Leave my PsyD program for another?

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psydquestioning

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Objectively, it is a bad idea. You will look flaky to any other program, internship, or post-doc. Beyond that, have you spoken with the other program and they agreed to the credit transfer?
 
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I have spoken to the program and I’ve arranged another call to go over what classes/practicum experience specifically would transfer and how the timeline would look like.

Why would I look flakey? On my internship app, would I not put that I have a masters from the first program, and that I’m receiving my PsyD from the second? Or is there a way to specify that I was doing my PsyD at the first place and then switched programs?
 
psydquestioning said:
I have spoken to the program and I’ve arranged another call to go over what classes/practicum experience specifically would transfer and how the timeline would look like.

Why would I look flakey? On my internship app, would I not put that I have a masters from the first program, and that I’m receiving my PsyD from the second? Or is there a way to specify that I was doing my PsyD at the first place and then switched programs?
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People would know that it is most likely a transfer, as the overwhelming majority of doctoral students are admitted to a doctorate and get their masters along the way from that same program.
 
I’m curious what exactly makes you hate the geographic location so much, especially if you’ve been able to make some friends there. Switching from a program with good outcomes to a program with worse outcomes is definitely putting you at a strong disadvantage when it comes to internship placements, making you less competitive for the jobs you may want, etc. So what is so awful that you are willing to limit your future career prospects rather than stick it out for 3 more years?
 
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PsyDuck90 said:
I’m curious what exactly makes you hate the geographic location so much, especially if you’ve been able to make some friends there. Switching from a program with good outcomes to a program with worse outcomes is definitely putting you at a strong disadvantage when it comes to internship placements, making you less competitive for the jobs you may want, etc. So what is so awful that you are willing to limit your future career prospects rather than stick it out for 3 more years?
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That’s a good question. I do many outdoor activities, most of which are limited or impossible where I am. It’s also hard for me to be away from my partner. In terms of limiting my career prospects, I’ve talked to very successful people (family friends) from the program I am considering going to. They own private practices and have done well for themselves. I’ve always been motivated and a good student/researcher so I’m hopeful that I would be successful even at a less good program.
 
psydquestioning said:
Why would I look flakey? On my internship app, would I not put that I have a masters from the first program, and that I’m receiving my PsyD from the second? Or is there a way to specify that I was doing my PsyD at the first place and then switched programs?
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Internship director sees that you have a history of leaving a place because you dislike the area. It would be logical to presume that you will do this again, which affects their internship.
 
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WisNeuro said:
People would know that it is most likely a transfer, as the overwhelming majority of doctoral students are admitted to a doctorate and get their masters along the way from that same program.
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This. There are few if any clinical psychology masters programs that transfer credits to a PsyD. Most of us are also familiar with most programs in our region. If you list a masters and are applying for internship after another year or two, it is unlikely you did a masters first. Remember, you also need to supply transcripts from your former program when you apply for internship, post-doc and even VA jobs. Anyone reviewing your application in any detail would be able to easily figure it out.

If they do figure it out and ask you about it, you better be prepared with a good answer for the transfer. If it one you list above and I am ranking people for internship, the person that tells me that they left because lifestyle and hobbies are important to them is getting ranked much lower than the folks who say they are willing to do anything if given the opportunity. If you do it at your program, you may do it at internship or you may not stay for post-doc because you don't like the locale. My job is to pick the individual most likely to do a good job and stick around.
 
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PsyDr said:
Internship director sees that you have a history of leaving a place because you dislike the area. It would be logical to presume that you will do this again, which affects their internship.
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Sanman said:
This. There are few if any clinical psychology masters programs that transfer credits to a PsyD. Most of us are also familiar with most programs in our region. If you list a masters and are applying for internship after another year or two, it is unlikely you did a masters first. Remember, you also need to supply transcripts from your former program when you apply for internship, post-doc and even VA jobs. Anyone reviewing your application in any detail would be able to easily figure it out.

If they do figure it out and ask you about it, you better be prepared with a good answer for the transfer. If it one you list above and I am ranking people for internship, the person that tells me that they left because lifestyle and hobbies are important to them is getting ranked much lower than the folks who say they are willing to do anything if given the opportunity. If you do it at your program, you may do it at internship or you may not stay for post-doc because you don't like the locale. My job is to pick the individual most likely to do a good job and stick around.
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Thank you, that makes a lot of logical sense. I’m assuming this would’ve been a much different issue if I were transferring for research/clinical fit or tuition costs.
 
