2013-2014 APPIC (internship) interview thread

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psyd102 said:
At airport. So tired. Only 3/10 done and I'm already dead! Ahhh I hope we can make it through this! Lol I never really travelled so I never knew how exhausting this is! I guess it's a good problem to have though right- traveling all month! Lol hope all of your interviews are going well!!
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I'm sooo sick of flying and staying in hotels. And I miss my husband and my pets. But six down, two more to go, and then I'm done on Saturday. 🙂
 
4 down, 5 to go. Right in the middle of the process. Won't be home until close to February at this rate. I am so happy to have this problem, but am also starting to feel the exhaustion setting in. Good luck to everyone. I think I just interviewed at my top ranked site (based on the fit, the warmth of the faculty, the city etc), so I am feeling pretty happy! But, who knows, maybe these next ones will blow that site out of the water! What a confusing time....
 
I'm also in the thick of it... 9 interviews down as of yesterday (including a few over the phone) and 5 more to go before the end of January. I feel like working on my dissertation is now a distant memory :inpain: I don't even want to think about the piles of work that await me after this process is through....
 
Hey all,

I was wondering if anyone who interviewed at Maimonides would be able to confirm the address/room # for the interview for me.

Thanks!
 
Tomorrow is my very last interview! I'm so relieved to have this process almost over, and I have a tentative rank list in place, but am in the happy position of genuinely loving almost every site I've been to. There are a couple that are clearly weaker fits for me and my goals, but the top 5 or 6 on my list for sure are places I could happily consider #1 choices. The downside of this is that making the ranking decisions is really hard and feels like it's based on super-minute details. 5.5 more weeks until this is all over and done with....
 
siamesekitten said:
I am not familiar with that area, but good luck on your interviews! I am sure a lot of people have said this already, but just be yourself! 🙂 Being away from pets sucks, and that could definitely be adding to your jitters. I know for me, being away from my husband and two cats for so long has sucked, flying all over the country this month has not been fun, especially during the polar vortex, when most of my flights were delayed (but thankfully – none were cancelled!!), and I'm exhausted. However, putting all that aside, this process has been really exciting! I've been going to states I've never been to, and learning more about the sites I applied to. It is really exciting when you go to a site that you would have ranked somewhere in the middle of your list on paper, but come away from the interview thinking it might be your #1 site. You just never know what to expect, and that makes it exciting for me. 7 down, 4 to go!! 🙂
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Thanks!! Good luck! We're almost there! Close to just a month left before the end results!
 
I am completely exhausted. Seven interviews done, three left to go. Two this week and the final one next week.

Additionally, there are two more sites that I have not yet received an invite or rejection from.

I have a fairly good idea of what my ranking order is going to be. This is how I am organizing my list:
1. APA accredited sites
2. Sites that have applied for APA
3. Sites that have discussed their plans for applying for APA
4. Sites that are not APA and are not even considering it.

That looks like the best fit for me! 🤣

Hang in there everyone! :=|:-):
 
LightBulb said:
I am completely exhausted. Seven interviews done, three left to go. Two this week and the final one next week.

Additionally, there are two more sites that I have not yet received an invite or rejection from.

I have a fairly good idea of what my ranking order is going to be. This is how I am organizing my list:
1. APA accredited sites
2. Sites that have applied for APA
3. Sites that have discussed their plans for applying for APA
4. Sites that are not APA and are not even considering it.

That looks like the best fit for me! 🤣

Hang in there everyone! :=|:-):
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How will you feel if you match to a site in categories 3 or 4 on your list? I'm curious, will all the sites you interview at make the cut?
 
ClinPsychEnthus said:
How will you feel if you match to a site in categories 3 or 4 on your list? I'm curious, will all the sites you interview at make the cut?
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What an interesting question. I do not think of it as a "feel" type situation really. It is more of a what will I do situation. I am ranking all sites and if I match to a non-APA accredited site, I will wholeheartedly offer to assist the site in completing any paperwork they need completed in order to apply for accreditation. I am really not one for wringing my hands when I know that I could provide assistance. :hello: What would you do in such a situation? :thinking:
 
ClinPsychEnthus said:
How will you feel if you match to a site in categories 3 or 4 on your list? I'm curious, will all the sites you interview at make the cut?
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I remember someone from last year's thread that ranked a non APA accredited site as last on their ranking list. They never imagined that they would actually match at their last ranked spot. Well that's where this person matched and he/she was extremely disappointed. The moral of this story is if you're not going to be happy with a non APA accredited site, don't rank them !
 
