Graduate Global Practica Placement
About the Program
The Columbia-WHO Center for Global Mental Health offers a range of practica experiences integrated with the Center’s ongoing research programs. Applicants must be enrolled in a Columbia University graduate program in Public Health, Psychology, Social Work, Medicine, or Dentistry to apply.
Applications for the Summer 2025 Global Practica Program, are now closed. For any assistance or inquiries, please contact us at info@ccgmh.org.
2025 Practicum Opportunities
The following opportunities are available during the 2025 practicum cycle. Priority deadline for applications is Friday, March 21, at 5pm EST.
Population-Based Assessments of Country Mental Health Status
Details: In collaboration with the Columbia – World Health Organization (WHO) Center for Global Mental Health, WHO has developed the Flexible Interview for ICD-11 (FLII-11), based on the revised diagnostic requirements for mental, behavioral and neurodevelopmental disorders in the Eleventh Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). The FLII-11 is modular, covers common and high-burden mental disorders, and is designed to be administered in epidemiological and other population-based studies by trained lay interviewers. We are coordinating a group of countries around the world who are involved in implementing the FLII-11 in national mental health surveys or other large studies, including China, India, Liberia, South Africa, Mexico, Brazil, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Georgia, and Pakistan. Other countries are expected to become involved. A part of this effort is devoted to testing of the instrument itself, including assessment of the perspectives of people with lived experience of mental disorders regarding the interview. We are also assembling a range of other measures that can be used together with the FLII-11 depending on the interest of the country (e.g., climate change, migration) and developing protocols and training materials for the FLII-11 and the ICD-11 Clinical Descriptions and Diagnostic Requirements (CDDR).
Responsibilities: Practica students will work on a variety of projects of the Columbia – WHO Center for Global Mental Health, but particularly will work with this network of countries on helping with various aspects of their implementation of the FLII-11 and related instrumentation.
Skills: Level of research skill that allows student(s) to conceptualize concepts and conduct independent research; be able to report back to faculty and team about research projects; have an interest in mental health or a psychology background.
Preferred skills: Spanish, Arabic, and Urdu language abilities are a particular plus.
Duration: Minimum of 10 weeks
In Person/Remote: Hybrid with remote option
Number of students: 1+ student(s)
Faculty Mentors: Dr. Geoffrey Reed
International Site Placement
Details: The Columbia – WHO Center for Global Mental Health offers a range of practicum opportunities with the goal of advancing the research, development, and implementation of mental health instruments and services tailored to the needs of underserved global populations and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). International placement opportunities through our vast collaborative network extend our work across borders, advancing efforts to investigate and address the global burden of mental health disorders through a multicultural and equity-driven lens. Our international sites include: Botswana, China, Ghana, India, Kenya, Liberia, Mexico, South Africa, and Tanzania. Please note that our international site work will be considered on a case-by-case basis, with deliverables being designed based on both the student’s and site’s interests and needs.
Responsibilities: Practica students will work on a variety of international projects across our network of countries, so student responsibilities will be determined by their site of choice and the site’s needs.
Skills: Level of research skill that allows student(s) to conceptualize concepts and conduct independent research; be able to report back to faculty and team about research projects; have an interest in mental health or a psychology background.
Preferred skills: Other skills (e.g., language) may be required for specific projects.
Duration: Minimum of 10 weeks
In Person/Remote: In person with remote option
Number of students: 1+ students
Faculty Mentors: Dr. Ohemaa Poku
2024 Practicum Opportunities
The following opportunities were available during the 2024 practicum cycle.
National Institute of Psychiatry, Mexico City, Mexico
Details: The National Institute of Psychiatry in Mexico is the most prominent institution on Mexico’s public mental health and mental health research system. The Institute has a long history of collaboration with our Center, including Global Mental Health placements. Active areas of collaboration include the evaluation of models for workforce training in WHO’s new system of classification for mental disorders, as well as a range of other projects in global mental health. This summer, the main project would be focused on developing and evaluating the Spanish version of an ICD-11 structured interview, and its application for patient use.
Skills: Spanish language skills
Duration: 6 months
In Person/Remote: In Person
Number of Students: 1 student
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Geoffrey Reed
Population-Based Assessments of Country Mental Health Status
Details: In collaboration with the Columbia – World Health Organization (WHO) Center for Global Mental Health, WHO has developed the Flexible Interview for ICD-11 (FLII-11), based on the revised diagnostic requirements for mental, behavioral and neurodevelopmental disorders in the Eleventh Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). The FLII-11 is modular, covers common and high-burden mental disorders, and is designed to be administered in epidemiological and other population-based studies by trained lay interviewers. We are coordinating a group of countries around the world who are involved in implementing the FLII-11 in national mental health surveys or other large studies, including China, India, Liberia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Tunisia. Other countries are expected to become involved. A part of this effort is devoted to testing of the instrument itself, including assessment of the perspectives of people with lived experience of mental disorders regarding the interview. We are also assembling a range of other measures that can be used together with the FLII-11 depending on the interest of the country (e.g., social connection and social capital, climate-related vulnerability) and are developing protocols for translation and cultural adaptation. Practica students will work on a variety of projects of the Columbia – WHO Center for Global Mental Health, but particularly will work with this network of countries on helping with various aspects of their implementation of the FLII-11 and related instrumentation.
Skills: Level of research skill that allows student(s) to conceptualize concepts and conduct independent research; be able to report back to faculty and team about research projects; have an interest in mental health or a psychology background
Duration: Minimum of 10 weeks
In Person/Remote: Hybrid with remote option
Number of students: 2 students
Faculty Mentors: Dr. Geoffrey Reed
All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi
Details: Since 1956, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi has stood as a leading medical institution in India dedicated to advancing comprehensive research, training, and patient care throughout the country. Today, AIIMS engages in regular mental health collaborative work with national and international organizations that positions it as one of the key research partners for developing psychiatric classification systems (such as the ICD-11) by the World Health Organization (WHO). In its efforts to disseminate mental health research and advance professional training, AIIMS is calling for students interested in international mental health, specifically with an Indian population. Please contact info@cugmhp.org and op2190@cumc.columbia.edu if interested.
Skills: Level of research skill that allows student to conceptualize concepts and conduct independent research; be able to report back to faculty mentor; have an interest in mental health or a psychology background
Duration: 3-6 months
In Person/Remote: In person
Number of students: 1 student
Faculty Mentors: Professor Pratap Sharan and Dr. Geoffrey Reed
American University of Beirut | Clinical Psychology Training Program (aub.edu.lb)
Details: We are seeking a student interested in international mental health specifically with Arab populations. Specifically, we are seeking a student with basic knowledge in psychopathology and psychotherapy processes, who is also knowledgeable in research (such as conducting literature reviews, collecting data, and entering data sets, basic data analysis, writing research manuscripts). Opportunities include supporting various research initiatives within the Clinical Psychology Program.
Skills: Fluent in English, Arabic and /or French is a plus.
Duration: 6 months
In Person/Remote: In Person
Number of Students: 1 student
Faculty Mentors: Dr. Brigitte Khoury and Dr. Geoffrey Reed