2014-2015 APPIC (internship) interview thread

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For those who interviewed at New York City Children's Center in Queens, did anyone meet or talk with the current interns? I wasn't able to and would love any info or opinions people have based on what the interns said. Thanks!
 
Not sure how much faith I have in sites who interview me for 30-45 minutes with no other opportunities for interaction. Just seems difficult to trust in a site committing to a whole year with you based on one short interview. Anyone else feel odd about this?
 
I am looking for someone who accidently took the wrong coat home from the Portland VA open house. Please PM me if you came home from this interview with a black Miachael Kors coat by mistake. I would appreciate it greatly.
 
Alright so I know we all are in the midst of living in airports for the next few weeks. Despite this hectic schedule, a thought crossed my mind that I wish I had thought of before....

Should we be sending thank you emails after each interview? This thought occurred to me after my number one choice interviewed me and became my number 1 A+++ pretty-please-say-you'll-take-me site.

Would it look too desperate to send a thank you email highlighting why they will love me if I go there next year?
Also, would it look too weird to send other sites thank you emails a week/few days after the fact?

Thoughts?

Also, how many people have gotten stranded in airports so far? I just spend 16 hours stranded. Yay for traveling in the winter!!!
 
Those of you who replied to rejections to ask for more info regarding why you were rejected, can you share what that email looked like? I would like to write to my (formerly) top choice site, where I didn't get an interview, but everything I write sounds odd. I'd love some help if anyone is willing to share the language they used. TIA!
 
Also, anyone interview at the West Haven VA and have a super weird experience? PM me and we can swap notes! 🙂
 
4givr said:
Alright so I know we all are in the midst of living in airports for the next few weeks. Despite this hectic schedule, a thought crossed my mind that I wish I had thought of before....

Should we be sending thank you emails after each interview? This thought occurred to me after my number one choice interviewed me and became my number 1 A+++ pretty-please-say-you'll-take-me site.

Would it look too desperate to send a thank you email highlighting why they will love me if I go there next year?
Also, would it look too weird to send other sites thank you emails a week/few days after the fact?

Thoughts?

Also, how many people have gotten stranded in airports so far? I just spend 16 hours stranded. Yay for traveling in the winter!!!
Click to expand...
I think it's fine to send a thank you note a week after. I also think it's fine to not send thank you notes either. One site specifically told me "No thank you notes."
 
heartdignan said:
Not sure how much faith I have in sites who interview me for 30-45 minutes with no other opportunities for interaction. Just seems difficult to trust in a site committing to a whole year with you based on one short interview. Anyone else feel odd about this?
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If they discourage you interacting with current interns through phone calls or email, then I there might be reason for concern. But otherwise, it may just be a fact of organizational life in that setting that an hour for an individual interview and tour for each candidate is what they can fit into all the other things getting done (maintaining the existing internship, other clinical responsibilities). And they have reviewed your materials in detail prior to the interview. A good selection team can get a good sense of your fit within a 45 minute interview and have the information they need for ranking. Don't be afraid to advocate for getting more information from current interns by other means if you need that information. While I think open houses and day long interviews work well in some settings, they are not viable in many smaller organizations. And from what I hear from interns, they can have their own downside in terms of fatigue and stress for interns.
 
ClinicalGal said:
Those of you who replied to rejections to ask for more info regarding why you were rejected, can you share what that email looked like? I would like to write to my (formerly) top choice site, where I didn't get an interview, but everything I write sounds odd. I'd love some help if anyone is willing to share the language they used. TIA!
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Hello! My response was very generic (and I still received a good amount of responses).

Dear Dr. X,

Thank you for considering my application. Could you please provide me with feedback regarding my individual application? I was very interested in (this internship site name) .

Sincerely,

X
 
I had a phone interview the other day and when I was pausing thinking about a case vignette they presented to me, my dog (who was sitting near me), let out a big hound yawn. I apologized and said that was my dog (I did not want them to think it was). 😛
 
heartdignan said:
Not sure how much faith I have in sites who interview me for 30-45 minutes with no other opportunities for interaction. Just seems difficult to trust in a site committing to a whole year with you based on one short interview. Anyone else feel odd about this?
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I agree with this. More so, I struggle with the sites that have 15 people interviewing in one day and only spend 30 mins with each. I get that it's a time/resources thing, but many of the other sites I've interviewed with made it a point to say they prioritize the interviews because the training means so much. Those are also sites that had me meeting with people who I would likely work with directly. The sites that quickly drop down on my list have been the ones that have so many interviewing on one day, very fast interviews, and questions that seem to be meant to "stump" you vs see how you problem solve.
 