LightBulb said:
What an interesting question. I do not think of it as a "feel" type situation really. It is more of a what will I do situation. I am ranking all sites and if I match to a non-APA accredited site, I will wholeheartedly offer to assist the site in completing any paperwork they need completed in order to apply for accreditation. I am really not one for wringing my hands when I know that I could provide assistance. :hello: What would you do in such a situation? :thinking:
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Good news is that the "paperwork" (which doesn't even begin to describe it) doesn't fall on you...its on the site/TD. I think the only thing a intern/former intern does is speak with the APA committee shortly before or during the actual accreditation site visit.
 
PhDMiss2014 said:
I remember someone from last year's thread that ranked a non APA accredited site as last on their ranking list. They never imagined that they would actually match at their last ranked spot. Well that's where this person matched and he/she was extremely disappointed. The moral of this story is if you're not going to be happy with a non APA accredited site, don't rank them !
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I think that there are many degrees between "I am shooting for an A" and "I will be happy to graduate" that do not imply that someone could not be happy at a non-accredited site. I fully plan to be happy wherever I am, however I realize that not everyone is capable adjusting so easily. :corny:
 
erg923 said:
Good news is that the "paperwork" (which doesn't even begin to describe it) doesn't fall on you...its on the site/TD. I think the only thing a intern/former intern does is speak with the APA committee shortly before or during the actual accreditation site visit.
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Erg, would that not depend upon the site? I know that interns at some of the sites I have visited ARE helping with the self-study and I think that being able to help with the process is great training!
 
Maybe depends on where they are in the timeline? I supervised practicum students at a large UCC last year and it was also the first year that the site had an internship program. There was nothing much that first year intern class could do, apparently. The TD on the other hand was about ready to tear pull her hair out.
 
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I have one more interview left (tomorrow)! Then I'll be done! I have a pretty good idea of my top five. I just don't know the order yet......good luck to those who still have lots of interviews left! 🙂
 
I am getting more and more nervous as match day becomes closer. I still have four interviews left, one which is near the end of January! AHHH. Is it pretty straightforward when submitting your rank order list?

GL on the rest of your interviews! 🙂
 
PhDMiss2014 said:
I remember someone from last year's thread that ranked a non APA accredited site as last on their ranking list. They never imagined that they would actually match at their last ranked spot. Well that's where this person matched and he/she was extremely disappointed. The moral of this story is if you're not going to be happy with a non APA accredited site, don't rank them !
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If this person had to do it all over again, would he/she have left this site off their list? Are they just happy to have a site and be done with the internship process, or would this person rather have gone into Phase II or waited another year as opposed to matching to a non APA site?
 
LightBulb said:
I am completely exhausted. Seven interviews done, three left to go. Two this week and the final one next week.

Additionally, there are two more sites that I have not yet received an invite or rejection from.

I have a fairly good idea of what my ranking order is going to be. This is how I am organizing my list:
1. APA accredited sites
2. Sites that have applied for APA
3. Sites that have discussed their plans for applying for APA
4. Sites that are not APA and are not even considering it.

That looks like the best fit for me! 🤣

Hang in there everyone! :=|:-):
Click to expand...

This makes sense to me (your ranking order). Have you come across any sites in the #3 or #4 category that you actually like better than the #1 & #2 category?

Good luck on your last 3 interviews! 🙂
 
I'm having a hard time ranking. While no site is perfect, my top sites all seem great. I created a rubric with a point system but that doesn't help separate at the top. The process has been exciting/grueling but I'm surprised at how challenging the ranking has become. I don't usually have difficulty with decision making.
My wife is going to email me fake match emails from my too five sites to help me gauge an emotional reaction but I'm open to more ideas.
 
LightBulb said:
What an interesting question. I do not think of it as a "feel" type situation really. It is more of a what will I do situation. I am ranking all sites and if I match to a non-APA accredited site, I will wholeheartedly offer to assist the site in completing any paperwork they need completed in order to apply for accreditation. I am really not one for wringing my hands when I know that I could provide assistance. :hello: What would you do in such a situation? :thinking:
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I think that your attitude is great. Here are some thoughts:
-Some sites aren't interested in applying for APA because of the financial impact, the time commitment, the stress, the level of detail-orientation that needs to be put into place in the organization of the internship... those are things that you can't change by offering to help with the paperwork. You may want to reconsider ranking those sites. You asked for my opinion- and I would not have ranked those sites.
-If a site is far enough along where they are submitting paperwork, IMO then it makes more sense to rank them lower, but still rank them. At least you have a better chance of graduating from an APA accredited internship.

