Who We Are

The Center for Multicultural Training in Psychology (CMTP), at Boston Medical Center and the Boston University School of Medicine, hosts an APA-accredited clinical internship program, which has been fully accredited since 1986 and is currently continuing a ten year accreditation through 2031. Inquiries can be made to CMTP or directly to the Office of Accreditation, APA, 750 First Street, NE, Washington, D.C. 20002-4242 (202) 336-5979.” . This program formally began at Boston City Hospital (BCH) in 1972 as the Minority Training Program in Clinical and Community Psychology under the leadership of Dr. Guy O. Seymour, a Black Psychologist of Guyanese descent.

The program's primary mission has always been and remains focused on training multiculturally oriented psychologists to work with inner-city, low income and racially/ethnically diverse populations. 85% of interns have been individuals from racial and ethnic minority groups over the history of the program.The number of Interns accepted into the program has varied over the years, averaging about 7 trainees annually since its inception.

Training Goals & Objectives

The goal of CMTP is to provide the highest standard of training to Interns in the culturally competent practice of professional psychology. The primary objectives of the CMTP training program are:

(1) To provide Interns with supervised experiences in traditional psychological techniques appropriately modified for working cross-culturally with socially, economically and politically disadvantaged clients;

(2) To increase Interns' sensitivity to aspects of behavior associated with cross-cultural and transcultural experiences which are involved in mental health, mental illness and recovery;

(3) To heighten Interns' awareness and integration of their own racial and ethnic identities and how these impact interactions with clients;

(4) To provide sufficient structure to ensure that Interns achieve the highest levels of proficiency in those skills traditionally associated with the profession of psychology and enough flexibility to ensure that they have the opportunity to mature professionally without distorting their basic values and personal identities; and,

(5) To train Interns in the culturally competent practice of professional psychology consistent with the APA practitioner-scientist model.

Program Design

CMTP is a 12-month full-time Psychology Internship training program. Each class starts September 1st and ends August 31st of the following year. The program has three major training components: Placement sites , core didactics/ seminars, and supervision/mentorship. A minimum of four hours of primary and clinical supervision is provided weekly; with a minimum of 25% direct face-to-face client contact across these components. There are two tracks (General Track and a Community Health Centers Track) and applicants may apply to one or both, as they like. Specific placements within each track are determined after negotiations with individual Interns, their primary supervisors and the program director.

These negotiations take into account training program objectives, Interns' preferences, Interns' training needs, and existing commitments between the program and placement sites. A typical Intern weekly schedule (5 Day) consists of spending 4 days at varying sites (dependent on the chosen track) and 1 day per week at CMTP (individual supervision/mentorship, core didactics, support). This placement schedule will be maintained for the (12) month training period.

The Center for Multicultural Training in Psychology has been fully accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) since 1986. Inquiries can be made to CMTP or directly to the accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association, APA, 750 First Street, NE, Washington, D.C. 20002-4242 (202) 336-5979.