Is anyone interviewing at UNM tomorrow? If so, did you get an individual schedule emailed to you?
 
AppsAintNoThang said:
I agree with this. More so, I struggle with the sites that have 15 people interviewing in one day and only spend 30 mins with each. I get that it's a time/resources thing, but many of the other sites I've interviewed with made it a point to say they prioritize the interviews because the training means so much. Those are also sites that had me meeting with people who I would likely work with directly. The sites that quickly drop down on my list have been the ones that have so many interviewing on one day, very fast interviews, and questions that seem to be meant to "stump" you vs see how you problem solve.
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I think sites that only interview you for a short period of time most likely rank their candidates pretty heavily based on application materials. The interview is perhaps more to put a face to a name, clear up any questions they might have, and to help them solidify their rankings. There are sites that don't do interviews at all, and, supposedly, they still end up with interns that fit well with their program. The interview is also a time for you to come in and see the site. However, I agree that short interviews where a candidate is "grilled" with difficult questions is awkward and probably don't allow an applicant to really put there best foot forward.
 
Has anyone heard anything else from WVU? I heard back from 2 out of the 6 faculty I emailed, and the DOT hasn't gotten back to me after a few emails. Just wondering what kind of communication people have had with this site.

Also, has anyone interviewed at WJB Dorn VA (either this year or in previous years) that could talk a little about what to expect on the interview day?

Good luck everyone!
 
I have my first (and only) Skype interview today. How have those been going for other folks?
 
Have any of you had a phone interview? I just had one today and I feel like I totally bombed it. I felt super inarticulate which is not the norm for me. I feel that my case conceptualization fell apart which was strange because I had no problem talking about the same case during in-person interviews. It's hard to get the non-verbals when you can't physically see who you're interacting with. Trying not to ruminate about it, but I'm sure the interview committee thinks I'm a bumbling idiot 🙁
 
Psychwomen said:
Have any of you had a phone interview? I just had one today and I feel like I totally bombed it. I felt super inarticulate which is not the norm for me. I feel that my case conceptualization fell apart which was strange because I had no problem talking about the same case during in-person interviews. It's hard to get the non-verbals when you can't physically see who you're interacting with. Trying not to ruminate about it, but I'm sure the interview committee thinks I'm a bumbling idiot 🙁
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If it is any consolation, sites find them awkward too...and I think make some allowances for how much harder it is to connect without the nonverbal elements.
 
4givr said:
Alright so I know we all are in the midst of living in airports for the next few weeks. Despite this hectic schedule, a thought crossed my mind that I wish I had thought of before....

Should we be sending thank you emails after each interview? This thought occurred to me after my number one choice interviewed me and became my number 1 A+++ pretty-please-say-you'll-take-me site.

Would it look too desperate to send a thank you email highlighting why they will love me if I go there next year?
Also, would it look too weird to send other sites thank you emails a week/few days after the fact?

Thoughts?

Also, how many people have gotten stranded in airports so far? I just spend 16 hours stranded. Yay for traveling in the winter!!!
Click to expand...


I just got stuck in the weirdest chain of delayed and canceled flights I've ever heard of- 3 flights total that I waited for then were cancelled for various reasons! Of course including the last one out to the site where I was supposed to interview this morning. I've asked them for a phone interview instead, but the response I got was not particularly hopeful. Oh well. That's how this cookie crumbles.. Oh man, cookies sound so good right now! 🙂
 
docma said:
If it is any consolation, sites find them awkward too...and I think make some allowances for how much harder it is to connect without the nonverbal elements.
Click to expand...

Thanks Docma! I'm trying not to ruminate on it and instead choosing to focus on the next interview. But, it was a bit of a blow to have had three really good in-person interviews, then a crappy phone one. Oh well...you can't win them all!
 
AppsAintNoThang said:
I just got stuck in the weirdest chain of delayed and canceled flights I've ever heard of- 3 flights total that I waited for then were cancelled for various reasons! Of course including the last one out to the site where I was supposed to interview this morning. I've asked them for a phone interview instead, but the response I got was not particularly hopeful. Oh well. That's how this cookie crumbles.. Oh man, cookies sound so good right now! 🙂
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That stinks! I feel like they should be more understanding. I mean, you were on your way and cancelations are out of your control.
 
psychrat said:
That stinks! I feel like they should be more understanding. I mean, you were on your way and cancelations are out of your control.
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You'd think! But as cliche as it is, I genuinely would not want a site that wouldn't be flexible about things outside of our control. Imagine that same attitude during a training year filled with so many things we can't have control over.
 