Personally, I did not want to take any risks for long-term employability. I am not a huge fan of earning all of my income from private practice, and wanted to be competitive for an academic medical center, part research and part clinical position for postdoc (which I was). I do not regret for one second only applying to APA or under review by APA positions. I was willing to risk taking a second year if it meant that I was in a more competitive position for the rest of my years. However, my values may not be yours, and I wish you well in the decision-making process of ranking.
 
siamesekitten said:
If this person had to do it all over again, would he/she have left this site off their list? Are they just happy to have a site and be done with the internship process, or would this person rather have gone into Phase II or waited another year as opposed to matching to a non APA site?
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I went to Phase II and matched to a VA, and I would have rather taken that risk and not matched, trying again for a second year to get a great internship, than to match to a site that I would have possibly (though not certainly) regretted. However, my priorities and career goals may not be the same as others. I'm very happy with my decision.
 
ClinPsychEnthus said:
I went to Phase II and matched to a VA, and I would have rather taken that risk and not matched, trying again for a second year to get a great internship, than to match to a site that I would have possibly (though not certainly) regretted. However, my priorities and career goals may not be the same as others. I'm very happy with my decision.
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I definitely see what you mean. Also, what you said in the above post about not wanting to take any risks for long-term employment. Did you apply to non APA sites and then decide not to rank them? Or did you just not apply to any non APA sites from the beginning?
 
siamesekitten said:
I definitely see what you mean. Also, what you said in the above post about not wanting to take any risks for long-term employment. Did you apply to non APA sites and then decide not to rank them? Or did you just not apply to any non APA sites from the beginning?
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I did not apply to any non-APA sites (except for a few in-process VA's) from the beginning, in part because I was almost entirely a VA applicant... but I have friends that applied to both, and I encourage them to not rank the non-APA sites unless they are willing to accept the potential ramifications...
 
G Costanza said:
I'm having a hard time ranking. While no site is perfect, my top sites all seem great. I created a rubric with a point system but that doesn't help separate at the top. The process has been exciting/grueling but I'm surprised at how challenging the ranking has become. I don't usually have difficulty with decision making.
My wife is going to email me fake match emails from my too five sites to help me gauge an emotional reaction but I'm open to more ideas.
Click to expand...

What are some categories that your rubric system included? I am jus curious because I liked all of the sites I visited and will have a difficult time ranking.
 
Has anyone interviewed at McLean Hospital yet? It's my LAST interview (yay!) and I've heard their interviews can be rough. I'm running out of mental/emotional steam, so hoping that's just a rumor. Wondering what other's experiences have been like there so far.Feel free to PM me if you don't want to post to the whole site. Thanks! And good luck everyone!
 
psychrat said:
What are some categories that your rubric system included? I am jus curious because I liked all of the sites I visited and will have a difficult time ranking.
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I was in the same position, so I kept adding things to my rubric. It started with just a few but I needed help making finer distinctions between sites, since I thought they were all great. At this point, it includes: location, commute, hours, environment, cohort, supervision (quality), supervision (quantity), inpatient experience, outpatient experience, unique/specialized rotations, testing opportunities, didactics, stipend, postdoc/career help, and a point for APA status (since I have a couple of non-APA sites on my list).
I am open to adding other things if anyone thinks I missed something important, too...though I'm not sure what that might be given my mammoth spreadsheet. 😉
 
psychrat said:
What are some categories that your rubric system included? I am jus curious because I liked all of the sites I visited and will have a difficult time ranking.
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I don't have it in front of me but off the top if my head....

Geography
Training opportunities
Use of interpersonal process
Facility
Warmth of staff
Diverse clientele
Diverse staff
Genuine interest in multiculturalism
Prestige
Size
Stipend
Vegetarian/vegan friendly
 
This does not seem consistent with the values of the George Gonstanza most of us know and love. 🙂
 
Can anyone with an interview at the Yale Child Study Center provide the address and time for the interview?
 
Has anyone else noticed that some applicants are doing/saying inappropriate things during interviews? I am wondering if I am too rigid in my professional practice during these interviews because my program really harped a lot on professionalism. I am also starting to wonder if it has something to do with the sites that I applied to and the caliber of students they recruit?! Idk, I interviewed at all reputable VA sites, so I am starting to get confused?! For example, I saw a girl texting on top of the table during the training directors opening orientation talk yesterday, while another girl texted/giggled throughout the entire tour of the facility. At that same site, another girl asked a current intern what that site's interview questions were and how she ranked all the programs on her list last year?! A few days ago I heard someone ask "why should I come HERE instead of site X (down the street)? I interviewed there, too." During that same interview, another applicant asked "can you tell me about site Y's training structure (not even the program with which we were interviewing, but a program that that intern had applied to during the previous cycle). Is this type of stuff normal/abnormal? This process is playing tricks on my mind, and I am starting to see weird things over and over again (or am I weird?!)
 
