2012 APPIC Internship Application Thread

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Quynh2007 said:
back on this grind. I've neglected it b/c I had to work on my dissertation proposal, which I defended today, so I can now focus for the next weeks just on internship apps.

I am also applying to 2 VA sites w/very little experience with adults (just this year working with Diabetic and Sicklet Cell Anemia patients, less than 50 hours of it by application deadline)
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I went through the match last year and matched at a well-known VA, plus got interviews at over 15 sites. Based on my collegues and my experiences, I would def. say that VA's look highly upon students who have experience working with a wide range of adult clients and populations that are similar to VA populations (e.g. anger, trauma, substance use, medical problems, homeless populations). They also really like prior VA experience, but this is not a requirement at all to match. I wouldn't apply to too many VA's if you have minimal adult experience. Likewise, I wouldn't apply to too many counseling centers if you have never worked at a counseling center. Counseling centers generally prefer people with 1 year + of counseling center work and experience with multicultural therapy/diversity. That's not to say that its IMPOSSIBLE to match if you don't have adult or counseling center work, but i would reduce risk by not applying to many sites that are very different from your training. Sites generally want students who have experience with similar populations. You don't have to have experiences in all the rotations they offer, but it is helpful to have experience with some of the same training that they are offering.
 
Counseling Centers seem much more picky about prior experiences. Some sites will specifically state that they strongly prefer applicants with prior experience.

About half of my interviews were at VAs, and they seemed more open to a broad base of training. I think you'll be in a good position if you have solid assessment experience and are trained in EBTs.
 
Therapist4Chnge said:
Counseling Centers seem much more picky about prior experiences. Some sites will specifically state that they strongly prefer applicants with prior experience.

About half of my interviews were at VAs, and they seemed more open to a broad base of training. I think you'll be in a good position if you have solid assessment experience and are trained in EBTs.
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Going to agree with this post and the one above it--counseling centers in particular seem to be rather stringent when it comes to prior experience (i.e., they want you to have worked in a counseling center) and career goals.

I matched at a VA without having any prior VA experience, but I did--as T4C mentions--have a strong background in assessment and, to a lesser extent, treatment in a variety of settings and populations. They do seem to prefer individuals with at least SOME adult experience, although I honestly can't say if they'd completely disqualify someone who had none (and it may in fact differ from VA to VA).
 
The VA is definitely more open to consider people without prior VA experience, though you'll need to be strong in more/most of the other important areas (assessment, report writing, substance abuse, severe pathology, etc).

You'll need to have good answers for: "Why the VA?" "Why our VA?" You'll also want to know the particulars of each VA, as some have wrinkles in training that others do not. Does it have an in-patient psych unit? Residential Substance Abuse program? Residential Trauma program? Women's program? Are they more research-oriented?
 
Thanks, that's really helpful because of all the adult sites that are on my list this time around. Each of the 3 VAs around me has a wrinkle/facet that really grabs me, so it's nice to hear that there might be a chance. Good luck to everyone!
 
PerhapsMaybeOk said:
Is anyone else steering clear of applying to NY sites?
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I wouldn't be surprised if this were the case with many applicants this year. At the very least, I'm sure it'll come up quite often during interviews, at least with state-funded sites (if they're actually taking applicants this year, that is).

I'd think federally-funded and grant-funded sites would be ok, though.
 
Does anyone have intel on Duke and/or UNC schools of medicine internship sites? How about the Durham VA? Those are all on my list, and I've always heard great things about that part of the country, but I've never actually been there. Thanks!

-J
 
I've been working on my essays this weekend. I'm finding it slow going. I have to say, I feel a little sorry for training directors and selection committees. I don't enjoy reading most of the samples I have (from smart, interesting, qualified people), they're just so dull or alternatively, have a "clever" little gimmick to stand out that I just find annoying. Lucky for students that I don't have to review these! How are you all dealing with the balance between writing a potentially boring yet informative description of professional experiences and creating that spark of interest in your story? Or maybe other people actually find these essays interesting reading?
 
Best essay advice:

1. Do *not* restate your CV, those reading your essays already have access to it.
2. Make your writing concise, meaningful, and have a clear purpose.
3. Have multiple people review your essay for grammar *and* for style.
 
Those of you who have done this before...when did you hear about your first interviews?
 
I have long thought that the inclusion of the essays is just dumb. I know TDs say they give you a glimpse into a person, but frankly, I think that load of BS.

