2014 APPIC internship Application Thread

[AcronymAllergy]

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I am. How many integrative reports do you have at this point? There is some general confusion in my program as to what constitutes an integrative report.

I think the AAPI actually helps to spell out the definition of an integrated report. If I'm remembering correctly, it's something that contains interpretations of both psychological/personality assessment (e.g., MMPI, PAI) and cognitive testing (beyond something simple like an MMSE), but I could be confusing myself...it might just need one of those two areas.

 

[ela]

from APPIC site:

Integrated Psychological Testing Reports
In this section, provide the number of integrated psychological testing reports you have written for adults and the number written for children and adolescents. This section of the AAPI Online is used by those internship programs who are interested in knowing the amount of psychological testing and report writing that has been completed primarily by an applicant. This section should NOT include reports written from an interview that is only history-taking, a clinical interview, and/or only the completion of behavioral rating forms, where no additional psychological tests are administered. The definition of an integrated psychological testing report is a report that includes a review of history, results of an interview and at least two psychological tests from one or more of the following categories: personality measures, intellectual tests, cognitive tests, and neuropsychological tests. Please carefully review this explanation because it answers the question of what should be included in a report in order to have it satisfy the requirement of an integrated report.

 

[cara susanna]

I am. How many integrative reports do you have at this point? There is some general confusion in my program as to what constitutes an integrative report.

About 70, but the majority will be hard to get a hold of (they were done at a former placement).

I have a question for the thread: is it possible to get an AMC internship without having any prac experience in a medical setting?

 

[Ollie123]

As what ela posted indicates, it doesn't necessarily need to integrate across domains (i.e. involve both personality and cognitive tests), two tests from the same domain would also count if all other criteria are met (i.e. a PAI and an MMPI would work, though I can't say its typical to give both).

 

[AcronymAllergy]

As what ela posted indicates, it doesn't necessarily need to integrate across domains (i.e. involve both personality and cognitive tests), two tests from the same domain would also count if all other criteria are met (i.e. a PAI and an MMPI would work, though I can't say its typical to give both).

That must've been what had become muddled in my memory, then, yep.

 

[Ollie123]

Also Cara....good lord that's a lot of integrated reports! Especially since I don't think you are applying for neuropsych? I think the average is around 8-9 for adults. To think I was happy I've just barely eeked into the double digits...

 

[cara susanna]

Also Cara....good lord that's a lot of integrated reports! Especially since I don't think you are applying for neuropsych? I think the average is around 8-9 for adults. To think I was happy I've just barely eeked into the double digits...

Haha, I had a 15 hr/week placement where all I did was test and write reports. If it helps, these are all for children/adolescents and I'm an adult person 🙂 And nope, I'm not neuropsych.

 

[aurisha7]

I ended up with 20 sites. I know it is a bit high, but some of them are "reach sites" that get a lot of applications. Only one requires a case summary and two require a case conceptualizations. I am CBT focused (but also look through a developmental/ attachment lens when conceptualizing cases), so will probably base it on my CBT orientations because that is what I am most comfortable with. Most of the sites I am applying to are a mix of CBT and psychodynamic. When you interviewed, did they ask you specific questions based on what you wrote in your case summary?

I was never asked specifically about my supplementals during interviews (case summary or evaluations). I had to discuss cases but it didn't have to be from my case summary and no one asked questions about what I wrote in it.

 

[DynamicDidactic]

About 70, but the majority will be hard to get a hold of (they were done at a former placement).

I have a question for the thread: is it possible to get an AMC internship without having any prac experience in a medical setting?

That is a lot of integrative reports.

and yes. Another student 3 years prior to my internship year also landed a different AMC internship with no similar prac. However, I will add that basically anything is possible. There are a lot of sites, its a match process, and not all AMCs are the same. I am at large brand name AMC but psychiatry is very separated from the rest of the hospital. As a result, I do not think they looked for experience at a medical setting.

 

[cara susanna]

DynamicDidactic: Thanks! That's good to know.

The AAPI online has now been opened! And Gmail categorized the email as a promotion in my inbox 😉 They also gave us the match date of Feb 21, 2014.