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psydquestioning said:
That’s a good question. I do many outdoor activities, most of which are limited or impossible where I am. It’s also hard for me to be away from my partner. In terms of limiting my career prospects, I’ve talked to very successful people (family friends) from the program I am considering going to. They own private practices and have done well for themselves. I’ve always been motivated and a good student/researcher so I’m hopeful that I would be successful even at a less good program.
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What do these two things have to do with each other? Owning a private practice means starting your own business and having the funds and economic stability to do so. Having a good resume is mostly about asking someone else for a job. Don't ask people that don't have jobs what it takes to be successful in getting a job.
 
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psydquestioning said:
They interned and worked for years prior to starting practices.
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I'm sure they did and if you were applying for an internship or job in the 1970's, 80's, or 90's or whenever they last had a job, they would have relevant info. Go ask a professor that got hired in the 1970s what it takes to get tenure. Then ask someone here that just got tenure.
 
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Thank you everyone for chiming in. The difficulty in my career prospects if I decide to leave is something I need to more heavily consider.
 
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You said, "I like the program, the professors, and I’ve made some good friends." Don't take this for granted. These are super important in grad school and if you move to another program you may not be this lucky again. The faculty in my APA program were truly some of the worst human beings I have ever met. The training was not as good as I would have expected either. (Thank heavens the students were nice!) It is hard to tell some of this stuff before entering a program. Additionally, if you are moving to a large cohort program from a small cohort program, that will make a huge difference in how you interact with faculty and peers.

It sure sounds like having your partner join you would be a better option.
 
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Sometimes the best answer is to change our circumstances and sometimes the best answer is to change our response to those circumstances (e.g., radical acceptance, increased flexibility to try new ways of dealing with what's difficult, etc).

And sometimes that change doesn't work out quite as well as we hoped for and sometimes sticking things out won't be as bad as we currently perceive things to be.

It doesn't hurt to explore what your alternative options are so you can make an informed decision. But I'd also recommend more reflection on what else you might be able to do to help your situation/mental health, especially transfer plans fall through or the perceived costs are too great/risky.

When I think about my therapy caseload, I spend a decent amount of my professional hours working on different versions of this dilemma each day. Good luck!

Edit: regarding internship, at my site, if we loved everything about you and you had a great interview, you’d probably still be bumped down a notch or two in our rankings.

But where things can potentially hurt you more is getting/not getting interview offers. Quality sites with way more applicants than spots for interviews are always looking for ways to justify rejecting decent to solid applicants so between changing programs combined with maybe not quite enough _____ hours, you might find yourself on the outside looking in for sites that you otherwise could have gotten an interview if you stayed put.
 
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summerbabe said:
you might find yourself on the outside looking in for sites that you otherwise could have gotten an interview if you stayed put.
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This. Echoing everything other folks have said.

The real thing may be that you have to settle for a less than ideal location for internship if you make the decision to transfer. If you stay in your current program, you may be able to match at a better site (location and training wise).
 
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psydquestioning said:
That’s a good question. I do many outdoor activities, most of which are limited or impossible where I am. It’s also hard for me to be away from my partner. In terms of limiting my career prospects, I’ve talked to very successful people (family friends) from the program I am considering going to. They own private practices and have done well for themselves. I’ve always been motivated and a good student/researcher so I’m hopeful that I would be successful even at a less good program.
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I went through some personal stuff in grad school that made me more understanding about things aside from school mattering. With that said:

Moving for the hobbies would not go over well if I were reviewing your internship app
Moving for a partner would not bother me but I would be concerned about what would happen for internship and postdoc. Remember, internship sites care about your outcomes, too.

At my top ranked internship site interview, I was straight up (and probably in violation of appic rules) asked about how I'd handle being in a long distance relationship for the year
 
PsychPhDone said:
I went through some personal stuff in grad school that made me more understanding about things aside from school mattering. With that said:

Moving for the hobbies would not go over well if I were reviewing your internship app
Moving for a partner would not bother me but I would be concerned about what would happen for internship and postdoc. Remember, internship sites care about your outcomes, too.

