Left practicum early - will I match next year?

[Lazysusan]

Just reaching out to see if anyone else has been in this position. I’m concerned it will impact my ability to match next year and would love to hear from those with experience of leaving a practicum early. Thank you.

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[R. Matey]

It'll probably depend on the circumstances of your departure. I've known people who left practica early and still matched to top positions. These folks had clear reasons for leaving and was still able to get great LORs from supervisors.

 

[borne_before]

Just reaching out to see if anyone else has been in this position. I’m concerned it will impact my ability to match next year and would love to hear from those with experience of leaving a practicum early. Thank you.

why?

 

[Lazysusan]

I had a truly awful practicum site. After submitting an ADA request to work from home, they initiated a formal review of my work. They found no issue with my work. Then, I was asked to resign.

 

[Lazysusan]

Do I have to go into a ton of detail? Can’t I just say it wasn’t a great fit. I have had no other issues with my practicum sites and felt like the director had it out for me from the start. I obviously would not get into these details.

 

[WisNeuro]

I would just be ready to discuss it. If I saw a prac listed that was very brief on an application, it would warrant some follow-up questions.

 

[Lazysusan]

The prac itself wasn’t brief. It ended a month early. But I worry about having to discuss being on probation and needing a remediation plan. I just feel like as soon as someone sees that, they’re going to pass the application, no matter how ****ed the actual situation.

 

[Lazysusan]

I’m am otherwise a very strong candidate

 

[borne_before]

Do I have to go into a ton of detail? Can’t I just say it wasn’t a great fit. I have had no other issues with my practicum sites and felt like the director had it out for me from the start. I obviously would not get into these details.

Okay. I'm not asking because I care or anything. Sometimes it's just not a great fit. But, we may need to do some impression management and we can help craft a polished-scripted-reply. Also, your career is not over before it started because you left a practicum.

 

[borne_before]

The prac itself wasn’t brief. It ended a month early. But I worry about having to discuss being on probation and needing a remediation plan. I just feel like as soon as someone sees that, they’re going to pass the application, no matter how ****ed the actual situation.

It's been about 6 years since I went through match. How would they know if you were on probation or needed a remediation plan?

 

[borne_before]

I had a truly awful practicum site. After submitting an ADA request to work from home, they initiated a formal review of my work. They found no issue with my work. Then, I was asked to resign.

Why did you need to work from home. How is that a reasonable accommodation? That's honestly the most concerning part from a potential future employer/internship prospect. If one heard about that through the grapevine, I might think "oh is this someone who uses ADA to get special treatment and am I potentially opening myself up to lawsuits/drama/grief if I hire them?" Think about an underpaid supervisor with two young kids workin' 8-5pm, with a big pile of laundry at home, who is only doing this because they value developing others.

 

[summerbabe]

But I worry about having to discuss being on probation and needing a remediation plan.

Leaving pracs early happens, including for reasons that students can't control so that in itself is not a disqualifier. However, circumstances matter.

Are you officially on probation/have a formal remediation plan via your program (which includes consequences such as termination from your grad program is you don't successfully remediate)? Or was it specific to that prac site?

If it's via your program, your Training Director will likely/needs to speak to this in their required statement for each applicant. I don't have a copy of a completed AAPI in front of me to see the exact wording for their prompt but even if not mandated by APPIC, IMO it is good practice for a TD to identify what caused the student to be placed on probation/remediation, what corrective steps have been taken as a result and current status/progress made.

As somebody who reviews internship applications, leaving this prac site might have some of these following effects:
- As Wisneuro said, you may be asked about this during interviews.
- Hopefully you have solid letters from other sources since you won't be able to use anybody from this site.
- If you went/are going into another prac experience shortly after this one ended, a reviewer may or may not notice the gap or chalk it up to transition timing.
- Letter writers from your program (if they are aware of this and/or have concerns about how things unfolded) might write about this in their req, in addition to the required TD statement.
- Each letter writer is asked to state their degree of recommendation for each candidate. Many letter writers will candidly address continued growth edges but still enthusiastically or highly recommend the applicant. However, if a letter writer only selects "recommend" instead of highly or enthusiastically recommend, this may be a red flag (especially the more competitive a site is).

