2014-2015 APPIC (internship) interview thread

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Can't believe this whole process is over aside from the waiting part. Good luck to everyone!!
 
Just read the email from Greg K. I wonder what the "complex requirements" that some programs face in their rank list means?
 
psychrat said:
I just checked and the email that said I did not match came around 8am (est) last year. It seemed like they emailed those who did not match first, but that is just a guess and I do not know for sure. I hope for better news this year; I just re traumatized myself by looking at the email 😉
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I was with two people who matched last year when they received their emails, and I recall both of them coming in around 8:20 EST, back to back.
 
psychrat said:
Just read the email from Greg K. I wonder what the "complex requirements" that some programs face in their rank list means?
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One example would be limiting the number of applicants from any given program that a site is willing to accept; a second would be that there may be funding lines that influence the number of non US citizens a site can accept.
 
How are you guys passing the time these two weeks? I am attempting to look for non-stressful things to do but everything seems angst filled (ie. dissertation, practicum etc).

Basically how are you all self-care-ing these next two weeks?
 
I'm asking to be kept busy at my placement site. I figure keeping busy will help the days pass quickly. Of course, I really like my site so it's not an all-together unpleasant way to spend my time.
 
4givr said:
How are you guys passing the time these two weeks? I am attempting to look for non-stressful things to do but everything seems angst filled (ie. dissertation, practicum etc).

Basically how are you all self-care-ing these next two weeks?
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Lots of exercise! I'm also doing an impromptu weekend away next week to kill some time. I would love some more ideas though because those will only get me so far.
 
My placement site is keeping me busy, but the problem is that I am having trouble concentrating. How are people combating that?
 
PhDToBe said:
My placement site is keeping me busy, but the problem is that I am having trouble concentrating. How are people combating that?
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I'm actually having a pretty easy time so far concentrating on other things, but have had a barrage of people at practicum, classes, via texts and emails asking me about ranking and how I'm doing. The worst, though, is my family- I swear I've explained the match system to them a million times- but they still text and ask if I've had any offers yet!! The biggest offender is my mom- she asked me today if I was thinking about choosing a site in her state. Yeah, choosing!
 
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Am I correct in assuming that the NMS has already completed it's magic algorithm and decided our fate?? We just have to wait 15 more days while they check/verify the results?
 
Psychwomen said:
Am I correct in assuming that the NMS has already completed it's magic algorithm and decided our fate?? We just have to wait 15 more days while they check/verify the results?
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It sounds like they double check all the rankings and call TDs/students before running the match. I think that would take much of the time, though that's just a guess.
 
Is anyone else having ranking remorse?

I only got four interviews (7 streams), and 2 of those streams are in an extremely undesirable location, far far away from my girlfriend (who can't come with me). I ranked them, but am having major regret about it. I feel like some interesting stuff might come up in Phase II, maybe closer to my girlfriend as well, but if I match to this undesirable spot now I'm obliged to go. It's like it didn't become real or hit me until after ranking day.

It would be good training, I'm just feeling panicked about the thought of leaving her and going to this place for a year. I feel like I have a decent shot at matching there, too. The remorse!
 
Anais-In said:
Is anyone else having ranking remorse?

I only got four interviews (7 streams), and 2 of those streams are in an extremely undesirable location, far far away from my girlfriend (who can't come with me). I ranked them, but am having major regret about it. I feel like some interesting stuff might come up in Phase II, maybe closer to my girlfriend as well, but if I match to this undesirable spot now I'm obliged to go. It's like it didn't become real or hit me until after ranking day.

It would be good training, I'm just feeling panicked about the thought of leaving her and going to this place for a year. I feel like I have a decent shot at matching there, too. The remorse!
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This might not help but I participated in phase II last year and it is a LONG SHOT to match in phase 2. Many times sites get 100-200 applicants per spot.
 
Anais-In said:
Is anyone else having ranking remorse?

I only got four interviews (7 streams), and 2 of those streams are in an extremely undesirable location, far far away from my girlfriend (who can't come with me). I ranked them, but am having major regret about it. I feel like some interesting stuff might come up in Phase II, maybe closer to my girlfriend as well, but if I match to this undesirable spot now I'm obliged to go. It's like it didn't become real or hit me until after ranking day.