Texting during...anything.... is really just the way of the professional world these days (with everyine on call or being busy), but I agree I was vigilant NOT to do THIS when I did the internship dog-and-pony a few years back. Honestly, everyone checks their phones multiple times during our treatment team meetings though.

I also agree that there is nothing worse than a freaking cackle club of girls...but I might be biased since I am a man. 🙂

The "why should I come HERE instead of site X (down the street)"? is fine in my book, so long as the wordings is softened a bit. I usually twist it to say, "you could work at any number of places here in town. What keeps you here (vs going to employer Y or Z)?" That IS a very legitimate question that I (and you) should ask on any job interview. Why might place X be better for me than place Y? What do THEY think? What do they give you that others cant? I mean, don't employers (or internship inteviewers) usually ask you this question, but in reverse."Why should we pick you over other applicants...?
 
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hmmm interesting take, erg. I guess from talking with the faculty in our program (and even in the APAGS book), they suggested we steer clear of asking people to compare programs. Perhaps not everyone is instructed to do so/maybe it's not as big of a deal as I thought (because I have applied to a few programs in one city, and also wondered about the comparison, but never would have asked-- would have been helpful!). I should probably clarify: I agree with being connected, but don't see any need to be on Facebook during an interview (which I saw her scrolling through)/be texting your boyfriend during an interview (which she later told us was the recipient of the text).
 
Well, thats why I change the wording so that I dont actually say that ("compared to employer/site Y"), but in answering the question, the interviewer is inevitably forced to espouse what they can do for you that is unique to them, highlights the strengths of the programs, etc. so that YOU can make the comparison to site Y. Thats the function of the question, right?

You are right that you might not want to ask for an explicit one to one comparison, but arent they comparing you to every other candidate they see? You are of course entitled to do the same.
 
I agree with erg. I think it is tacky and rude to mention other programs by name during an interview (especially in the group Q&A context!). However, I think it is important to ask programs what they see as their strengths, what sets them apart from other programs, how their program is unique, etc.
 
totally agree with both of you (and I have asked the "what makes your program unique" or "what are the strengths of your program" questions). But agree with researchgirl about the tackiness of asking a program to compare itself to another program down the street.
 
I was hoping to chat with people who applied to WVU - Charleston, since the process is so atypical..maybe we could get a group PM chat going?? Anyone interested?
 
Wow! This sounds like people are making many friends! LOL! :uhno:
If it helps, you might not worry about the misbehavior of those around you and just console yourself that they might end up ranking lower than you on the site's list. :slap:

I am almost finished with the scheduled interviews and I have to say that I have seen tacky on both sides of the aisle at this point. :nod:

Amazingly enough, APA accreditation does not magically make an internship site a pleasant place to be!
:zip:
 
Lightbulb: I have actually made plenty of friends throughout this process, and have met some really incredible and smart people. I wouldn't assume that asking a question regarding appropriate behavior in hopes to guide my own behavior future interviews automatically indicates that I have not made friends. Also, thanks for the advice. I do use that consolation strategy, and assume that if a TD sees someone texting during his talk, that he will likely not rank them. I was more concerned with hearing other applicant's take regarding whether this is a common across sites. For example, I found it a little disconcerting that I saw this type of behavior across sites, and wondered if perhaps those sites are not as reputable as others. We don't have much data on the caliber of sites above and beyond their applicant to internship slot ratio, and I thought it would be helpful to help narrow down my rank order list. I am also concerned that perhaps I am being too cautious in my approach, and therefore am not asking questions that could helpful. Sorry if my questions caused an emotional response, as it was never my intention...?
 