At my top ranked internship site interview, I was straight up (and probably in violation of appic rules) asked about how I'd handle being in a long distance relationship for the year
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I echo this as well. During my internship cycle at out-of-state sites, I had just recently married my spouse and was asked if I were to match there, would the distance be an issue? I luckily had done all four years of school long distance, so they seemed pleased with my commitment to my education (yes, the system is garbage). I could see it raising a red flag, but you do what is best for you. It sucks bad, but I swear a few years is a drop in the bucket when you're busy working on clinical hours, coursework, and your dissertation.

I hope you take the time and find the right path for you!
 
Your spouse is able to come to you and money is not an issue. Having to deal with a boring location honestly seems low on the list of potential reasons you could have to hate your grad school experience. Life is tough sometimes, sacrifices need to be made. Just stick it out, you’ll be better off for it in the end.
 
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Finding a way to survive and, dare I say, even thrive in these conditions would serve you well in your personal, relational, and professional development. Overcoming challenges like the ones you're describing often leads to lasting growth.
 
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I agree - hang in there. I also attended grad school in a very undesirable location, but got an internship in a very desirable location. I'm sure not having your partner there is a major factor in how you're feeling, as well.
 
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Where are you living that there is no hiking or other outdoors activities within a couple hours drive? Especially in a smaller town? I'm fairly outdoorsy and that has been no problem in the 5 different locations that I've studied/worked in through the years. Honestly, this sounds like something deeper at play. Especially the way that you talk about it. "Those were all taken away from me during grad school." Nothing was taken from you. You moved, there are different things to do and different opportunities at this location. I just find it hard to believe that you cannot find anything fulfilling to do recreationally in the temporary time you spend in that location.
 
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They deleted their post.

I do what to say to any folks considering grad school to please research the geographic location of the program. Visiting is also recommended so that you can get a feel for recreational activities. The decision to pursue doctoral level education is not a light one and I would hope that anyone hoping to work in our field would do their due diligence and be attentive to detail such as cost of living, weather patterns, and whether location fits your needs.
 
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texanpsychdoc said:
Hey...I roughed it out in central Ohio for a couple of years. Life is too short to live in Ohio :p
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I attended graduate school in one of the states which people routinely question actually exist. Honestly, though, weather and bad food aside I had a blast - there was plenty to do (granted, I'm not really an "outdoor kitty" to begin with) and it's where I met my husband.
 
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cara susanna said:
I attended graduate school in one of the states which people routinely question actually exist. Honestly, though, weather and bad food aside I had a blast - there was plenty to do (granted, I'm not really an "outdoor kitty" to begin with) and it's where I met my husband.
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People question the existence of states? Are they just bad at geography?
 
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WisNeuro said:
Where are you living that there is no hiking or other outdoors activities within a couple hours drive? Especially in a smaller town? I'm fairly outdoorsy and that has been no problem in the 5 different locations that I've studied/worked in through the years. Honestly, this sounds like something deeper at play. Especially the way that you talk about it. "Those were all taken away from me during grad school." Nothing was taken from you. You moved, there are different things to do and different opportunities at this location. I just find it hard to believe that you cannot find anything fulfilling to do recreationally in the temporary time you spend in that location.
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Sounds like Waco, TX if I had to guess. I can attest to the lack of interesting hiking anywhere nearby and very ugly summers. That being said, there are some options for river activities and decent indoor rock climbing.
 
Sanman said:
People question the existence of states? Are they just bad at geography?
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My friend recently though New Hampshire was the capital of Vermont…
 
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Sanman said:
:smack:

We really need more investment into primary and secondary education.
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“Anyone could miss Canada, all tucked away down there.”

Seriously, though, I think people’s knowledge of geography is just a function of where they live—like, someone from Vermont is probably not going to know that El Paso is closer to LA than New Orleans, and someone from New York probably isn’t going to realize that it can take an entire day to drive across Montana. It’s like the stereotypical tourist who thinks that they can visit the Grand Canyon in the morning and Disney World in the afternoon—you know the geography of where you live well, and everything else is typically a bit vague.
 
futureapppsy2 said:
“Anyone could miss Canada, all tucked away down there.”

