Davidson-Broughton Program

Applications for the 2026 Davidson-Broughton Summer Study Program will be accepted online. Please review the below information regarding the program and application process before beginning your application.

All application materials must be received Friday, February 20, 2026. 

To apply, please be prepared to submit:

• A completed online application form.
• A copy of your resume or CV.
• A 2-3 page personal statement describing your interest in the program, academic and other experiences that have prepared you for the program, and relevance of the program to your future career plans.
• An unofficial copy of your undergraduate transcript.

In addition to the application materials above, all applicants must certify that they understand the program background check and health requirements.

Online Application

Student tuition and fees for 2026 will be $2,625 ($2,000 tuition, $625 housing fee).

Tuition and fees are due by Friday, April 17. 

You may choose to find alternate local housing arrangements. Students who choose not to reside in the program housing must notify the Davidson College Psychology Department by May 1. We are unable to refund the housing fee after this date. 

If minimum enrollment for the program has not been met by May 1, the program may be cancelled. In the event of program cancellation, we will refund all tuition and fees. 

Tuition will NOT be refunded if the student leaves the program after May 1.

Practicum in Psychology (PSY 290)
Instructor: Cindy Peters, Ph.D.

This course emphasizes on-site experiential learning, supplemented by informal supervision and discussion of issues and questions that arise from your practicum experience, and lectures related to relevant topics in clinical psychology. It is assumed that you have previously taken a course in abnormal psychology.

Students are expected to maintain a written journal of their experiences (without patient identifying information) relating what they do on their placement, as well as subjective evaluations, questions raised, and inferences drawn. Journals are due for review on a weekly basis. You will be expected to complete an ethics paper addressing an ethical dilemma in the field of psychology using APA's Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (2010) as a guide. You are also expected to complete an individual treatment case experience-based paper (again, without patient identifying information). Twice weekly meetings will be held to process your practicum experiences, address questions, and discuss special issues that may arise during the course of the week. Weekly lectures will be conducted by faculty members, and may include topics on clinical psychopathology, psychopharmacology, evidence-based treatments, and work with special clinical populations. Each student will be responsible for conducting two informal presentations to the class. The first presentation will be based on an assigned individual treatment case in the hospital where you will be expected to reflect upon diagnosis, and treatment goals and outcomes. The second presentation will involve discussing a relevant ethical issue in the field of psychology. Both presentations will likely require additional research outside of class time.

PSY 290 is graded on a pass/fail basis. In general, this course is the equivalent of a challenging semester course or a heavy credit hour quarter course at most colleges or universities.

Practicum Placements

As the summer session begins, you are assigned to one of the service areas in the hospital and will be supervised by a member of the Broughton Hospital Psychology Department who is assigned to a unit in that respective division. You will meet with your on-site supervisor for at least one hour each week. Over the course of the summer, you may have the opportunity to participate in activities across different service areas of the hospital, in order to gain firsthand experience with a wide variety of patient populations. Expected opportunities include: Adult Admission Services, Adult Extended Treatment Services, and Specialty Services which includes the adolescent, geropsychiatry, and medical units. Students will work with their assigned individual supervisors to coordinate a weekly schedule based on the student's identified interests, goals for the program, and requested experiences. Opportunities will be provided as they are applicable and available throughout the course of the eight-week program.

Community Integration Opportunities

You may have the opportunity to participate in other hospital training opportunities and/or community integration outings, which provides a chance to observe an alternative form of treatment.

Guest Speakers

Guest speakers may be invited to meet with students.

You have the option of finding your own local housing arrangements or staying in housing provided on the grounds of the hospital (for a fee of $625 for the program duration).

Dormitory students live in double-occupancy rooms with beds, desks, and dressers, but share communal dormitory-style bathrooms. The dormitories may be shared with professional staff from the hospital. You are expected to follow the strict guidelines of the hospital, including cleaning after using shared kitchen facilities and keeping rooms clean, and to be respectful and courteous of the primary residents' needs and customs. Broughton Hospital may require that you adequately clean your living quarters and forfeit deposits for any damages associated with your living arrangements or hospital property before submitting your grade.

You may choose to find alternative local housing arrangements; however, we are not able to provide assistance with locating off-site housing. Students who choose not to reside in the program housing must notify the Davidson College Psychology Department by May 1. We are unable to refund the housing fee after this date. 

Meals

Meals are at your own expense. There are several local grocery stores and many restaurant options within a 5-10 minute drive of the hospital. 

The summer 2026 program is open to current Davidson College students who will be enrolled during the 2026-2027 academic year. High school studentsincoming first-year students, graduating college seniors, and graduate students are not eligible for the program. Rising seniors may be given priority as the summer between their junior and senior years is their last opportunity to participate in the program.

Students are required to have completed both general psychology (PSY 101 or equivalent) and a course in adult or child abnormal psychology (PSY 231 or PSY 234) before the program start date. 

This requirement ensures that participants have a knowledge base and framework from which to work during the program. You may apply for the program in the same semester that you will complete these requirements. If you have a question regarding whether a course would satisfy this requirement, please contact the program coordinator, Dr. Laura Sockol, at lasockol@davidson.edu. 

Applicants who are accepted to the program will be required to consent to and pass a background check. 

Participants in the Davidson-Broughton Summer Study Program must comply with Division of State Operated Healthcare Facilities (DSOHF) policies for infection prevention and control. 

Admitted applicants will receive further information about program requirements upon notification of acceptance into the program.

Tuberculosis Test

Admitted applicants must provide documentation of a tuberculosis test conducted within six months of the program start date. Participants who have not submitted documentation of this test will not be permitted to go onto the patient units until this information is provided. 

Vaccination Requirements

Admitted applicants will be required to provide proof of immunity for required vaccinations prior to the program start date (unless there is an approved medical or religious exemption). Required vaccinations include: Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella (Chicken Pox), Pertussis, and SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19).

Hepatitis B Vaccination/Waiver Requirement

The Broughton Hospital patient population comprises a variety of individuals including the severely mentally ill. Aggressive individuals, patients with HIV infection, and patients with hepatitis are among this patient population. The CDC recommends the hepatitis B vaccination series for all adults aged 15-59 years, including healthcare personnel, who may be at risk of acquiring hepatitis B vaccination due to exposure to blood or potentially infectious materials. Admitted applicants will be required to provide evidence of hepatitis B vaccination or sign a waiver acknowledging the risks and refusing vaccination. 

The hepatitis B vaccine is generally given as a three-dose series on a 0, 1, and 6-month schedule. Unvaccinated students are encouraged to contact their primary care provider as soon as possible in order to complete the first two doses prior to the program start date. 

The relationship between the hospital and the college has been a very positive longstanding one, and each year students contribute to that positive relationship. You must consider yourself as operating under the same ethical and professional guidelines as if you are a paid employee of the hospital. All information garnered from patient records, patient interviewing, or other observations must be held in strictest confidence. It is especially important to be careful about comments made off the hospital grounds (such as in restaurants) and comments made around patients. Each student will sign a document that specifies agreement to abide by the particulars of these confidentiality regulations. 

Equally important are interactions with patients and staff. Students often find it difficult to understand why various treatment interventions or other actions are taken with patients. While students' services to the hospital are valued, it is very important to remember that you are not authorized to take any action with patients unless specifically requested to do so by your supervisor. Broughton patients may attempt to manipulate or take advantage of Davidson-Broughton students and may attempt to place them in difficult positions. It is also sometimes easy to "over identify" with patients. Please rely on the instructor, supervisors and Broughton staff members for guidance in patient interactions.