AppsAintNoThang said:
You'd think! But as cliche as it is, I genuinely would not want a site that wouldn't be flexible about things outside of our control. Imagine that same attitude during a training year filled with so many things we can't have control over.
Click to expand...


So true
 
AppsAintNoThang said:
You'd think! But as cliche as it is, I genuinely would not want a site that wouldn't be flexible about things outside of our control. Imagine that same attitude during a training year filled with so many things we can't have control over.
Click to expand...

Thats true and Im sorry to hear about your delays.

I am nervous about my upcoming trip, I have a interview in KC and then Salt Lake the day after. But the flight (transfer in Dallas) seems to have been delayed a few times. I checked the whether and its all good, so fingers crossed lol
 
I am with you all out there in stress land and self-doubt land!

I was late to an interview due to unexpected traffic and there were only 4 other people interviewing with me that day. I think it impacted the way I felt about my interview the entire day, as I was afraid that I was being judged as disorganized. I've had a few days to think on it, and have been trying to just focus on what I liked about the program and kind of sit with those stressful feelings without letting them completely color my experience there.

I feel like awkwardness and stress are a big part of this process, as are delays. I have found that normalizing and focusing on the big picture has really helped! Just thought I'd share my own stressful experience to help in the normalization process!
 
I wrote a thank you note to a training director who responded nicely but did not say "We loved you! 😉" or "We were impressed with you." Is that a "bad sign?" What type of responses have you gotten back from a training director after an interview? I may be just reading into it too much, I just really want to match to this particular site.
 
Childdoconeday said:
I wrote a thank you note to a training director who responded nicely but did not say "We loved you! 😉" or "We were impressed with you." Is that a "bad sign?" What type of responses have you gotten back from a training director after an interview? I may be just reading into it too much, I just really want to match to this particular site.
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I've just sent handwritten notes so I haven't gotten feedback. I think it's great that you're getting positive feedback, even if they are just being friendly for the sake of being friendly. Now that I've been to multiple sites, I've seen the difference between friendly faculty and icy faculty, and that's made me shift my priorities for ranking. I would say not to analyze it too much and still rank this site where you originally intended to rank them vs trying to guess what they may be thinking. That's advice I've heard repeatedly.
 
Childdoconeday said:
I wrote a thank you note to a training director who responded nicely but did not say "We loved you! 😉" or "We were impressed with you." Is that a "bad sign?" What type of responses have you gotten back from a training director after an interview? I may be just reading into it too much, I just really want to match to this particular site.
Click to expand...

Most sites do not respond to thank you notes because they are very busy. Some sites even frown on sending them (I had one site specifically ask us not to send them). For the ones I sent, I received only two responses and am not thinking too much about it.
 
Childdoconeday said:
I wrote a thank you note to a training director who responded nicely but did not say "We loved you! 😉" or "We were impressed with you." Is that a "bad sign?" What type of responses have you gotten back from a training director after an interview? I may be just reading into it too much, I just really want to match to this particular site.
Click to expand...
As other have said, don't read anything into it. Some sites will have time to respond; others won't. Some may send encouraging comments, but that can be hazardous just because it can either be 1) misleading candidates or 2) violating the rule about not communicating ranking information.
 
docma said:
As other have said, don't read anything into it. Some sites will have time to respond; others won't. Some may send encouraging comments, but that can be hazardous just because it can either be 1) misleading candidates or 2) violating the rule about not communicating ranking information.
Click to expand...

I think the concern about violating policies is huge at many sites. Particularly in written form, as I've found a few sites freely "hint" at ranking info during interviews while others are stone faced. I had an interview last week with 2 psychologists- during their intros, one of them started to say, "I read through your application and was really impr-" when the other psychologist interrupted them with a really stern look and statement about sticking to the questions. Clearly that's not a violation, as they should be impressed with everyone who they invited, but it also shows how cautious they can be.
 