Seriously, though, I think people’s knowledge of geography is just a function of where they live—like, someone from Vermont is probably not going to know that El Paso is closer to LA than New Orleans, and someone from New York probably isn’t going to realize that it can take an entire day to drive across Montana. It’s like the stereotypical tourist who thinks that they can visit the Grand Canyon in the morning and Disney World in the afternoon—you know the geography of where you live well, and everything else is typically a bit vague.
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Not asking every person to know every state like the back of their hand, but surely knowing all 50 states of your country is not that large of an ask. Maybe knowing that DC is not one of them would be good as well.
 
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psycho1391 said:
I do what to say to any folks considering grad school to please research the geographic location of the program. Visiting is also recommended so that you can get a feel for recreational activities. The decision to pursue doctoral level education is not a light one and I would hope that anyone hoping to work in our field would do their due diligence and be attentive to detail such as cost of living, weather patterns, and whether location fits your needs.
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I don't know to what extent it happens now, but, for a long time, a lot of graduate school advice minimized the importance of location. Some of that may have been because many prospective applicants dismiss entire regions out of hand -- some here might remember a poster years ago who didn't want to go to "flyover country" -- but that may have encouraged applicants to discount how important location may be to them personally. That's not to absolve applicants of responsibility; at the end of the day, it's up to them to inform themselves as much as they can about how they're intending to spend the next 5–7 years. However, I think the volume of advice to go to graduate school at any cost may lead to some students not thinking as deeply as they should if giving up {X, Y, Z} for several years is worthwhile to them.
 
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Sanman said:
People question the existence of states? Are they just bad at geography?
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I remember reading a novel years ago that featured a character who was a Russian spy in the US (set back during the 80s) who would always tell people he met that he was from Nebraska. The reasoning was, nobody outside of Nebraska knew anything about Nebraska or what people from Nebraska sounded like, so any slip in his accent or deficit of knowledge about the place was covered.
 
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clausewitz2 said:
I remember reading a novel years ago that featured a character who was a Russian spy in the US (set back during the 80s) who would always tell people he met that he was from Nebraska. The reasoning was, nobody outside of Nebraska knew anything about Nebraska or what people from Nebraska sounded like, so any slip in his accent or deficit of knowledge about the place was covered.
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I feel like everything you mentioned could be covered by saying you are from Wyoming or Montana as well. I don't know much about either of those states. However, I know they exist and do not believe they are a fiction borne of a vast mapmaking conspiracy.
 
Sanman said:
I feel like everything you mentioned could be covered by saying you are from Wyoming or Montana as well. I don't know much about either of those states. However, I know they exist and do not believe they are a fiction borne of a vast mapmaking conspiracy.
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Who told you about Big Map!
 
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WisNeuro said:
Who told you about Big Map!
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Some old dude in fedora and brown leather jacket. Oddly, he carried a whip and kept blathering on about Nazis. I was thinking he might need a psychiatric hold, but he ran off a bit too quickly.
 
Sanman said:
I feel like everything you mentioned could be covered by saying you are from Wyoming or Montana as well. I don't know much about either of those states. However, I know they exist and do not believe they are a fiction borne of a vast mapmaking conspiracy.
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Glacier, Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, Wind River Range, and Jackson Hole are all absolutely fantastic if you enjoy the outdoors!!! And the Bozeman Distillery has some great rye whiskeys and a unique huckleberry vodka.
 
Dazen said:
Glacier, Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, Wind River Range, and Jackson Hole are all absolutely fantastic if you enjoy the outdoors!!! And the Bozeman Distillery has some great rye whiskeys and a unique huckleberry vodka.
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Missoula is awesome, and western Montana as a whole is gorgeous. Honestly, the Mountain West is so underrated.
 
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Sanman said:
Some old dude in fedora and brown leather jacket. Oddly, he carried a whip and kept blathering on about Nazis. I was thinking he might need a psychiatric hold, but he ran off a bit too quickly.
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Sadly, needing to talk about Nazis is becoming more and more relevant these days, so that would seem less and less out of place.
 
futureapppsy2 said:
Sadly, needing to talk about Nazis is becoming more and more relevant these days, so that would seem less and less out of place.
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So, you're saying the next time neo nazis strike, this is the solution?

Indiana Jones Mind GIF
 
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