Wright-Patterson Medical Center
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(Click on picture for program brochure)
The Wright-Patterson Medical Center Clinical Psychology Internship Program is an intensive,
one-year, doctoral, scientist-practitioner internship program located in Dayton, Ohio. Our
internship program, established in 1978, offers comprehensive clinical training at one of the Air
Force’s top medical centers and has been accredited by the American Psychological
Association (APA) since 1979. Core clinical rotations include Outpatient Mental Health, Clinical
Health Psychology, and Neuropsychology Service. Minor rotations and additional training
experiences include Aeromedical Consultation Service, Crisis Care & Assessment, Primary
Care Behavioral Health, and Embedded Mental Health.
Our psychology faculty has been carefully selected to lead the future of Air Force psychology
through teaching, supervising, and guiding interns. We also enjoy the support from
professionals within Wright-Patterson Medical Center and the Dayton-area health sector
including psychology, psychiatry, social work, psychiatric nursing, neurology, pediatrics, primary
care, and many others who contribute to our didactic programs and engage with our interns in
various roles. Our interns enjoy opportunities in attending combined didactics with the Dayton
Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Wright State University, and University of Dayton.
We strive to prepare Air Force psychologists in delivering high quality, effective psychological
services both within a community-based healthcare model as well as in support of military
operations during peacetime and deployed settings. The strength of this program has been
centered on longstanding cooperative, professional, and mutually enriching relationships among
various mental health disciplines. We are proud of the inclusive and positive training
environment provided for all our military and civilian personnel.
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Click here for Internship Admissions, Support and Initial Placement Data
Training Director
Lt Col John P. Pistello
Lt Col John P. Pistello is the Psychology Residency Training Director assigned to the 88th
Operational Medical Readiness Squadron, 88th Medical Group, 88th Air Base Wing, Wright- Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. He oversees and directs administrative development and operations of one of three Air Force’s Clinical Psychology Internship programs. He supervises program faculty members in delivery of training aims and engages in recruiting efforts for the Air Force Psychology community.
Lt Col Pistello first entered the United States Air Force as a Health Professions Scholarship Program recipient and received his Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from Regent University after completing his Air Force internship in 2013 at Wright-Patterson Medical Center. He led both mental health and substance abuse treatment services during his first assignment at MacDill Air Force Base before completing an operational deployment in Afghanistan as a Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) Psychologist. He then served at two overseas locations, South Korea and Germany, overseeing mental health departments for each base as the Flight Commander and senior mental health advisor to the base commander. Clinical areas of interest​ include organizational consultation, embedded mental health, and psychological applications in
hostage and captivity survivors.
EDUCATION
2008 Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Missouri Baptist University, St. Louis, MO
2011 Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology, Regent University, Virginia Beach, VA
2013 Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology, Regent University, Virginia Beach, VA
2014 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2019 Leader Development Course, Maxwell AFB, AL
2020 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 2012 – August 2013, Clinical Psychology Resident, Wright-Patterson Medical Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH
2. August 2013 – July 2017, ADAPT / Mental Health Element Chief, 6th Medical Operations
Squadron, MacDill Air Force Base, FL (April 2016 – October 2016, SERE Psychologist, 455th
Air Expeditionary Wing, Bagram AB, Afghanistan)
3. August 2017 – August 2019, Mental Health Flight Commander, 51st Medical Operations
Squadron, Osan Air Base, South Korea
4. September 2019 – August 2020, Director of Psychological Health, 52nd Medical Operations Squadron, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany
5. September 2020 – August 2023, Mental Health Flight Commander, 52nd Operational Medical Readiness Squadron, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany
6. August 2023 – Present, Psychology Residency Training Director, 88 th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Army Commendation Medal
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation Award
Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award with 2 oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korean Defense Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with 1 oak leaf cluster
NATO Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Captain July 2012
Major April 2017
Lieutenant Colonel August 2024
(Current as of August 2024)
