Starting early: Case study of mentoring for undergraduate training through the Veterans Health Administration and implications for promoting equity.

Undergraduate mentoring and research internships promote entry into graduate training, academic success, research productivity, and greater career satisfaction. Most pathway programs to enhance representation within academia and health care intervene at the graduate level, leaving a critical gap in undergraduate training. The Veterans Health Administration's (VHA's) national network of clinicians and researchers is uniquely suited to provide equitable access to quality mentorship and education for undergraduates interested in health care careers.

Virtual reality exposure therapy for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder: a methodological review using CONSORT guidelines.

Context: Virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) is an extension of traditional exposure therapy and has been used to treat a variety of anxiety disorders. VRET utilizes a computer-generated virtual environment to present fear-relevant stimuli. Recent studies have evaluated the use of VRET for treatment of PTSD; however, a systematic evaluation of the methodological quality of these studies has yet to be conducted.

Cognitive processing therapy for veterans with comorbid PTSD and alcohol use disorders.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol-use disorders (AUD) frequently present comorbidity in veteran populations. Traditionally those with alcohol dependence have been excluded from PTSD treatment outcome studies, thus we do not know how those with alcohol dependence may tolerate or respond to PTSD-specific interventions; no studies to date have examined the extent to which cognitive PTSD interventions are tolerated or effective for those with comorbid PTSD/AUD. The present study examines the extent to which CPT is tolerated by and effective in treating PTSD symptoms for veterans with PTSD and AUD, as compared to veterans with PTSD only in an outpatient treatment setting.