One essay, a cover letter, and CV seems fine for screening candidates for me. Anything more feels like busy work and takes up way too much time for the committees. But, ya gotta do it, I suppose. Glad its over and done with for me though. Good luck everyone.
 
erg923 said:
I have long thought that the inclusion of the essays is just dumb. I know TDs say they give you a glimpse into a person, but frankly, I think that load of BS.

One essay, a cover letter, and CV seems fine for screening candidates for me. Anything more feels like busy work and takes up way too much time for the committees. But, ya gotta do it, I suppose. Glad its over and done with for me though. Good luck everyone.
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I honestly think you could cut it down from three essays to just the first one, but that's my own (limited) perspective.

As for when we began hearing last year, if you pull up last year's APPIC thread, you should be able to go through and find that information. If memory serves, it was sometime during the second week of November from a handful of those sites with the Nov. 1 deadline.
 
I remember that last year a few sites sent out emails to all applicants notifying us that they had received our applications. (Scary to see an email in your inbox til you opened it and realized what it was.) I got a few of those mid-November but didn't get a yes/no on interviewing until the beginning of December (1st). A few sites waited until the 13th, 14th, and 15th to decline.
 
ohnoitsC said:
Those of you who have done this before...when did you hear about your first interviews?
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I got my first interview on 11/18. This was pretty early, as the rest of my cohort didn't hear anything for at least another week (except for one person who applied to the same place and also got an interview there). Do not plan to hear anything until Dec. 1st. Do plan to have your heart skip a beat when that first email appears in your inbox.

Good luck to everyone!
 
PerhapsMaybeOk said:
Is anyone else steering clear of applying to NY sites?
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Please note that the current issue affects only state-run facilities, not any other NY sites.

Also, the issue may be resolved for at least the next several years if the union votes to ratify the new contract in the upcoming weeks.
 
erg923 said:
I have long thought that the inclusion of the essays is just dumb. I know TDs say they give you a glimpse into a person, but frankly, I think that load of BS. One essay, a cover letter, and CV seems fine for screening candidates for me...
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The first essay is usually the only one that makes much of an impression, anyway.
 
Hey there, folks! I'm wondering what others are doing for case conceptualization in essay #2. Are you using multiple cases to illustrate different points or sticking to a detailed description of one case? I could see myself doing this either way.

So, what's your approach?
 
alienarms said:
Hey there, folks! I'm wondering what others are doing for case conceptualization in essay #2. Are you using multiple cases to illustrate different points or sticking to a detailed description of one case? I could see myself doing this either way.

So, what's your approach?
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I'm just getting started on this one today. I find I'd much rather describe my different clinical experiences and what I got out of them, but instead I have to write this essay. I'm sure there must be value to this for a site beyond just identifying your theoretical orientation (because, wait, don't we do this on the AAPI already?). I am likely going to use at least one case to illustrate a point, maybe 2, but there is not enough space to write in much detail about more than 1, I feel.
 
ClinApp said:
I'm just getting started on this one today. I find I'd much rather describe my different clinical experiences and what I got out of them, but instead I have to write this essay. I'm sure there must be value to this for a site beyond just identifying your theoretical orientation (because, wait, don't we do this on the AAPI already?). I am likely going to use at least one case to illustrate a point, maybe 2, but there is not enough space to write in much detail about more than 1, I feel.
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Yeah, that makes sense. As I write I'm finding that elements from two cases is about all that will fit in 500 words. I find this essay requirement very frustrating. I don't think it's the best way to get the full picture of someone's experience. But hey, what do I know? 🙂
 
Is it really true that I can't read the letters written on my behalf through the AAPI? I don't want to offend my letter writer who just submitted one, by asking to proofread it after it's been submitted. Is that bad etiquette? Wish I had known.
 
moneyphd said:
Is it really true that I can't read the letters written on my behalf through the AAPI? I don't want to offend my letter writer who just submitted one, by asking to proofread it after it's been submitted. Is that bad etiquette? Wish I had known.
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You can't read them through APPIC, no. As for whether or not it's bad etiquette, that will vary widely from one supervisor to the next. Most conservatively, no, you shouldn't ask to read them if the professor/supervisor doesn't offer you the opportunity to do so. That being said, a large part will depend on the dynamic of your relationship with the letter writer, and his/her views on the topic.

I had one writer who showed me the letter, and asked that I proof-read it for correctness and to offer my opinions. My other two writers uploaded straight to APPIC, and I never asked to see either of their letters.