 

[Lazysusan]

Honestly, I don’t think I’m going to get into it with them. I’m just going to say I was struggling a lot during Covid and wasn’t my best self because my self care was lacking. I’ll mention how that interfered with my ability to take feedback nondefensively (that was ultimately why I was asked to resign but the remediation plan itself left me destined to fail because defensiveness is subjective) but mention I have done a lot of work on it. And follow up recommendations will show I take feedback well and a very professional. I hope someone will be able to view it within the context of Covid and offer pity.

 

[WisNeuro]

Leaving pracs early happens, including for reasons that students can't control so that in itself is not a disqualifier. However, circumstances matter.

Are you officially on probation/have a formal remediation plan via your program (which includes consequences such as termination from your grad program is you don't successfully remediate)? Or was it specific to that prac site?

If it's via your program, your Training Director will likely/needs to speak to this in their required statement for each applicant. I don't have a copy of a completed AAPI in front of me to see the exact wording for their prompt but even if not mandated by APPIC, IMO it is good practice for a TD to identify what caused the student to be placed on probation/remediation, what corrective steps have been taken as a result and current status/progress made.

As somebody who reviews internship applications, leaving this prac site might have some of these following effects:
- As Wisneuro said, you may be asked about this during interviews.
- Hopefully you have solid letters from other sources since you won't be able to use anybody from this site.
- If you went/are going into another prac experience shortly after this one ended, a reviewer may or may not notice the gap or chalk it up to transition timing.
- Letter writers from your program (if they are aware of this and/or have concerns about how things unfolded) might write about this in their req, in addition to the required TD statement.
- Each letter writer is asked to state their degree of recommendation for each candidate. Many letter writers will candidly address continued growth edges but still enthusiastically or highly recommend the applicant. However, if a letter writer only selects "recommend" instead of highly or enthusiastically recommend, this may be a red flag (especially the more competitive a site is).

I think it used to ask if you have ever been on probation/remediation, but I thought they may have changed it to having to comment if you currently are. Any current grad TDs here who just filled out their APPI stuff?

 

[WisNeuro]

It's been about 6 years since I went through match. How would they know if you were on probation or needed a remediation plan?

Because the following is a question that, at least as of recently, was in the AAPI

"Have you ever been put on probation, suspended, terminated, or asked to resign by a graduate or internship training program, practicum site, or employer?"

 

[PsychPhDone]

I think it used to ask if you have ever been on probation/remediation, but I thought they may have changed it to having to comment if you currently are. Any current grad TDs here who just filled out their APPI stuff?

Has disciplinary action, in writing, of any sort ever been taken against you by a supervisor, educational or training institution, healthcare institution, professional association, or licensing/ certification board?

Are there any complaints currently pending against you before any of the above bodies?

Have you ever been put on probation, suspended, terminated, or resigned from a graduate or internship training program, practicum site, or employer?

Are you currently on a performance improvement plan (e.g., learning, developmental, remediation plan, etc)?

 

[Lazysusan]

Leaving pracs early happens, including for reasons that students can't control so that in itself is not a disqualifier. However, circumstances matter.

Are you officially on probation/have a formal remediation plan via your program (which includes consequences such as termination from your grad program is you don't successfully remediate)? Or was it specific to that prac site?

If it's via your program, your Training Director will likely/needs to speak to this in their required statement for each applicant. I don't have a copy of a completed AAPI in front of me to see the exact wording for their prompt but even if not mandated by APPIC, IMO it is good practice for a TD to identify what caused the student to be placed on probation/remediation, what corrective steps have been taken as a result and current status/progress made.

As somebody who reviews internship applications, leaving this prac site might have some of these following effects:
- As Wisneuro said, you may be asked about this during interviews.
- Hopefully you have solid letters from other sources since you won't be able to use anybody from this site.
- If you went/are going into another prac experience shortly after this one ended, a reviewer may or may not notice the gap or chalk it up to transition timing.
- Letter writers from your program (if they are aware of this and/or have concerns about how things unfolded) might write about this in their req, in addition to the required TD statement.
- Each letter writer is asked to state their degree of recommendation for each candidate. Many letter writers will candidly address continued growth edges but still enthusiastically or highly recommend the applicant. However, if a letter writer only selects "recommend" instead of highly or enthusiastically recommend, this may be a red flag (especially the more competitive a site is).

