Psychology Residency
Improve your career prospects with our psychology residencies that include comprehensive training
We are committed to providing valuable learning opportunities to students. The Psychology Residency is a one-year, full-time paid position available to senior-level doctoral students to experience training and development opportunities. Every year, two positions are available. Successful applicants receive direct training in assessment, evaluation, intervention, consultation and research. They also develop core competencies as declared in the Mutual Recognition Agreement of the Regulatory Bodies for Professional Psychology in Canada (2004).
Here is the PDF version of our most recent “Surrey Place Psychology Residency” Brochure:
Training Philosophy & Goals
The Surrey Place Psychology Residency is guided by evidence-based philosophy and the scientific foundation of psychology that strengthens its structure and goals.
Program Structure
Residents get the opportunity to receive extensive training and clinical supervision within both the Adult and Child programs, that prepare them for future careers in psychology with success.
Clinical Supervisors
Clinical Supervisors use their exceptional skill, knowledge and expertise to ensure that all clients receive the highest quality of care, support and service.
Types of Opportunities
Participants are introduced to support staff and the administrative process at Surrey Place. Upon beginning each rotation, supervisors attend clinical team meetings with Psychology Residents, introduce them to the interdisciplinary teams and orient them to the particular processes and schedules of that rotation. Residents are also provided training in Non-Violent Crisis Intervention (SMG) and First Aid (CPR).
A variety of educational opportunities are provided to Psychology Residents throughout the residency. Psychology Residents are required to participate in the educational experiences that occur within Surrey Place including:
- Weekly Psychology Student seminar series, including the Psychology Residents, the Child Program Practicum students; Child Program Clinical Supervisors.
- Monthly Surrey Place Grand Rounds. This has included topics such as Dual Diagnosis across the Lifespan, Family Issues in Outreach, Quality IBI Program Evaluation, Working with ESL and New Canadians, Working with Clients with Visual Impairments.
- 5 GTA- Psychology Residency Seminar Series, as well as 5 National CCPPP Didactic series. (all offered virtually).
- Quarterly Surrey Place Psychology Discipline meetings.
- Bi-Annual College of Psychologists of Ontario Ethics workshop (Barbara Wand Seminar videoconference viewing at Surrey Place).
Psychology Residents are allotted Education Days (maximum 5 days) which can be used at the discretion of each Resident. For example, the paid education days may be used for their PHD dissertation defense; and/or attendance at workshops or conferences. These education days must be approved by their clinical supervisor/director of training.
The Residency focuses on applied training through educational seminars/events, clinical practice, and supervision. Residents can expect to spend a significant proportion of their time in direct client care, which involves psychological assessment and intervention, clinical interviewing, consultation with parents/families, and individual and/or group counseling. When not engaging in these direct care activities, Residents will be involved in a number of indirect aspects of client care, such as report writing, file review, administrative tasks, scoring and interpreting test results, and attending interdisciplinary team meetings and client rounds.
Residents can gain experience with a breadth of DSM 5 disorders in complex multiaxial cases across the lifespan. As a leader in the field of developmental disabilities, Surrey Place provides services to people of all ages living with or suspected of having a wide variety of developmental disabilities, and training will introduce Residents to both common and rare etiologies. Diagnoses include pervasive developmental disorders and a wide range of developmental disabilities (Down syndrome, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Fragile X, Cerebral Palsy, etc…), behavioural disorders, personality disorders, and psychiatric disorders (anxiety, mood, psychotic disorders). Presenting problems can include family discord, learning challenges, self-injurious behaviour, homelessness, service utilization issues, differential diagnosis, forensic and offending behaviour, and age-related issues. Recognizing that disabilities present different challenges to individuals at different stages of their development, the Residency also endeavors to expose the Resident to a lifespan perspective. An important and significant focus of training is its consultation to community agencies and professionals, and Residents will have the opportunity to develop competence in the provision of supervision and consultation, critical skills for clinical psychologists. Residents have the opportunity for training with 2 different rotations, one within the Adult Program and one within the Child Program. Each rotation has its own process and focus, and Residents will learn about the role that psychologists play in a variety of capacities. Breadth is provided in terms of the various age groups that Residents will work with. Residents will have the opportunity to implement behaviour therapy, play therapy, or individual therapy, depending on the age and abilities of their clients and the intervention style modeled by their supervisors. There is also tremendous breadth in terms of the complex needs and abilities of clients and families, which necessitate a variety of approaches. In addition, Residents have the opportunity for training in various therapeutic modalities including brief family therapy (particularly parent focused), individual therapy, and group therapy.
Join Dr. Wynsome Walker and Dr. Valerie Temple on a tour of the Surrey Place Psychology Residency facilities including an accessible building and playground, offices, observation rooms, social enterprise Coffee Shed, rooms with tools for play therapy and more.
