2013-2014 APPIC (internship) interview thread

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I matched at my #1...VA in the Northeast. :banana: (Been dying to post this particular dancing banana for 5+years.)

Congratulations to everyone who matched and best wishes! :highfive:


For those entering Phase II, don't lose the faith...this is what builds character and shows our strengths. Blame it on the imbalance, but be kind to yourself... then kick it back into high gear and good luck with interviews! :luck:
 
Matched to my #1 site and everyone in my program matched to there top choices.So happy for those who matched ---- this is another step closer. For those who did not match, hang in there your hard work and persistence will not be for nothing.
 
psychrat said:
wow, this makes me feel even more like a failure 🙁
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YOU have not failed. The system has failed you. And I'm so so sorry it did. This process sucks because it makes wonderful clinicians doubt themselves. But who, really, is a better judge of your worth as a clinician? Someone who met you for half an hour? Or all of the patients you've helped and supervisors who believe in you?
 
cara susanna said:
I know SO many amazing applicants who didn't match their first time. It is not a reflection on you. The system is broken.
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I know many amazing clinicians who didn't match the first time. I know some people of questionable skill (and, frankly, possible axis II problems) who matched. It's more like a shotgun at a barn door than a measure of skill and experience. Remember that if you're going for an APA accredited site, you're really vying for about HALF the number of internships out there. Even if it were true that there was some sort of skill issue (which I doubt is the case), the purpose of internship is training. The imbalance has perverted that purpose.
 
The phase II list is out. I was stunned to see that the place that I had listed as number 1 (based upon what I thought was a great interview) has an opening in phase II, this means that out of 15 applicants interviewed for 5 positions, they did not rank me at all! JUST WOW! They are not APA accredited and the TD stated that "All of you are here because you are all qualified and we would be happy to work with any of you". :wow:

I feel SO HAPPY that I matched to my number 2 site!!!!!! It is APA accredited. :banana:
 
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Looking at the Phase II list, I'm kind of surprised by some of the sites on the list (including one where I intended to apply...but then didn't realize they had changed their deadline, whoops). That always makes me a little nervous, wondering why no one matched there!

One of the sites I listed has two openings...which I guess means they didn't rank me? Ouch.
 
LightBulb said:
The phase II list is out. I was stunned to see that the place that I had listed as number 1 (based upon what I thought was a great interview) has an opening in phase II, this means that out of 15 applicants interviewed for 5 positions, they did not rank me at all!
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Something similar happened to me as well. An APA accredited west coast VA that I ranked very high still had 4 unfilled spots!! Unbelievable. I couldn't attend the in-person interview/open house but thought I did the due diligence with phone calls. Very clear that they did NOT rank me. I still matched at a great site, but I still find it disturbing that some sites feel as though they have the luxury to toss qualified candidates to the side. Perhaps this site misjudged their own popularity?
 
Heads up, my beloved SDNers. This consortium has had their APA site visit and the TD stated that they are anticipating being APA-accredited this spring. No promises from them or me but, you might want to look at these openings in the phase II round (with the thought that a place that has at least submitted their self-study and had a site visit is more likely to gain accreditation soon than a site that has done nothing.):

HEART OF AMERICA-CENTRAL REGION
City: SPRINGFIELD
Director: ADAM ANDREASSEN, PSY.D.
Telephone: (417) 812-6495
Email: [email protected]
Accreditation: APA-No CPA-No
APPIC Member: Yes
 
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socialcog said:
Something similar happened to me as well. An APA accredited west coast VA that I ranked very high still had 4 unfilled spots!! Unbelievable. I couldn't attend the in-person interview/open house but thought I did the due diligence with phone calls. Very clear that they did NOT rank me. I still matched at a great site, but I still find it disturbing that some sites feel as though they have the luxury to toss qualified candidates to the side. Perhaps this site misjudged their own popularity?
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I wonder if they've lost some funding, or if there's a glitch in the Phase II list, actually. I remember something like that happened last year. I'm also curious about the particular site you're talking about -- I got invited there last year, didn't match, and didn't get invited back this year, so I'm just wondering what's going on.
 
Matched!! APA site. I will be relocating, but to an AWESOME location!! I am so happy!!

Congrats to everyone who matched, and for those who didn't, I am very sorry – it's absolutely not a reflection of your abilities, the system is broken.
 