Honestly, in my case, I wasn't terribly interested in seeing the letters. I had a general idea of the types of things that would be said based on my histories with the writers, and I trusted that if they'd had anything negative to say, they would've told me when I'd asked if they were comfortable with being a writer in the first place. Then again, if I'd had any doubts regarding negative letter content, I wouldn't have asked the person to write me a letter to begin with.
 
AcronymAllergy said:
You can't read them through APPIC, no. As for whether or not it's bad etiquette, that will vary widely from one supervisor to the next. Most conservatively, no, you shouldn't ask to read them if the professor/supervisor doesn't offer you the opportunity to do so. That being said, a large part will depend on the dynamic of your relationship with the letter writer, and his/her views on the topic.

I had one writer who showed me the letter, and asked that I proof-read it for correctness and to offer my opinions. My other two writers uploaded straight to APPIC, and I never asked to see either of their letters.

Honestly, in my case, I wasn't terribly interested in seeing the letters. I had a general idea of the types of things that would be said based on my histories with the writers, and I trusted that if they'd had anything negative to say, they would've told me when I'd asked if they were comfortable with being a writer in the first place. Then again, if I'd had any doubts regarding negative letter content, I wouldn't have asked the person to write me a letter to begin with.
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Thanks for the input...yeah, the question has more to do with accurate representation of my goals than with negative content. Busy people forget things about you sometimes, that's all. I think I'll pass at seeing the letter and hope for the best.
 
ClinApp said:
I'm sure there must be value to this for a site beyond just identifying your theoretical orientation (because, wait, don't we do this on the AAPI already?).
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Do we? I don't remember that seeing that question.
 
KillerDiller said:
Do we? I don't remember that seeing that question.
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Yes, it's in the section about additional information on practicum experiences, where we rank order up to 3 primary theoretical orientations.
 
ClinApp said:
Yes, it's in the section about additional information on practicum experiences, where we rank order up to 3 primary theoretical orientations.
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I SOOOOO just wanted to write "depends on my supervisor" when i went through it. 😀
 
erg923 said:
I SOOOOO just wanted to write "depends on my supervisor" when i went through it. 😀
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Exactly! I want to tell "my dirty little secret" of what my TO really is but I'm so terrified about not matching that I am ((this)) close to writing "I'll be whatever you want me to be😍"

Side bar - how many sites is everyone applying to?
 
Expense is one reason to cut a list down. I have 21, I'll be applying to all of them if my program lets me include one APPIC member site. That'll be $335, I think. Last year, I applied to 13 sites. Being geographically limited, I will definitely accept any of these sites that will have me. Some are a better fit for me than others but I don't know if those sites will see the situation as I do. 😛

While APPIC costs are much lower than other internship/residency type application costs, I wonder if that actually makes it more difficult for people to match. I mean, if every application cost $50 to submit, I imagine very few people would apply to 20 sites, or even 15 (and the people that did might really need that kind of chance/exposure). It would be similar to the costs of interviewing now, although that comes after sites have invested time in selecting interviewees, so it's a little too late.

If we all had to pick the 5 (or even 2-3) sites that we realllllllly loved, chances are good that each site would get fewer applications and have a chance to interview more applicants that were good fits (who may not otherwise have been interviewed because of a low number of hours, an off-putting cover letter or essay, coming from a relatively unknown program, or some other quirk). The way that I see it, the only advantage to limiting the number of programs you apply to, under the current system, is financial and it's not that large a benefit (compared to, say, cost of textbooks or other expenses), especially compared with the risk of not matching (paying tuition for another year, pretty much putting life plans on hold). Sure, the APPIC has stats that suggest 15 is the optimal number of sites to apply to in order to match, but that's under the current pricing system...

Another thought... what would happen if each site set their own application cost? That kind of market system seems like it would benefit sites and applicants, as sites would have to find a balance between a price that encourages serious applicants but doesn't beg for "spam" applications. Again, each applicant would get more of a chance (to interview, to match) because there would be fewer applicants to competitive sites and more to sites that typically have trouble finding applicants that are a good fit. Pricing on a curve.

The only reasons that I'm not applying to more sites are 1-because of previous experiences I have had with sites in the area (e.g., one disaster interview last year) and 2-because my program requires a petition to faculty in order to apply to non-APA accredited programs (even if they're APPIC members).

:xf:

What do you guys think?
 
I think the costs of applying are much more in the travel/interview costs than the application fees. Also the time you spend interviewing at extra sites and possible conflicts with interviewing at sites that are a better fit for you. This is what I'm trying to balance in deciding whether to cut down my current list of 20 sites.
 
