General timeline for application and training/school

[scoops619]

Hi everyone! I was wondering if you all could give me some insight into the general outline/timeline of what getting a Clinical Psych. PhD looks like? Personally, I'm going to be matriculating at a medical school in the fall, but my significant other (who is a year behind me, ie UG class of 2017) is going to apply to grad school, so I'm asking just to have a sense of how well/poorly our timelines line up, and how long we're realistically looking at being apart.

I've tried to do some reading on this, but I'm not totally clear. My understanding is: 5 years minimum of actual grad school, then a year long internship (which you match in to?), and then potentially post-doc(s)/fellowship(s). I've seen 5-7 years tossed around as the average time from matriculation to finishing. My questions then are: how wrong is what I've outlined above? Which of those steps take place in the same location/city/school (asking so I know when we'd have the flexibility to move to live closer to one another)? Is the internship counted in the 5 years of grad school I've seen discussed? Is every step necessary (IE, are post-doc(s) or fellowship(s) necessary to provide talk-therapy, which is her ultimate career goal as of now)?

For application to grad school, does the following timeline seem roughly correct?

• by End of spring/early summer
  • Psych GRE and GRE
  • Build School list
  • PS and CV
• By middle of summer
  • Contact faculty
• By end of summer
  • Ask LOR
  • Work on applications
    • Personalize PS to each school
• Mid/late October-November
  • Finalize applications (this is usually their deadlines)
• December-February
  • Interviews!

Thank you!

Edit: forgot to include the application part

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[Justanothergrad]

That looks about right but keep in mind that as you build your school list you may identify programs you want to apply to that will not have funding for a particular POI (and they may not know that until the end of the summer), so consider more than you plan to apply to. This is less of an issue for programs that do not adhere to the strict mentorship model.

In general, a 5+1 is a typical length for a program (there are some shorter and others longer with a great deal of variability). And yes, the +1 is your internship which is basically like applying to graduate school all over again (applications, reference letters, interviews, etc)- all of which occur during the same time as the program applications. While you can apply regionally, its not always a good idea because your training needs and the emphasis of programs near you may not match.

Post-docs aren't 'required' but being licensed is, and many people opt for that route because they have to find a way to get the supervision needed to get their full licensure as a psychologist. Mind you, some specialties (like neuropsych) do require a post-doc. It is becoming (albeit it slowly) more shined on for people to have a post-doc in some areas. This is not true for all areas, but going in as an UG you should be aware that your clinical interests may shift some and you may end up wanting to be in an area that encourages, or even requires, a post-doc.

Most likely, at minimum, you are looking at a six year commitment for these degrees. And honestly, anywhere from 5-7 is a reasonable amount of time for the program itself.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

As indicated above, the timelines you've mentioned both for total training and the applications process appear generally accurate. Some interviews may run past February, and some applications may not be due until late December, but it's a good rough estimate.

And yes, for a funded Ph.D. program, the average pre-degree training time is about 6 years (i.e., between 5+1 and 6+1). Likening things to medical school, grad school is similar in that it's a mix of both clinical and classroom experiences. The difference is that these generally occur concurrently rather than sequentially, and you pepper in a lot of research experience to boot (while the classes will probably be less intense). The internship application and matching process is similar to that for residency; difference being that we apply and complete internship prior to obtaining our degree.

It's certainly possible to match to an internship in the same state as grad school, but I'd venture to say it's relatively unlikely. Remaining in the same geographic region is more likely. But odds are, a move of some type will be required. I would say that moving again for postdoc is the relative norm, although many folks will either stay on at their internship site or find something nearby. It all depends on what's available and what exactly the trainee is looking for/prioritizing.

Folks will often move again for employment after internship or postdoc, although this can be much more variable. Some are offered employment by their training sites, while others choose to move either for lack of available nearby opportunities or to pursue a more desirable position (or because they didn't want to be in the area of their internship/postdoc to begin with). My fellow postdoc and I, for example, likely both could've stayed in the city in which we trained, but neither of us wanted to do so; we were both able to find jobs in the region to which we'd wanted to relocate.