It would be good training, I'm just feeling panicked about the thought of leaving her and going to this place for a year. I feel like I have a decent shot at matching there, too. The remorse!
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By streams do you mean tracks? If so, where did you rank those tracks? Most applicants who match, tend to match at their top 3 (although there is no guarantee, and I know people who matched much lower on their lists). Phase II is no guarantee, so I think it makes sense that you ranked all of the sites that you applied to (what is the reason why you applied there?) than end up not matching at all.
 
psychrat said:
By streams do you mean tracks? If so, where did you rank those tracks? Most applicants who match, tend to match at their top 3 (although there is no guarantee, and I know people who matched much lower on their lists). Phase II is no guarantee, so I think it makes sense that you ranked all of the sites that you applied to (what is the reason why you applied there?) than end up not matching at all.
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Yes by streams I do mean tracks. I applied there as kind of a safety site, it's not very competitive, and it has the kind of training that I'm looking for. It does make me feel better that matching in phase II is hard - I guess I assumed it would be easier since many of the most competitive candidates have been nabbed by their top sites.
 
AppsAintNoThang said:
I'm actually having a pretty easy time so far concentrating on other things, but have had a barrage of people at practicum, classes, via texts and emails asking me about ranking and how I'm doing. The worst, though, is my family- I swear I've explained the match system to them a million times- but they still text and ask if I've had any offers yet!! The biggest offender is my mom- she asked me today if I was thinking about choosing a site in her state. Yeah, choosing!
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This made me laugh so hard. My family is the same!
 
Anais-In said:
Yes by streams I do mean tracks. I applied there as kind of a safety site, it's not very competitive, and it has the kind of training that I'm looking for. It does make me feel better that matching in phase II is hard - I guess I assumed it would be easier since many of the most competitive candidates have been nabbed by their top sites.
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I can't speak from personal experience (at least not yet) but my best friend in my program went to Phase II last year. I don't think it is easier but rather more complex. I also think that it's not really about competitive candidates nabbing top sites in Phase I but about mutual fit? I don't know. I know a lot of wonderfully competitive candidates that ended up in Phase II simply b/c the sites they interviewed at were not a good fit. I wouldn't worry about not being competitive or skilled enough if you go to Phase II. I would focus on finding a good fit and trusting you have a lot to offer! Hope this helps somewhat!
 
I don't know if anyone else has had dreams re: the Match but last night I had a dream where:

I was in the clinic of a site I applied to (the one I ranked first) and I started unpacking my bags the morning the Match results were supposed to come out. I told the director I felt weird unpacking before finding out if I actually matched there. He said "maybe we can bend the rules a bit and say how we ranked each other" I then found out he ranked me 2 and I ranked them 1. I was real excited because they had 2 slots and that meant I would match there. Then the results came out while I was in his clinic and it turned out I matched to a completely different site. LOL! So much for the algorithm.
 
One of my possible internship sites is my current practicum, and the training director told me that an accredited school (Forest Institute) announced they're closing, and all the training sites who interviewed Forest students were rushing to change rankings last minute. I hope no one here was from that school. I can't imagine how that would be right now.
 
AppsAintNoThang said:
One of my possible internship sites is my current practicum, and the training director told me that an accredited school (Forest Institute) announced they're closing, and all the training sites who interviewed Forest students were rushing to change rankings last minute. I hope no one here was from that school. I can't imagine how that would be right now.
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So does that mean they cannot go on internship and graduate? So awful.
 
psychrat said:
So does that mean they cannot go on internship and graduate? So awful.
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I can't imagine how they could, unless they were able to transfer to another program before the match? The TD was saying it's not a risk any internship would want to take.
 
AppsAintNoThang said:
I can't imagine how they could, unless they were able to transfer to another program before the match? The TD was saying it's not a risk any internship would want to take.
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I'm thinking it's one of those things where they are planning to close the program for future students but have to let current students finish out. I've been in a similar situation, and there are usually some legally and ethically binding situations, especially when accrediting bodies are involved, that won't let students get extremely screwed like that (slightly screwed, yes, but not life-ending). My guess is that the current applicants from that school would be able to go onto internship, finish and get their degree, but that the program would be over after that. I cannot imagine any situation where a school would say, "Kiss your future goodbye!" But, if sites remove them from their ranking (though, isn't it too late?), then that would majorly affect them.
 
Is anyone else finding it really hard to function during this time? I mean, I'm doing my work and going to class and practicum (my dissertation is completed) but oh goodness....I have a pit in my stomach and feel like NMS should at least let us know if we did in fact match well before we know where we did? Wouldn't that be lovely? I could handle the uncertainty of not knowing where if I had the certainty that I did match. It's troubling me alot...trying to be healthy and distract myself but today I was just super bummed all day...so much went into this process. I know that it's not the end of the world if I don't match, but ugh...i Just wish I knew......others feel similarly? :scared::sorry:
 
heartdignan said:
I'm thinking it's one of those things where they are planning to close the program for future students but have to let current students finish out. I've been in a similar situation, and there are usually some legally and ethically binding situations, especially when accrediting bodies are involved, that won't let students get extremely screwed like that (slightly screwed, yes, but not life-ending). My guess is that the current applicants from that school would be able to go onto internship, finish and get their degree, but that the program would be over after that. I cannot imagine any situation where a school would say, "Kiss your future goodbye!" But, if sites remove them from their ranking (though, isn't it too late?), then that would majorly affect them.
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I hope that's the case. They made the announcement more than a month ago about the school closing. My particular TD found out on 2/4 from an email listserv, I have no clue how many others already knew or never found out before ranking.
 