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FionaGoode said:
Lightbulb: I have actually made plenty of friends throughout this process, and have met some really incredible and smart people. I wouldn't assume that asking a question regarding appropriate behavior in hopes to guide my own behavior future interviews automatically indicates that I have not made friends. Also, thanks for the advice. I do use that consultation strategy, and assume that if a TD sees someone texting during his talk, that he will likely not rank them. I was more concerned with hearing other applicant's take regarding whether this is a common across sites. For example, I found it a little disconcerting that I saw this type of behavior across sites, and wondered if perhaps those sites are not as reputable as others. We don't have much data on the caliber of sites above and beyond their applicant to internship slot ratio, and I thought it would be helpful to help narrow down my rank order list. I am also concerned that perhaps I am being too cautious in my approach, and therefore am not asking questions that could helpful. Sorry if my questions caused an emotional response, as it was never my intention...?
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Wow! I was JOKING! ...and entirely on your side. Lesson learned...
 
oh, i must have misunderstood. I saw the "uh no"and "slap" emoticons as well as the comment about making friends, and assumed that you were saying that in a sarcastic tone. My mistake. Thanks for clarifying. Best of luck to you, and thanks for the support (and sorry for my confusion).
 
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FionaGoode said:
oh, i must have misunderstood. I saw the "uh no"and "slap" emoticons as well as the comment about making friends, and assumed that you were saying that in a sarcastic tone. My mistake. Thanks for clarifying.
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It was sarcastic, i.e. not to be taken the way it was written.

(looks in bag, looks around on the ground, mumbles to self) "Where is that "lighten up Francis" meme when I need it?"

No harm, no foul...:chicken:

:angelic:
 
Haven't seen it. Would give a bad impression if I did see it happen (re: texting - I agree with Erg that an appropriately phrased question about "Why should I come here" and the strengths/weaknesses of the internship is fair game). That said - its possible to be sociable and fun without being rude! I've heard from many faculty involved that being super-professional and rigid isn't going to be viewed well either. They want someone they would enjoy working with and I think many/most of us don't like being in an environment like that (no offense to you or your program). Basically, I strive to be polite but also to be human. I want the interviewer laughing/smiling and enjoying the interview process, but obviously that needs to be done without saying anything socially inappropriate. Wouldn't dream of texting during an interview, but I honestly don't know that this even really needs to be said at this stage.
 
Ollie123 said:
Haven't seen it. Would give a bad impression if I did see it happen (re: texting - I agree with Erg that an appropriately phrased question about "Why should I come here" and the strengths/weaknesses of the internship is fair game). That said - its possible to be sociable and fun without being rude! I've heard from many faculty involved that being super-professional and rigid isn't going to be viewed well either. They want someone they would enjoy working with and I think many/most of us don't like being in an environment like that (no offense to you or your program). Basically, I strive to be polite but also to be human. I aim to get the interviewer laughing/smiling and enjoying the interview process, but obviously that needs to be done without saying anything socially inappropriate.
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Right, I take the same approach, and often use humor/a lighter tone/a pleasant demeanor to ease the tension. I am more rigid in what I ask the interviewers. I don't want to come off as inappropriate with my questions, which, IMO, could also come across as being unprepared. I am more concerned that I am not asking detailed enough questions that would give me a good sense of the program because I don't want to come off as unprofessional. I have 3 left (one of which is a top contender), so I'm glad I asked (and probably won't change my approach based on your responses, so thanks!!)
 
FionaGoode said:
I am more concerned that I am not asking detailed enough questions that would give me a good sense of the program because I don't want to come off as unprofessional.
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Can you clarify this somewhat?
 
FionaGoode said:
totally agree with both of you (and I have asked the "what makes your program unique" or "what are the strengths of your program" questions). But agree with researchgirl about the tackiness of asking a program to compare itself to another program down the street.
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Texting during an interview is definitely tacky and will be noticed. Asking about another program would all depend on how it is done. In geographic regions where TDs know each others' programs well, it could be a fair question if you put it in the context of "I am interested in x and wonder if you could compare and contrast your program to Program Y in relation to this." But remember that you are introducing variables that may influence how they see you and you don't know how that might moderate their ranking. Everything is about context and tone really; no rigid rules about questions. Phones should be out of sight I think, unless you can explain "My child/parent/partner is in the ER" etc.
 
What do you think about sites that don't include a meeting with interns during the interview? It gave me an uneasy feeling. But I could be overreacting because when I asked about it at a site the TD provided me with their contact information. I will be contacting them ASAP. Anyone else experiences this situation? What did you think about it?
 
mindfulnessiszen said:
What do you think about sites that don't include a meeting with interns during the interview? It gave me an uneasy feeling. But I could be overreacting because when I asked about it at a site the TD provided me with their contact information. I will be contacting them ASAP. Anyone else experiences this situation? What did you think about it?
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If the site is actively encouraging you to talk/email with interns I would not worry about it (unless what you hear from interns gives you pause). It may simply be a matter of scheduling in the organization and how interns' time/client schedules overlap with when staff can fit in the interviewing.
 
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