University of Idaho launches new clinical psychology and gerontology programs

MOSCOW, Idaho — University of Idaho’s School of Health and Medical Professions (SHAMP) welcomed its first students this fall to two new graduate programs: the Doctor of Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.) and the Master of Science in Gerontology. Both programs will prepare graduates to meet growing workforce needs as demand increases for behavioral health providers and professionals who understand aging.

“These programs are exactly the kind of investment Idaho needs right now,” University of Idaho President Scott Green said. “We need all the medical specialists we can produce to properly care for Idahoans and build the systems that serve them. That’s what our university is here to do.”

The Psy.D. program responds to a critical shortage of behavioral health providers. Every county in Idaho is designated as a Mental Health Professional Shortage Area, and only about half of Idahoans with a diagnosed mental health condition receive treatment. The program trains clinical psychologists to assess, diagnose and treat mental and behavioral health conditions in schools, hospitals, rural clinics and private practices.

The Master of Science in Gerontology addresses another pressing need: Idaho’s population is aging faster than almost any state in the country. Adults 65 and older make up about 17% of Idaho’s population, and that population has grown by more than 50% over the past decade. The program is built around a simple idea — that every career is a career in aging — and prepares professionals in healthcare, housing, technology, law, finance, design and public policy to serve a state where more people are living longer than ever before. The fully online program is designed for working professionals, who can complete it at their own pace or in as little as one year.

Thomas J. Farrer, associate professor and director of the Psy.D. program, helped develop both degrees. He said each program answers the same question from different directions.

“Our world is changing rapidly with a greater proportion of our population being over 65, and the gerontology program takes a multidisciplinary approach to addressing the needs of older adults,” Farrer said. “Gerontology is about examining the systems people use every day and rethinking them so they work for people at every stage of life. The Psy.D. is more direct: it’s about making sure there are enough clinicians on the ground to meet people’s behavioral health needs today.”

SHAMP was founded in June 2024 to help build a stronger, better-prepared healthcare workforce for Idaho. In spring 2025, the school had one degree program, Idaho WWAMI Medical Education. Since then, it has added degree programs in anatomical sciences and athletic training, followed by the Psy.D. and gerontology programs, bringing the total to six. A seventh degree program, the Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing, launches next fall.

Rusty Baker, co-director of SHAMP, said the new programs advance the school’s mission to strengthen Idaho’s healthcare workforce.

“Together, the programs are designed to address workforce needs across the state, from behavioral health to the demands of an aging population,” Baker said. “We are proud of how far SHAMP has come in a short time and excited about what comes next.”

Applications for the next Psy.D. cohort, which begins in Fall 2027, will open after Labor Day. Applications for the Master of Science in Gerontology are open for Spring 2027. To learn more about SHAMP and its graduate health programs, visit go.uidaho.edu/shamp.

Media contact

Danae Lenz
External Communications Coordinator
208-885-1605
dlenz@uidaho.edu