 

[AryaStark]

Is anyone else having trouble searching for sites (using the new directory) when they list "health psych" and "empirically supported treatments" as a major focus? I keep doing it over and over with different combinations, hoping that it will work. Probably just a bug, but still, AH!

 

[cara susanna]

I had trouble searching for sites by name--I could only find it when I searched using the DCT's name.

 

[Always at home]

Is anyone else having trouble searching for sites (using the new directory) when they list "health psych" and "empirically supported treatments" as a major focus? I keep doing it over and over with different combinations, hoping that it will work. Probably just a bug, but still, AH!

I was trying to help a friend with this. I used the directors name and the name of the site and nothing happened. It only worked for me when I put in the appic code number.

Seems like its still glitchy.

 

[DynamicDidactic]

just a heads up, check the last modified date. Lots of sites will update their info over the next month or two.

 

[snowy584]

Hi everyone,

Just curious...how many intervention hours do you have total?

Also, which kind of sites are more open to those that do not have assessment hours?

Thank you!

 

[AcronymAllergy]

Hi everyone,

Just curious...how many intervention hours do you have total?

Also, which kind of sites are more open to those that do not have assessment hours?

Thank you!

As in, do not have many assessment hours, or don't have any such hours?

 

[snowy584]

don't have any hours ~_~

 

[snowy584]

don't have any hours..but do know how to administer the tests learned through coursework

 

[PHD12]

don't have any hours..but do know how to administer the tests learned through coursework

How did your program allow you to apply for internship without any assessment hours? How do you even get to 3rd or 4th year in a clinical psychology program without ever administering an assessment to a patient? Honestly, this is why we so desperately need quality control.

 

[Always at home]

don't have any hours..but do know how to administer the tests learned through coursework

WOW!! That is so strange. In my program, they require us to administer psychological/neuropsychological/academic testing during our first practicum (I think the minimum number is at least 4 or 5). How many the student does after that and throughout their docotral experience is entirely up to them.

Even if you do not apply to a heavy assessment site, I see this as a huge drawback (I may be wrong). I am assuming that sites, even if they are not assessment focused, will like to see at least some testing experience.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

WOW!! That is so strange. In my program, they require us to administer psychological/neuropsychological/academic testing during our first practicum (I think the minimum number is at least 4 or 5). How many the student does after that and throughout their docotral experience is entirely up to them.

Even if you do not apply to a heavy assessment site, I see this as a huge drawback (I may be wrong). I am assuming that sites, even if they are not assessment focused, will like to see at least some testing experience.

I would agree--I'd be hard pressed to think up any type of site (or any one specific site) that would necessarily be open to someone with no clinical assessment hours. It's simply a fundamental aspect of the training to be a licensed psychologist.

Are you applying early in your grad school career? If so, it could be very much in your best interests to gain much more competence and experience in this area over the next year and then apply during the 2014 cycle.

 

[Always at home]

I would agree--I'd be hard pressed to think up any type of site (or any one specific site) that would necessarily be open to someone with no clinical assessment hours. It's simply a fundamental aspect of the training to be a licensed psychologist.

Are you applying early in your grad school career? If so, it could be very much in your best interests to gain much more competence and experience in this area over the next year and then apply during the 2014 cycle.

I assume that question was for me, and not for the original poster who posed the question?

I landed an APA internship for the upcoming year 🙂 My site is not heavy assessment. However, I still had 10 integrated batteries when I applied (7 neuropsychological batteries and 3 autism spectrum-based batteries) for internship.

ps-I meant 4 or 5 integrated batteries

 

[psychRA]

don't have any hours..but do know how to administer the tests learned through coursework

Is this a common thing in your program, or did something happen that prevented you from getting the standard assessment experience? If no one gets assessment experience in your program, but people have somehow managed to match, I'd recommend talking with others to see how they've handled it. I'm hoping that you're just very early in your program and will get assessment experience later in the process.

If people usually get assessment experience and you somehow missed it, I'd recommend doing everything in your power to get as many hours as you can. There may be sites that take people without assessment hours, but my gut reaction is that those are not the kinds of sites you want to attend, assuming they exist.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

I assume that question was for me, and not for the original poster who posed the question?

