2 APA Internships? Neuropsychs please read!

[Flutterbyu]

I have a weird situation. I have been offered a half time APA internship that I can complete while finishing my doc work and cut out the extra year. I am really interested in this program and it is going to be a great experience, but it is not in the area I want to specialize in. I have 2 years practica experience in neuropsych, one year of which is in an ivy-league med school teaching hospital, but this APA internship is in behavioral medicine/community mental health and there will only be limited opportunities for testing during year 2. My thoughts are that I should go ahead and accept the offer and then worry about additional np training once I graduate if I don't get a postdoc right away, but then I'm also thinking that because I am saving a year, why not apply for an np internship after this one. Is that even possible? Am I insane for even considering all this?!

Any advice would be helpful, as I am getting mixed messages from professors/supervisors/colleagues. One thing I should mention is that I have opportunities (over the next 2 years) to work with a private practice np who is loosely affiliated with the hospital I am currently at and she would be able to help me get up to par with report writing, etc. The other issue is that the post doc I would really like (the only one in a specific state) will not be offering a position for the 2009 match year, as it is a 2-year program, so I would be hanging with an extra year to pursue some kind of work/additional training.

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[Therapist4Chnge]

As long as taking this doesn't preclude you from applying for a 2nd 1-yr internship, then I'd think the experience would be worth it.

-t

 

[Flutterbyu]

Well I guess thats my question--does completing an APA internship preclude one from pursuing a second? And would it make more sense to approach it this way or to simply spend a postdoc year getting np experience before applying for a post doc?

 

[Neuro-Dr]

If you are asking whether it would preclude you from getting boarded one day, no. I fyou are asking whether it might hurt your chances of getting an APPCN fellowship, I don't know. You don't need the APPCN fellowship to get boarded or to practice NP.