdoctoral fellows provide up to 20 hours of clinical work per week. This includes weekly initial consults, follow-up consults, one 4.5-hour shift of day call coverage each week that includes on-call emergency appointments and consultation with the Stanford community. Postdoctoral fellows also provide time-limited, brief counseling to Stanford students, group therapy and workshops, and may carry up to two long-term students.

Postdoctoral fellows receive two hours of clinical supervision, one hour of specialty supervision in their chosen specialty track, one hour of case consultation social justice seminar, and one hour of supervision of supervision seminar per week.  Formal evaluations occur twice a year (January and July). Supervisors provide ongoing feedback of postdoctoral fellows’ strengths and areas of growth and provide regular feedback and evaluation of goals set for the training year.  The evaluation process plays an essential role in the professional development of postdoctoral fellows throughout the year.  As professional autonomy increases, postdoctoral fellows graduate with developed competencies to practice as independent, professional psychologists. CAPS adheres to the written procedures outlined in our Due Process Guidelines and Grievance Procedures for the effective resolution of problems, disputed evaluations, and problematic behavior. Postdoctoral fellows are informed of these procedures during Orientation. 

Postdoctoral fellows attend a weekly multidisciplinary team meeting for case consultation and a weekly staff meeting.

Additionally, CAPS provides postdoctoral fellows an opportunity to select a year-long specialized training: Gender and Sexual Identities track (GSI), Social Justice Outreach track (SJO), or Training Administration Track (TAT).

Specialty Tracks

CAPS Gender and Sexual Identities Track

The Gender and Sexual Identities track provides fellows the opportunity to participate in a year-long specialized training experience with gender and sexual identities. Fellows will meet weekly for one hour of supervision with the specialty supervisor. Fellows who select this track will work together with members of the Weiland Health Initiative team to

1. Provide clinical services for the LGBTQ+ student community.
2. Increase clinicians’ awareness and understanding of the spectrum of sexual orientation, gender identity, and intersecting identities.
3. Create programs and activities that support the mental health and wellness of the LGBTQ+ student community.
4. Foster dialogue within the larger Stanford community around sexual orientation, gender identity, and intersectionality.

Fellows in this track attend a regular gender and sexual identities consultation group, and help to teach the 10-week gender and sexual identities clinical rotation attended by the psychology interns. Programs and activities that were offered during previous years of this track include

• Opening dialogue on campus regarding LGBTQ+ athletes.
• Creating and evaluating clinician training programs on gender and sexuality.
• Providing supervision for students who volunteer as HIV counselors.
• Participating in an LGBTQ+ field trip for doctoral interns.
• Improving systems to support students who are transitioning genders during their college years.

CAPS Training Administration Track

The training track provides postdoctoral fellows the opportunity to learn about the coordination and management of an APA accredited training program from selection to orientation to planning and evaluating the training program. Fellows meet weekly for one hour of supervision with the specialty supervisor. Fellows who select this track will work with the training committee to

1. Develop an understanding of intern development and learn to assess competencies required for successful completion of the internship.
2. Learn about the administration, management, and evaluation of a training program.
3. Gain an understanding of the ethics and guidelines for training.
4. Develop skills involved in the selection process by chairing the postdoctoral search.

The postdoctoral fellows’ duties will include involvement in several projects throughout the year such as

• Participating in the internship and chairing the postdoctoral selection processes.
• Updating the website to reflect changes to the training program.
• Development of training curriculum.
• Assisting with aspects of writing a self-study for reaccreditation.

CAPS Outreach and Social Justice Track

The Social Justice Outreach track provides fellows the opportunity to provide consultation, education, liaison, and outreach to the Stanford community with a special focus on increasing understanding of social justice to develop skills in delivering outreach services to diverse and marginalized student communities. 

1. Establish, cultivate, and maintain CAPS liaison relationships with the greater Stanford community including: resident fellows/residential education, community centers, student groups, Student Affairs offices, academic departments, and other partners.
2. Integrate knowledge and understanding of diversity and social justice and inclusion into all stages of outreach programming.
3. Professionally, and respectfully engage and facilitate diversity dialogues with others.
4. Incorporate various theories and methods of program evaluation, and use this understanding to effectively evaluate and present their social justice project.