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CBTFTW said:
I wonder if they've lost some funding, or if there's a glitch in the Phase II list, actually. I remember something like that happened last year. I'm also curious about the particular site you're talking about -- I got invited there last year, didn't match, and didn't get invited back this year, so I'm just wondering what's going on.
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It's also possible that if another person from your program matched there, that the site stipulated they only want one student per university. It's of course a very specific/unique situation, but I know that sites have the option of requesting that rule.
 
To those who matched, congrats! To those you didn't, the imbalance is truly awful, and this is in no way reflective of your worth in any sense--hang in there and remember that this is just a temporary roadblock in a long career.
 
Not only did I not match but 3/4 of the sites I ranked have Phase 2 openings. One has 2 openings. I'm not clear on how that works.
 
Avocadobunny said:
When do people usually start to hear from their new TDs? Just curious because I have anxiously been sitting by my phone but have some stuff to do!
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I think it varies a lot by site. One person I know has already gotten a call from their TD, FWIW. Congrats on matching, btw!
 
socialcog said:
Something similar happened to me as well. An APA accredited west coast VA that I ranked very high still had 4 unfilled spots!! Unbelievable. I couldn't attend the in-person interview/open house but thought I did the due diligence with phone calls. Very clear that they did NOT rank me. I still matched at a great site, but I still find it disturbing that some sites feel as though they have the luxury to toss qualified candidates to the side. Perhaps this site misjudged their own popularity?
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I had the same experience, likely with the same VA. Fortunately, I'm very happy with another VA where I matched, but still, strange...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
eowyne said:
I had the same experience, likely with the same VA. Fortunately, I'm very happy with another VA where I matched, but still, strange...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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I'm surprised by some of the sites on the Phase II list (e.g., Atlanta VA, UCSD, UMMC, Boystown). There's still a chance to match to some awesome sites this year!
 
Congrats to everyone who matched today!!

I matched to my #1 choice! There was only 1 child spot so I feel incredibly lucky to have matched there (it's an academic medical center in the Southwest). Though I will say I would have been thrilled with any site in my top 4, they were pretty similar with some minor exceptions (including geography). Never lived in a place with no snow before...any suggestions for a native New Yorker moving to the Southwest? 😉

To those who are moving on to Phase 2...I know there's nothing anyone can really say that makes this feel better/easier. As someone who did not match last year following a diagnosis of a serious chronic (physical) illness, I can say there were so many times that things felt so bleak and hopeless. I tried to stick with the idea that there were only so many things I could control, and it was better for me to spend my energy on those things instead of spinning in a circle asking "why" anymore. I tweaked a few minor things in my essays and applied some places/regions I never considered the first time. This year has been a pleasant surprise and in hindsight I think things worked out in the best way possible (and I'm not just saying that to ease my cognitive dissonance, lol). There IS a site for you that will appreciate what you bring to the table and will help you cross the graduation finish line, even if it's not in Phase 2 or the PMVS. I also found a ton of support from my non - psych friends and colleagues, as I found that I really needed more moral support/personal cheerleading than someone to read my essays for the 99th time. Please PM me if you are going through Phase II/PMVS and have questions! !
 
Avocadobunny said:
When do people usually start to hear from their new TDs? Just curious because I have anxiously been sitting by my phone but have some stuff to do!
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My TD called me three minutes before 11 am EST! I missed his call because I thought I had time to brush my teeth. Guess he was as excited as we were!
 
Avocadobunny said:
When do people usually start to hear from their new TDs? Just curious because I have anxiously been sitting by my phone but have some stuff to do!
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Got the call! It's official and wasn't some awful mistake lol! TD said they had a busy morning so thus later getting to the calls. Still kinda shocked to have matched and for this unbelievably painful process to be over but couldn't be happier! I guess now it's just wait until we start the internship....
 
Avocadobunny said:
Got the call! It's official and wasn't some awful mistake lol! TD said they had a busy morning so thus later getting to the calls. Still kinda shocked to have matched and for this unbelievably painful process to be over but couldn't be happier! I guess now it's just wait until we start the internship....
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And then you can soon get started on post-doc apps! ; )
 
How did the VA in Tacoma end up with 4 unfilled slots? Did they get additional funding to take on more interns, or was this just a fluky year for rankings on both ends?
 
Cornell/NY Presbyterian has an open slot. this is somewhat mind-boggling as well!
 
psychRA said:
How did the VA in Tacoma end up with 4 unfilled slots? Did they get additional funding to take on more interns, or was this just a fluky year for rankings on both ends?
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Wow, I would be surprised if they had four unfilled slots (as opposed to new positions). They invited 10 applicants for every 1 position they had. Maybe they were very stingy about who they ranked?
 
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