Has anyone who is interviewing for the General Track at the Jesse Brown VA received an e-mail with more information about the interview day? The training director said that he would send out more information, but I have yet to receive anything and my interview is on Friday. I e-mailed him directly today asking if something was going to be sent (there hasn't been any info about where in the hospital to actually go for the interview), but haven't heard anything back.
 
heartdignan said:
I made it through 5 interviews without getting a stain on my suit, and now I've gotten 2 stains in 2 days. I'm going to wear a poncho to my remaining interviews just to be on the safe side.
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No stains yet, but I am concerned that my suit will start to stink, so I have been febreezing it between interviews 😉
 
psychrat said:
No stains yet, but I am concerned that my suit will start to stink, so I have been febreezing it between interviews 😉
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I figure that my steaming is basically cleaning. I mean, what's the difference between cleaning a dirty floor with a steam vac and using a steamer on a suit? I consider it sanitized.
 
How many interviews do folks have left to go? Are rankings becoming clear?
 
heartdignan said:
How many interviews do folks have left to go? Are rankings becoming clear?
Click to expand...

I know which ones are going on the top and bottom of my list, but did not decide on specific rankings yet. Five more to go.
 
chelly78 said:
Has anyone who is interviewing for the General Track at the Jesse Brown VA received an e-mail with more information about the interview day? The training director said that he would send out more information, but I have yet to receive anything and my interview is on Friday. I e-mailed him directly today asking if something was going to be sent (there hasn't been any info about where in the hospital to actually go for the interview), but haven't heard anything back.
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Email him. We were in the same situation but I don't think he realized he actually forgot. He got back to me quickly, so you should be good. If he doesn't, feel free to PM me and I'll pass along what I have.
 
heartdignan said:
How many interviews do folks have left to go? Are rankings becoming clear?
Click to expand...


I know my top section and my bottom section, though the order of each will be tough. Also I have no idea how much I'll like my remaining 4 places, so I'm still waiting on putting a ton of thought into ranking. Nearing the final stretch! How many do you have left?
 
Last edited:
Five more to go!

Amid this caffeine-fueled, rail-hopping, glad-handing, night-driving, flight-mare toward a computer-determined destiny, many of my gracious hosts have wanted a brief introduction to the interviewing and match process. The reaction is always the same: "Wow, that's crazy!" As I barreled down a midwestern highway yesterday from one site toward a rest stop where I could complete a phone interview, these words of ole Cap'n Ahab really resonated with me, and they may become my new answer to "Wow, that's crazy!":

"...the match itself must needs be wasting! What I've dared, I've willed; and what I've willed, I'll do! They think me mad--Starbuck [Starbucks, in my case --ed.] does; but I'm demoniac, I am madness maddened! That wild madness that's only calm to comprehend itself!...come and see if ye can swerve me....Swerve me? The path to my fixed purpose is laid with iron rails, whereon my soul is grooved to run. Over unsounded gorges, through the rifled hearts of mountains, under torrents' beds, unerringly I rush! Naught's an obstacle, naught's an angle to the iron way!" [Yarrr...]

For anyone driving, I seriously recommend William Hootkins' reading of Moby-Dick. It has kept me awake so far!

Hoot hoot! I hope everyone is doing well, and best of luck to all of you. Hang in there! Now, off with me to another 6-hour drive...

Much love,
Baggers
 
Wow, I don't know about ya'll but I'm getting exhausted! I've completed 4 in person interviews and 1 phone interview and I've got 6 more left to do. I'm surprised at how tiring this interviewing and traveling is! So far the weather has cooperated and I haven't had any weather delays, but I'll be flying to the east coast on Friday and it looks like they've got a winter storm coming this weekend. Fingers crossed I don't get caught in a cascade of delayed flights! Very eager for all of this to be over!
 
I've got 2 more left, and I could not care less about them. I just did 7 in 10 days and feel like I've peaked. I can't imagine I'll have any enthusiasm at the last couple sites, as this whole traveling process is getting more and more trying. I'm also scared of transitioning back into real life when all this is over. I have to hit the ground running returning to practicum and school (which I'm sure everyone does) and I have no idea where I'll find the mental and physical energy!
 
I had a handful of phone interviews and one thing I personally found helpful was to sit in front of a mirror or something that allowed me to see my face. There was something about having a visual like that as I spoke which organized me much more than just staring at my own notes or a blank wall.
 
joonscribble said:
I had a handful of phone interviews and one thing I personally found helpful was to sit in front of a mirror or something that allowed me to see my face. There was something about having a visual like that as I spoke which organized me much more than just staring at my own notes or a blank wall.
Click to expand...

