What is the quality of care and research provided in VA Medical Centers?
The VA does not view research as separate from clinical practice but sees research and exploration as an integral part of innovative and effective treatment. The VA has the highest hiring standards for entry level psychologists of any agency in the country, and supports a number of psychologists with distinguished research credentials as full-time Career Scientists. Psychologists at the VA have made significant research contributions to such areas as substance abuse treatment, health psychology, PTSD, Military Sexual Trauma, neuropsychology and computerized assessment. The VA has extensive quality assurance programs, including internal and external audits and accreditation (e.g., Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations) and specialty accreditation (e.g., Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities), processes in which psychologists actively participate.
