Hello future psychologists! On behalf of the Dartmouth Psychology Internship Program, I’m delighted that you are interested in our program.
Our program spans 3 sections within the clinical services of the Department of Psychiatry at Dartmouth Health, as well as multiple facilities, including Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, New Hampshire Hospital, Hanover Psychiatry, and the Sununu Youth Services Center. We have over 20 psychology faculty, who contribute to your clinical training in our program, and numerous research faculty available to support your development in the research domain as well.
Our program aims to contribute to the training of psychologists who function as health service providers, researchers, educators and administrators in the broader mental health services arena. Past interns in our program have gone on to excellent careers in academic medicine, VA medical centers, private practice, undergraduate and graduate teaching and research, and more. We believe our program can help to prepare you for a career in nearly any area. How do we do this? Our philosophy is that the internship year is your year, and accordingly, the training plan that you follow is one created in collaboration with your supervisors here at Dartmouth Health. All of the faculty here work to ensure that the training goals and experiences that you are seeking on internship can be met through thoughtful tailoring of the year to meet those goals.
Our program is based at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, the flagship facility of the Dartmouth Health system. Your supervisors are all faculty of Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, our academic home. Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center is located in Lebanon, New Hampshire, in a region commonly called the Upper Valley, meaning the upper region of the Connecticut River valley. This area is uniquely rural; it has all of the features and amenities of college towns that you may be more familiar with, but in a region that is readily identifiable as rural. The area itself is comprised of numerous smaller towns that make up a large population over a wide area.
About the Upper Valley
The Upper Valley boasts many social and cultural events and activities in a beautiful rural setting. Here you have the opportunity to browse local produce, baked goods, homemade delights, and artisan wares at one of our local farmers' markets. You can even hone your own baking skills in one of King Arthur Baking Company’s small, interactive baking classes—welcoming all bakers, no matter your skill level!
Arts and culture
Many of the faculty enjoy performances or films at the Hopkins Center for the Arts at Dartmouth, Northern Stage in White River Junction or Theatre on the Hill events by JAG Productions, an artistic sanctuary for Black creatives in the American theatre. There are a variety of art classes and workshops at CraftStudies in White River Junction, Vermont, and the AVA Gallery & Art Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire. If you enjoy art exhibits, you’ll want to take in the collections at the AVA Gallery or the Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth. Finally, the area has frequent live music and nighttime fun during White River Junction’s First Friday’s and performances at the historic Lebanon Opera House. And of course, the area is known for our local festivals and fairs, including the Tunbridge World’s Fair and the Quechee Hot Air Balloon Craft & Music Festival.
Hiking and biking
One of the most appreciated aspects of our area is its access to outdoor recreation. Located between the Green Mountains in Vermont and the White Mountains in New Hampshire, we have exceptional access to hiking, biking, skiing, rock climbing, paddling and more. Some of our favorite activities are hiking and biking in the Boston Lot/Mink Brook Conservation Area. Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center borders this trail system, which includes around 45 miles of trails. Trainees and faculty enjoy trail walks and runs before or after work or during lunch. One of our faculty members even walks to work through this system! Many of these trails are also open to mountain bikes ranging from beginner to expert and there is a skills park for practice.
Our area includes sections of the Appalachian Trail (AT) running right through downtown Hanover, New Hampshire, and surrounding towns. If you visit, you’ll even notice the AT’s white blazes on light posts in town!
I have personally spent many, many days and nights hiking in the nearby White Mountains and Green Mountains. Hiking in the Whites is both rugged and rewarding! Tough up-hills give way to rock scrambles and incredible views. Locals often try to hike all of NH’s 48 peaks that rise over 4,000 feet. For a unique night out, check out the High Mountain Huts maintained by the Appalachian Mountain Club. The Green Mountains of Vermont boast scenic trails falling along the Long Trail that runs from the very bottom of Vermont to the Canadian border. Hikers can enjoy accessible trails nestled in various towns along the Long Trail complete with overnight camping.
Finally, a notable feature of our area is the well-maintained Northern Rail Trail, a converted rail line that runs for a continuous 60 miles across numerous towns beginning in Lebanon and ending in Boscawen. This is a heavily used trail for biking, walking, trail running and snowmobiling.
Skiing, climbing, and paddling
For skiers, the options are nearly endless. We have numerous cross-country ski trails in the area and several local ski mountains and resorts. A local favorite is the Green Woodlands, which has 30+ miles of cross-country ski trails in the winter (and free rentals) and 70+ miles of mountain bike trails in the summer. Dartmouth College also maintains about 20 miles of cross-country ski trails. Locals enjoy learning to ski or board at the Dartmouth Skiway, Storrs Hill, or Whaleback Mountain. The Skiway and Whaleback allow skinning and also have trails that are enjoyable for more experienced skiers/boarders. Drive a bit further (~30 to 90 minutes) and you will reach more widely known ski areas including Sunapee, Killington, Mount Snow, Stowe and many others.
Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center is less than an hour from Rumney, New Hampshire, a fantastic climbing area that ranges from beginner to expert and which attracts climbers from all over the world. Several of our faculty are experienced (and less experienced) climbers in this area. Many climbs are easily accessible from well-maintained trails and parking lots and interested learners can connect with local guide services. Drive a little further and you can access climbs in North Conway (~2 hours) or the Gunks (~4 hours). We also have a climbing gym coming to the area (The Notch) within the next year. Ice climbing is also accessible at Holt’s Ledge or further north around the North Conway/Crawford Notch area. Finally, paddling is a popular summer activity on the Connecticut River running between Vermont and New Hampshire and there are many access points to put in a kayak, paddle board or other rivercraft! Inexpensive rentals are available through the Ledyard Canoe Club in Hanover. The many lakes in the area are also excellent for boating. Locally, Storrs Pond and Mascoma Lake are both excellent places to spend an afternoon. Those looking to get out on a larger lake or vessel can also look to Lake Sunapee.
As you learn more about our program, please consider reaching out to me directly via email or contacting any of the faculty you are interested in working with to learn more about their clinical and research interests. We believe this program and area are truly one of a kind and we hope that you are as excited about getting to know us as we are about getting to know you!
Best,
Robert Brady, PhD