The Student Training Center, as part of the ARCH (Advocacy, Recovery, Compassion & Healing) team within the department of surgery at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, is a national and international leading model of integrated and trauma-informed care, placing mental health clinicians-in-training at the hospital bedside as part of the standard of care. We currently provide inpatient services for adult and pediatric trauma, adult and pediatric burn, and two units of adult medicine patients. Our outpatient clinic provides a connective bridge for these former inpatients to transition home and to additional community resources.
We value the opportunity to walk alongside fellow humans during some of the worst days of their lives. We recognize that we are complex beings, and that illness, injury, diagnoses, and disorders are just pieces of the greater puzzle. We incorporate substance use, acute stress, and depression screening and intervention into our supportive clinical care to aid in the healing, recovery, and wellness of those we meet.
Students who work with us gain experience in clinical assessment, crisis intervention, substance use counseling, brief counseling, and supporting patients through grief & loss, acute stress, adjustment, and depression. Prospective clinical students should be interested in integrated medical and mental health care, including but not limited to working with addiction and substance use disorders, life-altering circumstances (burns, assault, limb loss, infections, motor vehicle collisions, falls, etc.), and as part of an interdisciplinary team.
We accept a cohort of students each fall, spring and summer. Deadlines for applications are March 15th (fall), October 15th (spring), January 15th (summer).
Given the nature of our site, we require immunizations (COVID-19 series and Influenza, in addition to others) and at least a two-semester commitment of all of our students. Out of gratitude for the hard work and dedication of our student clinicians, we provide a small stipend.