That’s really helpful. I didn’t have a remediation plan at my school, it was just specific to the prac site. I had to read some articles and write reflections. But then they asked me to resign after a moment they perceived as me being defensive. It was madness.

 

[Lazysusan]

I’m worried the second someone sees I endorsed those areas on the application, my chances are over. I don’t have a lot of control regarding the recommendations. I hope they put highly.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

As someone who's been in charge of reviewing internship applications--I never tossed an application solely because the person had been put on probation or had been put on a remediation plan. However, the student's description of what happened (including if it comes across as defensive or as shirking blame) could substantially impact their ranking. But I don't know if I'd have even noticed if a student left a practicum site a month early, in part because there's so much variation from one program to the next in terms of when the rotations are supposed to start and end.

If the supervisor(s) at your practicum site thought you were defensive, it's possible it was all on their end, it's possible it was all on your end, and it's possible there's fault on both sides. If there is defensiveness and if it comes out in a response to an interview question (either about your probation/remediation or elsewhere), that's typically a very bad thing. Supervisors can generally understand and forgive a lot, but very few would want to work with a supervisee who is not receptive to (appropriately-given but potentially critical) feedback.

 

[WisNeuro]

Agree with AA, if the application was otherwise good, I never tossed these applications outright. Always depended on how they discussed these issues.

 

[Lazysusan]

Thank you all. That’s really helpful.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

Definitely figure out how you want to frame the experience and then run it by a trusted professor/mentor. Doing some mock interviews can be helpful in general, but especially if you need to address something in your app.

I used to review internship apps and leaving a site a month early wouldn't disqualify someone, unless they gave a really bad/dodgy answer as to the circumstances, as that could be the tip of the iceberg. Definitely get the advice from your DCT, as I'm sure something similar has happened at some point in the past with another trainee.

 

[Lazysusan]

Definitely figure out how you want to frame the experience and then run it by a trusted professor/mentor. Doing some mock interviews can be helpful in general, but especially if you need to address something in your app.

I used to review internship apps and leaving a site a month early wouldn't disqualify someone, unless they gave a really bad/dodgy answer as to the circumstances, as that could be the tip of the iceberg. Definitely get the advice from your DCT, as I'm sure something similar has happened at some point in the past with another trainee.

Thank you. I appreciate that.

 

[PsyDr]

There is zero diagnostic criteria that contains aversion to feedback. There are no treatments that include avoidance of socialization.

If someone told me they couldn’t handle feedback, they’d be gone immediately. It’s not compatible with any HR practice.

 

[futureapppsy2]

There is zero diagnostic criteria that contains aversion to feedback. There are no treatments that include avoidance of socialization.

If someone told me they couldn’t handle feedback, they’d be gone immediately. It’s not compatible with any HR practice.

I didn't see anywhere where the OP said this was the issue--did I miss something?

 

[PsyDr]

I didn't see anywhere where the OP said this was the issue--did I miss something?

I had a truly awful practicum site. After submitting an ADA request to work from home, they initiated a formal review of my work. They found no issue with my work. Then, I was asked to resign.

…and wasn’t my best self because my self care was lacking. I’ll mention how that interfered with my ability to take feedback nondefensively …

It sounds like OP asked for a WFH accommodation, stating that otherwise he/she couldn’t otherwise engage in self care, and tended to get defensive to feedback without self care.

 

[BuckeyeLove]

I know a dude who was telling really creepy and sexist stories (ie previous sexual experiences) in the lunch room with all of the other forensic evaluators (mostly all women). Dude then got called into the supervisors office and infamously started VERY LOUDLY crying. He still ended up matching at a federal BOP site. You’ll be fine. Probably. Hopefully your DCT can do some damage control.

 

[PsyDWannabe]

I know a dude who was telling really creepy and sexist stories (ie previous sexual experiences) in the lunch room with all of the other forensic evaluators (mostly all women). Dude then got called into the supervisors office and infamously started VERY LOUDLY crying. He still ended up matching at a federal BOP site. You’ll be fine. Probably. Hopefully your DCT can do some damage control.

You know what’s worse than what you just described? When the offending party is your boss/supervisor/in a position of authority over you, so you have no choice but to sit there and sheepishly smile at the unsolicited (and pathetic) sex stories while praying for the ground to open up and swallow you whole.