I wouldn't be at all surprised, and in fact would expect, that the higher numbers of applications being sent out are placing more stresses on internships, many of which may concomitantly be experiencing funding cuts with the current economy. I personally would support a hard cap on the number of sites to which applicants could apply, but some of the internship imbalance issues may need to be addressed before that could happen.
 
After you e-submit the APPIC application to a site, a nice "view application" button shows up next to that site under "Program Designations." When I went to take a look at the application, it generated a PDF and--- lo and behold--some formatting was off on the essays and cover letters (line breaks in strange places, a # sign instead of a quotation mark, etc). Over the next hour or two, I was able to go back into the cover letters in the application for these submitted sites and get the problems fixed (which then made the PDFs look fine). BUT now I'm REALLY worried, what if the programs already were sent the crummy looking PDFs? Does anyone know if "paying and submitting" automatically generates a pdf that is sent to the program? I was able to go back in and make the changes quickly, but is it too late??? If so, what do you think I should do?
 
I was always under the impression that one does not have to apply to all of their sites at once- so I could for example send out all November 1 applications in a batch, then later all Nov. 15 applications, and so on. The instructions in the payment and designation section are vague on this though. Does anyone know if this is for sure the case? I don't want to assume it is and then be scrambling to get the later deadline apps out with my early ones.
 
54321 said:
I was always under the impression that one does not have to apply to all of their sites at once- so I could for example send out all November 1 applications in a batch, then later all Nov. 15 applications, and so on. The instructions in the payment and designation section are vague on this though. Does anyone know if this is for sure the case? I don't want to assume it is and then be scrambling to get the later deadline apps out with my early ones.
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Hi 54321- from what I understand, yes, you can submit at different times. But, what happens is that you cannot then go back and change anything on the APPI (i.e. numbers, descriptions about group experiences, support hours, etc) once you submit you first application. The application is essentially locked. You can however go back and continue to upload supplemental materials at anytime after submitting your first application. Does this sound right SDNers?
 
serendipity2 said:
Hi 54321- from what I understand, yes, you can submit at different times. But, what happens is that you cannot then go back and change anything on the APPI (i.e. numbers, descriptions about group experiences, support hours, etc) once you submit you first application. The application is essentially locked. You can however go back and continue to upload supplemental materials at anytime after submitting your first application. Does this sound right SDNers?
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That's how it worked last year as best I can remember, yep. Once you "complete" your first sent application, you can no longer edit the APPI itself; however, you're still able to upload any additional supplemental materials (e.g., cover letters) that you'd like.
 
internhopeful said:
After you e-submit the APPIC application to a site, a nice "view application" button shows up next to that site under "Program Designations." When I went to take a look at the application, it generated a PDF and--- lo and behold--some formatting was off on the essays and cover letters (line breaks in strange places, a # sign instead of a quotation mark, etc). Over the next hour or two, I was able to go back into the cover letters in the application for these submitted sites and get the problems fixed (which then made the PDFs look fine). BUT now I'm REALLY worried, what if the programs already were sent the crummy looking PDFs? Does anyone know if "paying and submitting" automatically generates a pdf that is sent to the program? I was able to go back in and make the changes quickly, but is it too late??? If so, what do you think I should do?
Click to expand...

and I must say that two APPIC tech support people I talked to were rude and acted like it was an imposition to help me with this issue and fixing a broken preview app link.....
 
Therapist4Chnge said:
The first year of the electronic match they had formatting issues, and it wasn't the fault of the applicant. Sites won't judge you for formatting issues.
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Well, it certainly spoils the presentation and reading experience of the cover letter and essays.... so if first impressions are important, this does not make for a good one
 
internhopeful said:
Well, it certainly spoils the presentation and reading experience of the cover letter and essays.... so if first impressions are important, this does not make for a good one
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Given that this is the third-ish year with the current system, I'd imagine most internship committee members are used to the formatting issues by now. It may not be as attractive as applicants would like, and it's a problem that should be addressed, but I'd be surprised if it was actually held against anyone.

Beyond that, if it were a huge issue, I'd think that enough programs would've complained to APPIC that it would've been fixed ASAP. Theoretically, anyway. Either that, or programs would mention it in the applications section of their websites (e.g., "please preview your application essays and cover letters to be sure the formatting is correct").
 
Yeah, Dr. Williams said today that they, "are looking in to the best way to communicate this to sites so they know what is happening," regarding the formatting issues that people are having. I don't think it'll be that big a deal, it's just the electronic version of "what type of paper should I use for my CV?"