Application Process
The Surrey Place Psychology Residency follows the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Residency Centers (APPIC) guidelines and participates in the APPIC National Matching Service. All applicants must register with the National Matching Service to be considered. Applicants will be required to submit a completed application form (APPIC – AAPI).
This AAPI document consists of two parts:
- AAPI Part 1: The standardized application to be completed by the applicant (all 6 sections).
- AAPI Part 2: To be completed by the applicant and the academic training director.
Applicants must also provide:
- Three letters of reference, one of which is from their research supervisor. These letters of reference should adhere to the letter of reference guidelines prescribed by the CCPPP.
- Graduate official university transcripts (undergraduate transcripts are not required).
Psychology Residency site agrees to abide by the APPIC policy that no person at this training facility will solicit, accept or use any ranking-related information from any Residency applicant. Applicant information is secured by the Director of Training and is shared only with those individuals involved in the evaluation of the Psychology Residency application. Residents who are not matched to Surrey Place will have their information destroyed within four months of the APPIC Match Day. Successfully matched candidates will have their CV and application made available to rotation supervisors, the Director of Training, and relevant administrative support and human resources staff.
Deadline: November 15, 2024 by 11:59 PM
Notification date: December 6, 2024
Interview dates: January 20 – 24, 2025
Nat. Match Day: February 21, 2025
Please make your application through the APPI online registration site.
Surrey Place National Matching Services Site is #185511
The Residency is open to students completing their dissertation in clinical psychology, participating in the APPIC National Matching Service and applying through the National Matching Service matching process. The minimum criterion is doctoral training in a CPA or APA accredited psychology program. CPA accreditation standards require that programs be part of provincially or territorially chartered universities and have a three-year, full-time Residency /Residency requirement. Residents coming from accredited APA programs must be enrolled in a university-based program. We are looking for doctoral students who are knowledgeable about autism and developmental disabilities and have completed the appropriate coursework and practica in assessment and intervention, with children and/or adults. Both residency positions complete rotations within both the Surrey Place Child Program (Children and Youth) as well as in the Surrey Place Adult Program. Our clients present with a range of challenging cognitive, behavioural, affective, and diagnostic issues. We require a minimum of 600 practicum hours in assessment and intervention training. These hours will be verified by reviewing the APPIC -AAPI application form that is submitted by the applicant and approved by their sending institution.
The 1-year Surrey Place Psychology Residency begins the first working day after Labour Day.
Additional information for applicants
For the past 13 years, the Surrey Place Psychology Residency has accepted 2 Residents per year. The average number of applicants to the program over the past 3 years has been 15. All (100%) of past Residents have become registered for practice as psychologists in Canada, or they are candidates to be registered within a province of Canada.
At the time of interview as an applicant and later as a Psychology Resident, goals and objectives of the training program are disseminated through reading materials and discussion. In addition, performance evaluation forms by individual supervisors that measure objectives are shown to the Residents during their orientation. During each rotation, there is a formal mid-rotation meeting with the Resident, their rotation supervisor, and the Psychology Residency Director of Training to ensure that training goals being met. At the end of each rotation, the rotation supervisor and the Residency each complete formal evaluation forms. The evaluations completed by the Residents remain with the Director of Training and are not shared with the supervisors until after the Resident has completed their Residency year. There is also a final meeting at the end of the training year where the Resident, the rotation supervisors, and the Director of Training meet to review the Resident’s progress.
Evaluation of Resident’s performance is an ongoing process. Residents, their supervisors, and the Director of Training meet and evaluate the progress of the Resident with respect to specific goals and in terms of the development of core competencies (e.g., assessment, intervention, consultation, supervision and diversity). Residents are formally evaluated in writing at the end of each rotation by their current supervisors. Comments are also interspersed through the form and a Likert scale quantifies whether attainment of objectives meets, exceeds, or is beneath expectations. Evaluations are used as a training tool to set goals and tasks that would help Residents meet the objectives. Residents receive a copy of each evaluation, and also receive a letter from the Director of Training at the end of the Residency year that outlines their progress throughout the entire year. The Director of Training sends copies of the Residents’ evaluations to their respective universities.
Psychology Residency Evaluation
There is an ongoing quality management program for evaluating the Psychology Residency. This process involves collecting data from Residents, supervisors, staff, and past Residents. A Psychology Residency Committee (Psychology Supervisors Group) processes this information to make changes to the Residency program. At the end of each rotation, Residents are required to complete an evaluation of the rotation. Evaluations are shared with the relevant supervisor and the Psychology Residency committee after completion of the Residency. Quality control with respect to supervisors is both informal and formal. At the end of each rotation, Residents complete an anonymous formal evaluation of each supervisor, and submit these to the Director of Training for review.
Due Process
The Surrey Place Psychology Residency Policy and Procedures booklet provides writ The Surrey Place Psychology Residency Policy and Procedures booklet provides written guidelines for how to address Psychology Resident or Psychology Residency concerns.