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HPSP

HPSP Eligible Programs

Physician (MD/DO)

Degree of Doctor of Medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in allopathic medicine or osteopathic medicine. The degree must have been obtained from a US institution whose accreditation was in place for the year in which the course of study was completed. Approved schools are:

  • Schools of medicine accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for the year in which the degree was granted, or
  • Schools of osteopathic medicine approved by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation of the American Osteopathic Association for the year in which the degree was granted.
Licensure:
Physicians must possess a current, full and unrestricted license to practice medicine or surgery in a state, territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia. The physician must maintain current registration in the state of licensure if this is a requirement for continuing active, current licensure.
Residency Training:

Physicians must have completed residency training, approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in an accredited core specialty training program leading to eligibility for board certification. (NOTE: VA physicians involved in academic training programs may be required to be board certified for faculty status.) Approved residencies are:

  • Those approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), OR
  • Those approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA).

NOTE: No pediatrics related residency training is authorized.

The top VA physician specialties needed are Psychiatry, Primary Care, and Internal Medicine. 

Board Certification: Become Board Eligible (BE) or Board Certified (BC) in their respective specialty as required by the LCME, ACGME, or AOA standards.

Social Worker (MSW)

Social Workers have a master’s degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Graduates of schools of social work that are in candidacy status do not meet this requirement until the School of Social Work is fully accredited. A doctoral degree in social work may not be substituted for the master’s degree in social work. Verification of the degree can be made by going to https://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work.

Psychologist (Doctoral Degree)

A doctoral degree in psychology from a graduate program in psychology accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA), the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS), or the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA)* at the time the program was completed. The specialty area of the degree must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed. For the purpose of meeting this requirement, the term “specialty area” refers to the specific specialty areas recognized by the accrediting body and not to specific job duties that might require special skills. Currently, APA accredits doctoral programs in the specialty areas of clinical psychology, counseling psychology, school psychology, or combinations of two or more of those areas. PCSAS accredits doctoral programs in psychological clinical science. CPA* accredits doctoral programs in clinical psychology, counseling psychology, clinical neuropsychology, and school psychology. There are no job assignments in VHA that require the skills of a school psychologist; therefore, an applicant with a degree in the specialty area of school psychology is not eligible for appointment. We are also not accepting Health Psychology degree programs at this time.  Strictly for the purpose of determining eligibility for appointment as a psychologist in VHA, there is no distinction between the specialty areas (with the exception of school psychology).

  • Internships: Have successfully completed a professional psychology internship training program that was accredited by APA or CPA* at the time the program was completed and that is consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed.
  • Licensure: Hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice psychology at the doctoral level in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or the District of Columbia. 

* The above information references the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA). This reference is regarding employment only with the VA and not the HPSP scholarship.  In order to receive the HPSP scholarship you must attend a school located within the United States or it’s territories.