Also, until you pay and submit, sites do not get your application. You can tell if you've submitted an application to a site on the designations page because it separates out the sites that you've designated but not submitted applications to yet from the sites that you've submitted and paid for already. At least that's how it worked last year.

Two of my letter writers still haven't submitted their letters and didn't respond to reminders that I sent last week... They agreed to write the letters back in August and I've had contact with them both since then... This is the part that makes me anxious because it's out of my control at this point.
 
Duck Duck Goose said:
Two of my letter writers still haven't submitted their letters and didn't respond to reminders that I sent last week... They agreed to write the letters back in August and I've had contact with them both since then... This is the part that makes me anxious because it's out of my control at this point.
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I'm also waiting on one of my letters and I agree it is very anxiety provoking. I am not someone who likes depending on others for my future. I don't want to be too pushy with the individual but at the same time I need to letter! Grrrrr :shrug:
 
Essay Formatting doesn't matter. Don't worry about it. Our TD said that the Essays/Cover letters are a mess, and she knows it's not the fault of the applicant.

On a related note, after you submit your application to a site, you should then click on the "view application" link, and scour the pdf for any mistakes you made. This is a great way to increase your, already high, anxiety levels during this incredibly stressful time. On the other hand, if you're looking to reduce your distress during this process, just remember that the application is submitted, it's too late to change it, so there's no need to look at it again.

Yes, I'm speaking from experience. I think every application I submitted had mistakes, and I still matched 😉

Good luck to everyone!
 
Southwest was having a sale the last couple of days, I set up several flights already for potential interviews.

The best thing is that Southwest has no change fees, so if I need to change something, it's easy. I just did it now because the flights are half the price (i.e. $35, $65). The sale ended at midnight pacific time last night, and I looked up the same flights today, and it went from $155 round trip to $300 for the same flights (FYI, I bought each leg separately so that I can cancel/change a leg without having to cancel the whole thing). Definitely worth it since I can always change it at a later date.

As deadline approach, I've been shuffling my site list. I keep adding and deleting sites, especially if I discover I don't have enough hours for one site (Bye bye Cincinnati VA, their minimum required hours far exceeded what I had).

I've got 12 solid sites on my list, but I keep second-guessing myself and thinking I won't get enough interviews from this list, and wanting to add good sites but at geographical locations I'm not too keen on.
 
Any thoughts on providing more than the required number of reference letters? Most of my sites require 3....but, I have a few that require 4.
Here's my concern: one of the letters is from a practicum supervisor (who shared a copy with me). It says all good things, but is extremely impersonal and cold. However, if I don't include her letter in the 3 I send, they will all be from faculty, and I'm concerned it might look like I've done well in my program but not on placement.

...Thoughts? Anyone else having similar concerns?
 
Quynh2007 said:
Southwest was having a sale the last couple of days, I set up several flights already for potential interviews.
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For future reference for all of us out there, this would have been great information to share on this forum a couple of days ago! If similar sales arise, I for one would love to hear about it before they're over - understand if folks want to book their own flights first. Glad it worked out for you, sounds like you got some great deals.
 
ohnoitsC said:
Any thoughts on providing more than the required number of reference letters? Most of my sites require 3....but, I have a few that require 4.
Here's my concern: one of the letters is from a practicum supervisor (who shared a copy with me). It says all good things, but is extremely impersonal and cold. However, if I don't include her letter in the 3 I send, they will all be from faculty, and I'm concerned it might look like I've done well in my program but not on placement.

...Thoughts? Anyone else having similar concerns?
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send what the sites want, try not to send more than they require.

If the faculty can speak to your clinical skills, you can leave off a practicum supervisor. I've got one practicum supervisor, my academic advisor, and my clinical training advisor (not to be confused with the DCT)
 
ohnoitsC said:
Any thoughts on providing more than the required number of reference letters? Most of my sites require 3....but, I have a few that require 4.
Here's my concern: one of the letters is from a practicum supervisor (who shared a copy with me). It says all good things, but is extremely impersonal and cold. However, if I don't include her letter in the 3 I send, they will all be from faculty, and I'm concerned it might look like I've done well in my program but not on placement.

...Thoughts? Anyone else having similar concerns?
Click to expand...

Depends on what the site asks for. Most of the places I'm applying ask for at least one from a practicum supervisor (some state 2). I would check the requirements and if sites do not state what they want send the best that you have.
 
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