That's really helpful, thank you. I have my one and only phone interview on Monday, and have been concerned about how I can come across as articulate, knowledgeable, etc. I know that most of my "appeal" comes from face to face interactions where I can see the other person's body/facial language.
 
Just curious about the Match process- what goes on between February 4 and 20th? So we rank on the 4th, what happens after? Why does it take 2 weeks for Match day? We're matched through a computer program correct?
 
Childdoconeday said:
Just curious about the Match process- what goes on between February 4 and 20th? So we rank on the 4th, what happens after? Why does it take 2 weeks for Match day? We're matched through a computer program correct?
Click to expand...

There is an email sent out that will let you know what happens. Basically, they contact people and programs with missing lists and ask them to submit, they do the best they can to look for possible errors, like if someone possibly entered the wrong track number or something ( like if you had ranked site 111111 but site 111112 ranked you and site 111111 didnt) and things like that. Also some sites apparently have complex rank order lists so they have to do some entering of those lists into the match because they are evidently not submitted electronically. I think the running of the match is a small percent of the waiting time. I will look for the email from last year and post below.
 
songthatneverends said:
I will look for the email from last year and post below.
Click to expand...

Found it... it is long (from match news on 2/6/14):

Now that the frenzy of applying, interviewing, and ranking is over, applicants and programs face one of the most challenging parts of this process: Waiting for the Match results.

We very much understand that waiting can be extremely stressful, and APPIC and NMS have done everything possible to minimize the amount of time that applicants and programs must wait for their results.

One of the most frequently asked questions that APPIC receives at this point is, "Why do we have to wait two weeks to get our results?". This e-mail provides details about what happens during this time.

IMPORTANT: If you receive a call or e-mail from NMS in the coming days, PLEASE RESPOND TO NMS IMMEDIATELY.

Basically, NMS is extremely busy throughout this period, providing extensive checking and re-checking of the data to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the Match results. For example:

1. NMS works very hard to ensure that no one "falls through the cracks" in the process. They do their best to see that each of the more than 4,000 applicants and 700 internship sites have submitted either a Rank Order List or a formal withdrawal from the Match. They attempt to contact Training Directors and applicants from whom they are expecting a response, but who have not submitted either a Rank Order List or a withdrawal.
2. There are a significant number of sites with very complex requirements that must submit their Rank Order Lists to NMS in writing. Each of these written submissions must be reviewed and analyzed to ensure they have been prepared correctly, then entered and carefully proof-read (twice) by NMS staff. Each year, NMS contacts a significant number of Training Directors to ensure that their Rank Order Lists accurately reflect their preferences. Programs that have submitted these complex requirements are then given an opportunity to review and confirm that their requirements have been set up properly for the Match.

3. Once all rankings have been successfully entered and proofed, NMS performs a number of integrity checks on this data. These checks allow them to identify potential inconsistencies in rankings between lists submitted by applicants and those submitted by programs (e.g., applicants ranking the wrong program at a site, programs ranking the wrong applicant). They are able to catch some (but not all) errors made by sites and applicants, and it does take a significant amount of time to reach these participants to follow-up, verify, and correct these mistakes. Training Directors and applicants are generally busy and can be very difficult to reach.

4. Once the Match has been run, another set of integrity checks are conducted by the NMS staff to ensure that the Match has been processed correctly, and that every applicant and every training program has received the best possible match.

5. Then, the results and statistics must be prepared for distribution via the various methods available.

6. An additional set of tasks are the preparations that must be made for Phase II of the Match. These tasks include generating a master list of available positions and providing information to the AAPI Online Service that will allow unmatched applicants and Training Directors at programs with available positions to participate in Phase II (which begins immediately after the release of the Phase I results).
This is only a partial list of NMS' activities during this period. And, they are able to do all of this in an amount of time that is equal to or less than that of other matching programs of comparable (or even smaller) size in other professions.

This is the 16th year that NMS has conducted the APPIC Match, and we continue to rely upon their thoroughness, attention to detail, and commitment to accuracy. While the next few weeks may require what seems like an extraordinary amount of patience, we hope that you can appreciate the importance of allowing NMS the time to get the job done accurately.

Thanks for your patience and understanding.
 
I heard that sites can specify that they do not want applicants that rank them below a certain number. Does anyone know of there is truth to this?
 
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