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AppsAintNoThang said:
I hope that's the case. They made the announcement more than a month ago about the school closing. My particular TD found out on 2/4 from an email listserv, I have no clue how many others already knew or never found out before ranking.
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APPIC notified internship TDs and clarified that Forest students in the match would be able to go on internship and fulfill Match obligations and would complete their degree as planned through specific agreements with other accredited institutions. APPIC and APA do step into situations like this to protect students and support TDs.
 
I have a colleague who is at my top internship site...I want to email her so badly asking if they ranked me!! Or any information. I obviously won't b/c of the strict rules and i don't want to jeopardize anything but ugh i just wanted to share my wish. It's hard to believe that everything is basically decided and that sites have submitted rankings. I feel like this process is like slowly removing a bandaid...slow, painful, and anxiety provoking.
 
kohutian said:
Is anyone else finding it really hard to function during this time?
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kohutian you are not alone, I definitely find it hard to concentrate. I'm trying to look at this as an opportunity to improve my patience, but I can't say that I've been enormously successful so far.
 
I think I may end up developing compulsive behaviors to accessorize my compulsive thoughts about Match day. Any suggestions for fun compensatory behaviors I could start? (Please don't mistake this post as minimizing the seriousness of OCD, I'm just feeling crazy and find that attempting humor is my only healthy coping skill). If nothing else, this process has allowed me to fully appreciate the conceptualization of anxiety-related disorders that develop as a result of an unstable environment (in which you have NO CONTROL). Dear Match, you are SO UNSTABLE!!!
 
Nellie1234 said:
I think I may end up developing compulsive behaviors to accessorize my compulsive thoughts about Match day. Any suggestions for fun compensatory behaviors I could start? (Please don't mistake this post as minimizing the seriousness of OCD, I'm just feeling crazy and find that attempting humor is my only healthy coping skill). If nothing else, this process has allowed me to fully appreciate the conceptualization of anxiety-related disorders that develop as a result of an unstable environment (in which you have NO CONTROL). Dear Match, you are SO UNSTABLE!!!
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I've been spending a lot of my down time at my assistantship researching apartments in the cities I might be living in next year. Since it's impossible to make any real plans for next year, this contingency planning at least makes me feel like I have some control!
 
Nellie1234 said:
I think I may end up developing compulsive behaviors to accessorize my compulsive thoughts about Match day. Any suggestions for fun compensatory behaviors I could start? (Please don't mistake this post as minimizing the seriousness of OCD, I'm just feeling crazy and find that attempting humor is my only healthy coping skill). If nothing else, this process has allowed me to fully appreciate the conceptualization of anxiety-related disorders that develop as a result of an unstable environment (in which you have NO CONTROL). Dear Match, you are SO UNSTABLE!!!
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Working compulsively on the dissertation is an excellent use of time and energy because wherever you are having that big paper out of the way will ease the internship experience. Getting the smallest things done becomes exponentially more challenging once you are not at your school...and you don't want it hanging over your internship head if you can help it. So yes, it is not as satisfying as cookies now, or even as gratifying as exercise (to work off the cookies)--but really you will be GLAD later for every small thing you get down now.....
 
elize said:
I've been spending a lot of my down time at my assistantship researching apartments in the cities I might be living in next year. Since it's impossible to make any real plans for next year, this contingency planning at least makes me feel like I have some control!
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I like your style, elize! Checking out potential housing it totally helping absorb the crazy 🙂 Thank you for that!!

Docma, I totally agree and have been spending the majority of my weekends hardcore dissertation-ing. I want a clean divorce from my pre-internship life when I leave here so I definitely plan to propose before the summer 🙂
 
Things I've been focusing on:

-Really focusing on my clients when I am prac, staying in the moment, prioritizing their challenges and needs while letting go of my own for the time we are together.

-Making study dates with friends in my program (not in the match) helps me stay on track!

-Working on the dissertation. Switching between adding content and going through and changing all the "will be"'s to "were"'s in my proposal.

-Recycling. Doing a lot of purging of old papers in preparation for a possible move.

-Trying to make myself excited for the possibility of matching to my top 5 (in terms of searching for "best of x city" buzzfeeds, apartment searching, searching for fun things to do there).

-Spending quality time with my kitties. And my partner 😛
 
I had the day off today. So far, I've sent my dissertation to a friend to check for obvious grammar fails, made 4 batches of homemade cinnamon rolls, watched a couple cooking shows, and now I'm off to scrub the bathroom. At the very least, my home stays VERY clean and my partner stays full when I need distraction..
 