We encourage you to review more details about training opportunities, curriculum, and resources in our Postdoctoral Fellowship Training Manual 2023-24

Applying to the Postdoctoral Psychology Fellowship

Qualifications

• A completed doctoral degree (Ph.D. /Psy.D.) in clinical or counseling psychology from an APA accredited graduate program
• The completion of an APA accredited internship
• Applicants must demonstrate strong interest and/or experience with college mental health, crisis intervention, brief therapy, consultation, working with diverse student populations, and an interest and experience in one of the specialized training areas mentioned above.

CAPS offers two full-time (40 hours per week), twelve month postdoctoral fellowship appointments beginning Monday, August 12, 2024 and ending Friday, August 8, 2025.  The postdoctoral fellows are appointed through the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA).  The stipend for the fellowship is $73,083  for the 24-25 academic year. This includes full benefits. 

Application Procedures

CAPS will use the APPIC Psychology Postdoctoral Application (APPA CAS), for postdoctoral applications. To apply for our postdoctoral fellowship, the following information must be uploaded in the APPA CAS by Friday, January 5, 2024: 

• A cover letter indicating your interests and goals for the postdoctoral fellowship year and how Stanford CAPS will help you achieve those goals. Clearly specify which track you are applying for.
• A brief response to three essay questions in the APPA regarding brief therapy, diversity, and the chosen specialty track.
• A current vita reflecting all practicum work, psychology internship, and clinical training.
• Three letters of reference (at least 2 from clinical supervisors familiar with your clinical work).
•  A letter from your dissertation chair regarding your dissertation status and anticipated completion date. If your dissertation chair is one of your three letters of recommendation, this information can be included in that letter.

Please note that our application deadline is Friday, January 5, 2024 at 11:59 EST (8:59 PST). In order for your application to be considered, all of your materials, including letters of recommendation, must be received by this date.

Applicants will be notified in January 2024 of their application status. Phone interviews will take place the last week of January and first week of February. 

Background Check 

Stanford University conducts background checks.  All incoming interns authorize a lawful background check as part of the application packet. An offer of employment is contingent upon verifying the accuracy of the information provided by the candidate and the background check results will determine suitability for employment at the University.

Postdoctoral Selection Guidelines

We will be participating in the APPIC Common Hold Date (CHD) process this year. Please review the APPIC CHD guidelines to familiarize yourself with how to navigate the postdoctoral selection process. Programs may make offers before CHD upon completing interviews and ranking all applicants. Applicants can accept, decline or hold early offers. Offers made and accepted are considered binding and applicants must inform programs where they are still being considered that they have accepted a position and are no longer available. Applicants can hold one offer at a time until 10:00 AM EST on the CHD of 2/26/24. Applicants who are holding an offer are encouraged to update that program with any relevant developments about their decision-making timeframe during the hold period. Applicants who have held an offer until the CHD must either accept or decline the offer no later than 10:00 AM EST on the CHD of 2/26/24.  On the CHD, a thirty-minute Ranking Reset Period occurs between 10:00 AM EST (the CHD deadline) and 10:30 AM EST. Programs should not initiate new offers during this thirty-minute Ranking Reset Period. New offers can be made on the CHD starting at 10:30 AM EST and can be held for two hours.

Please familiarize yourself with the instructions, suggested communication templates, and FAQ's or view the training videos on the APPIC website to be prepared for the process. It is very important that you thoughtfully consult about your options and decision making and understand the process before accepting, holding, or declining an offer.  Communication is essential throughout the process and you may call Dr. Mendoza-Newman, at any time to clarify your status in our process. We notify all applicants once all of our positions have been filled. After an applicant and CAPS come to an agreement, a formal offer letter will be mailed to the applicant who will then formally accept the offer in writing.

The postdoctoral search can be a stressful process and we want to provide you with as much information as possible. If you have additional questions not answered from the website or APPIC listing, please contact Mary Mendoza-Newman at marymn@stanford.edu or call 650.723.3785. You may also request the contact information for current and past postdoctoral fellows for more details about their experience by sending Dr. Mendoza-Newman an email.