Program Philosophy

Sanford’s mission includes striving to be the premier rural healthcare organization in the United States. Click on this video for a short introduction to that initiative:

The primary focus of the Sanford Health Postdoctoral Psychology Residency Program is to strengthen the field of behavioral health by supporting the advanced training of postdoctoral psychologists seeking licensure and equipping them for the independent practice of psychology. The residency program strives to prepare Postdoctoral Psychology Residents for increased competency in their chosen track with a strong emphasis on clinical excellence and scholarship in underserved communities.

The Sanford Health Postdoctoral Psychology Residency Program is comprised of four (4) primary training sites within the Sanford Health Enterprise in North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota. These sites include Sanford East Dickinson Clinic (SEDC), the Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health Clinic (CABHC), and Sanford Behavioral Health Clinic-Thief River Falls (SBHC-TRF) and Sanford Children’s Hospital and Specialty Clinics (SCSC). These sites collaborate to share resources and faculty for the purpose of providing a diversified educational program for residents, focusing on training in culturally relevant and competent services for the region’s diverse, and often underserved population, in addition to the professional competencies outlined by the American Psychological Association.

The program is designed to train Postdoctoral Psychology Residents through multiple, evidence-based experiences and focus areas, to function as independent, ethical, and culturally competent professional psychologists who have the capability of acting as an integral member of a multidisciplinary health delivery team, focusing on the evaluation and treatment of behavioral health disorders and the complex interplay between emotional and physical well-being. The underlying goal of the program is to prepare and assist with transitioning the Postdoctoral Psychology Resident from being a student to performing as an independent professional.

This internship is an initiative of Sanford Medical Education (SME). SME is committed to excellence in our programs that give developing physicians the resources they need to thrive and help them build lasting mentorships and relationships with experts in their field. Learn more about SME here: https://www.sanfordhealth.org/initiatives/medical-education.