The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ), the state's university of the health sciences, was established by the State legislature in 1970. Its mission is the pursuit of excellence in:

• the undergraduate, graduate, postgraduate and continuing education of health professionals and scientists;
• the conduct of biomedical, psychosocial, clinical and public health research;
• health promotion, disease prevention and the delivery of health care; and
• service to our communities and the entire state.

Providing educational, research and service programs at campuses in Camden, New Brunswick/Piscataway, Newark, Scotch Plains and Stratford, in communities throughout the state, and nationally and internationally through advanced communication and information technologies, UMDNJ seeks to meet the needs of our diverse constituencies and improve the health and quality of life of the citizens of New Jersey and society at large.

UMDNJ facilities are distributed across the State at three primary locations, Newark in the north, Piscataway/New Brunswick in central New Jersey, and Camden/Stratford in the south. The facilities of UMDNJ (www.umdnj.edu) include seven educational institutions, namely, three medical schools, a dental school, a graduate school of biomedical sciences, a school of health related professions, a school of nursing, and a school of public health. Additionally, UMDNJ maintains extensive health care facilities that include four core teaching hospitals, and University Behavioral HealthCare, a statewide mental health service delivery system with two full-service mental health centers and regional satellites.

UMDNJ's Newark campus is home to UMDNJ's central administration. The Newark campus is a major regional center for research, teaching and training, and specialized diagnosis and treatment. Newark is located 13 miles southwest of midtown Manhattan. The campus is served by an excellent transportation network and may be reached easily by public transportation or car. It is within a half-hour drive of New York City and provides easy access for local community residents and persons from nearby suburban areas. For a virtual tour of UMDNJ, go to: www.umdnj.edu/vtourweb/index_flash.htm.

Newark is New Jersey’s largest city, with a population of approximately 275,000, and is also the third oldest city in the United States, with more than 330 years of history. Newark today is experiencing a renaissance and is again asserting its position as a dynamic city with a bright future ahead. New development is popping up throughout the downtown area, and businesses are moving back to the city. Planned projects include a new basketball and hockey arena as well as a new soccer stadium for New Jersey’s pro sports teams. The Newark Museum on Washington Street hosts world-famous collections such as American Paintings and Sculpture, the Decorative Arts, and the Arts of Africa, the Arts of Asia, including one of the largest Tibetan collections in the Western Hemisphere. The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJ PAC) is the city’s newest and largest cultural center and houses two beautiful theaters: Prudential Hall and the Victoria Theater. NJ PAC has hosted national and international artists, and provides a center stage for New Jersey’s finest performers as well. You can find more information about Newark on the city’s website at: http://www.ci.newark.nj.us/

University Behavioral HealthCare (UBHC) is the primary sponsor of the psychology internship program. Statewide, UBHC has approximately 1000 employees, including a multidisciplinary clinical staff composed of psychiatrists, advanced practice nurses, psychologists, social workers, and counselors. UBHC provides the full-range of behavioral health services to individuals throughout the life span. Located on two primary campuses (Newark and Piscataway) and at several satellite clinics, it has two clinical divisions, Acute Treatment and Extended Treatment, each with its own Vice President, as well as a system-wide Children’s Services Division. The Newark hub of UBHC primarily serves residents of Newark and surrounding areas, and is a major player in New Jersey’s public mental health system. It provides psychology interns seeking to become culturally competent psychologists with excellent training opportunities and experience working with an economically disadvantaged and underserved, primarily inner city population made up predominantly of people from African-American and Latino communities. UBHC also has the Behavioral Research and Training Institute (BRTI). The Institute, located in Piscataway, coordinates UBHC research, training, and consultation activities. Return to the main UBHC page for a full description: www.ubhc.org.

The internship program at UMDNJ in Newark is also co-sponsored by the Department of Psychiatry (www.umdnj.edu/njmsweb/psychiatry) and benefits from the resources and training opportunities of a large academic health sciences center and medical school setting which provide diverse, comprehensive training. At our disposal are a unique combination of services, clinics, and personnel that includes distinguished faculty and staff, innovative specialty programs, and extensive community linkages. Interns participate with psychiatry residents, social work students, and medical students in a wealth of training opportunities and take advantage of elective clinical rotations at University Hospital (www.theuniversityhospital.com)

Consistent with UMDNJ’s mission statement, our internship program is committed to multiculturalism and diversity. The program emphasizes excellence in training and the provision of the highest quality psychological services to individuals. The internship program provides an educational and training experience within a challenging and respectful environment that values diversity among faculty, staff, students, clients, and community. In valuing diversity, we affirm and celebrate differences inclusive of, but not limited to, age, ethnicity, gender, mental and physical abilities, race, color, spiritual beliefs, sexual orientation, language, and social and economic status. Thus we are committed to engendering an attitude of social responsibility in students who identify and effectively address the needs and concerns of people of color and fostering the creative application of a broad range of research and scholarly approaches to the development of psychological knowledge.