Join Us

The TIPS program is dedicated to providing training experiences for those interested in a career in clinical science. We are committed to the success of our team members, evidenced by the trajectories of our lab alumni. There are several ways to get involved with the TIPS program:

Join us as a Graduate Student

Graduate students join our research program via the University of Kentucky’s Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology. You can find out more about our program on the Department of Psychology website. Graduate students in the lab participate in our ongoing research projects and are encouraged to develop and implement their own independent ideas without our laboratory. If you have specific questions about applying to UK’s Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program under the mentorship of Dr. Sauer-Zavala, we encourage you to reach out to her directly (ssz@uky.edu).

Dr. Sauer-Zavala will be reviewing applications this cycle (i.e., for students that would start in the 2024-2025 academic year).

Join Us as an Undergraduate Student

University of Kentucky undergraduates can gain hands-on experience conducting research in clinical psychology by volunteering with the TIPS program or registering for course credit in PSY 394. Through attending weekly lab meetings and working on research projects, students gain exposure to the full range of research activities (e.g., idea generation, study protocol refinement, IRB applications, data collection, data analysis, manuscript/poster preparation). These experiences are expected to be especially useful for students planning on pursuing a career in clinical psychology and research. Interested students are required to complete an application. If you have questions about your application, please email our senior graduate student, Stephen Semcho at semcho@uky.edu.