I am spending my time planning a vacation- I cant take this vacation but still will I plan it!
 
I tried researching apartments at potential sites and for some reason it did not help me. When I started to look at pictures and get excited I caught myself thinking "wait a minute, I don't even know if I'll match in this city, curse you APPIC and Nat Match services!"
 
Now that we are done with interviews (so not competing) and looking for distraction- does anyone want to share any especially unusual interview circumstances or questions? 😛 Might be a fun distraction!

My most surprising question was one that asked, "If you were to catch your training director in the act with a fellow intern, how would you react and what would you do?"

Oh and another I remember was where they said something like, "Tell us about a time you strongly believed you were not cut out for this field, then convince us that you are cut out for it."
 
welp, I caught the cold again

next week is a short week as well

looking forward to it
 
adsekhon said:
welp, I caught the cold again

next week is a short week as well

looking forward to it
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I hope you feel better. I also feel like I am getting a cold. I feel like we were so pumped on adrenaline during interviews and then just crashed after we stopped.
 
Wow my experience feels so different- I'm not trying to fill my time- I'm overwhelmed! After all the traveling and how behind missing january made me I still haven't unpacked my stuff, my house is a mess, I have no food, I'm working so much to catch up I'm barely sleeping, and I'm so exhausted I just don't care about my work right now! Sure I sometimes think "is match here yet?" but that's immediately followed by "is may here yet? I'm so over this!" How are you guys keeping up energy/recuperating from interview travels!?
 
AphFall63LLN said:
Wow my experience feels so different- I'm not trying to fill my time- I'm overwhelmed! After all the traveling and how behind missing january made me I still haven't unpacked my stuff, my house is a mess, I have no food, I'm working so much to catch up I'm barely sleeping, and I'm so exhausted I just don't care about my work right now! Sure I sometimes think "is match here yet?" but that's immediately followed by "is may here yet? I'm so over this!" How are you guys keeping up energy/recuperating from interview travels!?
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I am working extra hours to make up for January, too. I have been sleeping more at night, but still find it pretty difficult to concentrate at work. I am quite ready for February 20th!
 
DoctorWorry said:
Now that we are done with interviews (so not competing) and looking for distraction- does anyone want to share any especially unusual interview circumstances or questions? 😛 Might be a fun distraction!

My most surprising question was one that asked, "If you were to catch your training director in the act with a fellow intern, how would you react and what would you do?"

Oh and another I remember was where they said something like, "Tell us about a time you strongly believed you were not cut out for this field, then convince us that you are cut out for it."
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Wow, you should win an award for craziest questions. The weirdest I probably got was "Tell me about your childhood/what's your autobiography?" I also got "What 3 books would you recommend to a new student in clinical psychology?" Those have nothing on yours, though!
 
I actually had to have major surgery that will take about two weeks for recovery so I scheduled that for ranking day. It's been a pretty good distraction so far since now I mostly sleep and mainly think about things like whether walking to the kitchen to get a cookie is worth how much it's gonna hurt to do it. Not exactly a coping strategy I would recommend but whatever works.
 
PhDToBe said:
I am working extra hours to make up for January, too. I have been sleeping more at night, but still find it pretty difficult to concentrate at work. I am quite ready for February 20th!
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Thanks for sharing- Im sorry its stressful for you too but I'm glad I'm not alone!
 
DoctorWorry said:
Now that we are done with interviews (so not competing) and looking for distraction- does anyone want to share any especially unusual interview circumstances or questions? 😛 Might be a fun distraction!

My most surprising question was one that asked, "If you were to catch your training director in the act with a fellow intern, how would you react and what would you do?"

Oh and another I remember was where they said something like, "Tell us about a time you strongly believed you were not cut out for this field, then convince us that you are cut out for it."
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Those are just ridiculous! I didn't get too many odd ones, in fact I barely got the ones they tell us to prepare for the most (like "tell me about yourself"). The most unusual one I remember was, "which ethical principle would you be most likely to violate?"
 
Deeogee28 said:
I actually had to have major surgery that will take about two weeks for recovery so I scheduled that for ranking day. It's been a pretty good distraction so far since now I mostly sleep and mainly think about things like whether walking to the kitchen to get a cookie is worth how much it's gonna hurt to do it. Not exactly a coping strategy I would recommend but whatever works.
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Sorry to hear about your surgery! I actually got hit by a car right after I got back from interviews. No worries, everyone is okay for the most part, but it has definitely helped take my mind off the match. Another coping strategy I wouldn't recommend to everyone, but when life hands you lemons and blah blah blah... back to drinking! I mean waiting.
 
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