Professional Psychology: Research and Practice 2000, Vol. 31, No. 5, 553-558 Copyright 2000 by the American Psychological Association, Inc. 0735-7028/00/J5.00 DOI: i0.1037//0735-7028.31.5.553 Learning to Administrate, Administrating to Learn Michael J. Zvolensky, Amy D. Herschell, and Daniel W. McNeil West Virginia University This article describes a director of clinical training (DCT) mentorship program aimed at teaching administrative skills to graduate students. Toward this end, the administrative knowledge and skills targeted in the program are described, followed by a discussion of the implications of this training experience, including the potential applicability to other disciplines within psychology. Although the DCT mentorship experience that is presented seems to be a promising model for administrative training, future efforts are needed to evaluate the relative merits of this type of program over die long term. Where and how do psychologists learn the skills necessary to function in administrative roles, such as being a director of clinical training (DCT)? Increasingly, psychologists are becoming in- volved in administrative and consultative functioning (Cummings, 1995; D. R. Peterson & Knudson, 1979; Robiner, 1991). The need for administrative training in psychology is generally apparent, including training director posts such as the DCT position. DCTs MICHAEL J. ZVOLENSKY, MA, is completing his PhD in clinical psychology at West Virginia University. He currently is an intern at the Brown University Clinical Psychology Training Consortium. His research inter- ests include emotional regulation in anxiety- and stress-related psychopa- thology, anxiety and fear in American Indians and Alaska Natives, and clinical psychology training. AMY D. HERSCHELL, MA, is completing her PhD in clinical child psychol- ogy at West Virginia University. Her professional interests include the management of children's disruptive behaviors in home and school set- tings, dissemination of empirically supported psychosocial treatment pro- grams, and administration and training in psychology. DANIEL W. MCNEIL received his PhD from the University of Alabama and is associate professor and director of clinical training in the Department of Psychology at West Virginia University. His professional activities involve emotional responsivity in anxiety, fear, and pain, particularly in dentistry and in the area of chronic pain. In addition, he is interested in anxiety and fear in specific underserved groups, including American Indians and Alaska Natives, as well as rural Appalachian individuals. Training and administration in psychology is another area of focus, as is the professional development of students. MICHAEL J. ZVOLENSKY was a director of clinical training (DCT) admin- istrative assistant in 1996-1997, and Amy D. Herschell was a DCT administrative assistant in 1997-1998. Gratitude also goes to Karen E. Joseph (1998-1999) and Kevin E. Vowles (1999-2000) for their service as DCT assistants. APPRECIATION is EXPRESSED to the students, administration, faculty, and staff in the Department of Psychology and the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences at West Virginia University who supported this mentorship ex- perience, particularly Philip N. Chase, Ann Davis, Gerald E. Lang, and M. Duane Nellis. CORRESPONDENCE CONCERNING THIS ARTICLE should be addressed to either Daniel W. McNeil or Michael J. Zvolensky, Department of Psychology, Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, West Virginia University, 114 Ogle- bay Hall, P.O. Box 6040, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506-6040. Electronic mail may be sent to either dmcneil@wvu.edu or zvolensky@aol.com. serve to develop the structure, implementation procedures, and evaluation of doctoral-level training in clinical psychology (Cum- mings, 1995; Rabin & Foster, 1999). Despite the established importance of DCT-related administrative tasks and responsibili- ties, no formal training model exists for the position (Bongar & Harmatz, 1989; Nevid, Lavi, & Primavera, 1986; Rickard & Clem- ents, 1981). It is therefore not surprising that the vast majority of current DCTs have had little or no formal administrative training. Nevertheless, most psychology graduate curricula do not yet in- clude such exposure (Belar & Perry, 1992; Ellis, 1992; Hartley & Robinson, 1996; D. R. Peterson, 1991, 1995). As a preliminary attempt to address the need for DCT admin- istration training, a mentorship experience was developed in the fall of 1996 at West Virginia University. Aside from providing students in clinical psychology with the opportunity to develop administrative skills specific to the DCT position, the program was initially created to fulfill a need for additional help with adminis- trative demands on the DCT. Our aim in this article is to report on this training program to increase awareness of the viability and the potential usefulness of this type of (administrative) mentorship experience within the context of existing curricula. Specifically, the DCT training program is described, including how it addresses some of the basic knowledge and skill requirements for the posi- tion, as well as the potential implications of this training experi- ence. Only with continued evaluation and independent corrobora- tion can such a program be determined to successfully expand the breadth of training in an area in which the field of clinical psy- chology is evolving (Belar, 1998; Ducheny, Alletzhauser, Cran- dell, & Schneider, 1997; Rickard & Clements, 1981). Director of Clinical Training Mentorship Description General Structure and Format The primary aim of the DCT mentorship program is to teach administrative skills in an individualized, supervised manner and to provide administrative support to the DCT, the clinical psychol- ogy program, and the department as a whole. Toward this end, before the onset of each fall semester, a clinical psychology doctoral student who is interested in administration is selected by the DCT, in collaboration with other departmental administrators, to serve as an administrative assistant to the DCT for 1 academic year. This position represents one half of the student's paid assis- This document is copyrighted by the American Psychological Association or one of its allied publishers. This article is intended solely for the personal use of the individual user and is not to be disseminated broadly.