NMCP Holds Psychology Intern Graduation

Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Laura Myers | 180828-N-IY469-034 – Lt. John Mallory addresses the graduating class and guests during the Psychology Intern Graduation ceremony.  

PORTSMOUTH, VA, UNITED STATES

08.28.2018

Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Laura Myers 

Naval Medical Center - Portsmouth

PORTSMOUTH, Va. Naval Medical Center Portsmouth held a graduation ceremony for the Psychology Intern class of 2018, Aug. 28.

The seven graduates, Lt. Laura Bartos, Lt. Philip Davis, Lt. John Mallory, Lt. Jonathan Murphy, Lt. Kyna Pak, Lt. David Phillips, and Lt. Amy Strickman, received certificates marking their graduation from the year-long, rigorous American Psychological Association-accredited training program.

“We get these young, budding psychologists and a year later they are sitting here, ready to go, chomping at the bit, can’t wait to get to their duty station,” said Cmdr. Michael Franks, Psychology Training Program director. “They will leave here with the same credentials and privileges as a psychiatrist that has four years of training.”

Capt. Devin Morrison, NMCP’s acting executive officer, spoke at the graduation and offered the graduates some sage advice.

“There’s nothing that you are going to see or do that someone in the history of the Navy has not done before,” Morrison said. “Call someone. You are not on an island and you are not alone so call someone, have a mentor, have a helper and keep growing, growing, growing.”
As part of the training program, the graduates spent the year rotating through the inpatient and outpatient psychiatric wards, the psychology assessment area, and at the Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Program clinic – all to prepare them to treat patients in the field and in the fleet.

Mallory spoke on behalf of the graduating class. “I want to say thank you to everyone for the role you played and for being here to celebrate what marks the end of our academic training to become psychologists which has been a long time coming and a great thing to say,” Mallory said.

Future duty stations for the seven graduates include Naval Hospital Beaufort, South Carolina; Naval Hospital Yokosuka, Japan; Robert E. Bush Naval Hospital Twentynine Palms, California; Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center, Great Lakes, Illinois; Naval Hospital Jacksonville, Florida; and the final two are assigned here at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth.

“I want to thank you all so much for the guidance as we prepare for our future in Navy medicine to improve mental health for the warfighter and the family that supports them,” added Mallory.

As the U. S. Navy's oldest, continuously-operating hospital since 1830, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth proudly serves past and present military members and their families. The nationally acclaimed, state-of-the-art medical center, including its ten branch and TRICARE Prime clinics, serves the Hampton Roads area, and additionally offers premier research and teaching programs designed to prepare new doctors, nurses and hospital corpsmen for future roles in healing and wellness.

• Date Taken: 08.28.2018
• Date Posted: 08.30.2018 10:08
• Story ID: 290898
• Location: PORTSMOUTH, VA, US