I landed an APA internship for the upcoming year 🙂 My site is not heavy assessment. However, I still had 10 integrated batteries when I applied (7 neuropsychological batteries and 3 autism spectrum-based batteries) for internship.

ps-I meant 4 or 5 integrated batteries

My question was actually for the OP; sorry about the confusion, but thank you for your answer 🙂

 

[Always at home]

My question was actually for the OP; sorry about the confusion, but thank you for your answer 🙂

No problem 😳😳

I agree that the OP should probably get more assessment experience, then apply.

With the competitive nature of internships, it seems like it would very difficult to land an APA internship with NO assessment experience. Maybe he/she has a better shot an APPIC site. However, given the crisis, those even seem difficult to come by, depending on where you apply.

 

[snowy584]

Thanks for the reply guys. What is the average assessment and therapy hours? Also, what exactly counts as an assessment hour? I have done assessment outside of my usual practicum. Can I count this?

 

[thewesternsky]

The best data I can find at the moment from APPIC is from 2011... See question 6 here:

http://www.appic.org/Match/MatchStatistics/ApplicantSurvey2011Part1.aspx

It looks like the median number of assessment hours was 148, and the median number of intervention hours was 573.

What kind of setting was the assessment in? I believe typically if the hours were not accrued in a program-approved practicum setting, they can't be counted.

 

[snowy584]

thank you 🙂

 

[Always at home]

Thanks for the reply guys. What is the average assessment and therapy hours? Also, what exactly counts as an assessment hour? I have done assessment outside of my usual practicum. Can I count this?

Are you a 4th year student? Based on your questions, you seem VERY new at all of this. Almost like you just entered your grad program yesterday.

 

[katiekoala]

Hi! Anybody know what's going on with the new APPIC online directory? I'd been using the old one, but just noticed the new one was available. Whenever I've tried to do a search, I get an error message. Just curious if anyone else was having the same problem/knew what was going on. It's pretty annoying :/

 

[MrsPsyD2015]

I've had the same problem. I'm having trouble searching for sites by more than one criterion. How frustrating!

 

[cara susanna]

This probably is a dumb question, but in your cover letter are you supposed to also say what you offer the site in addition to why you're interested in them? The APAGS workbook example doesn't really seem do to that, and most of the real life examples I've read are pretty subtle about it. I guess maybe because your CV covers that?

 

[Always at home]

This probably is a dumb question, but in your cover letter are you supposed to also say what you offer the site in addition to why you're interested in them? The APAGS workbook example doesn't really seem do to that, and most of the real life examples I've read are pretty subtle about it. I guess maybe because your CV covers that?

I did not state what I had to offer the site. I just discussed why my past experience was a good fit, and how their internship could enhance skill X, Y, and Z, etc.

 

[docma]

from APPIC site:

Integrated Psychological Testing Reports
In this section, provide the number of integrated psychological testing reports you have written for adults and the number written for children and adolescents. This section of the AAPI Online is used by those internship programs who are interested in knowing the amount of psychological testing and report writing that has been completed primarily by an applicant. This section should NOT include reports written from an interview that is only history-taking, a clinical interview, and/or only the completion of behavioral rating forms, where no additional psychological tests are administered. The definition of an integrated psychological testing report is a report that includes a review of history, results of an interview and at least two psychological tests from one or more of the following categories: personality measures, intellectual tests, cognitive tests, and neuropsychological tests..

I am curious about what the vernacular understanding is of what commonly-used tests are "intellectual" and which are "cognitive" and for that matter, what defines a "neuropsychological test" (eg; is the MOCA screen considered a neuropsychological test in the context of an integrated report?) Is there a commonly-understood (and I just don't know it) standard for what differentiates among these categories? (And I notice this definition does not mention projectives which can be used in commenting about all of the categories above?)

 

[AcronymAllergy]

I am curious about what the vernacular understanding is of what commonly-used tests are "intellectual" and which are "cognitive" and for that matter, what defines a "neuropsychological test" (eg; is the MOCA screen considered a neuropsychological test in the context of an integrated report?) Is there a commonly-understood (and I just don't know it) standard for what differentiates among these categories? (And I notice this definition does not mention projectives which can be used in commenting about all of the categories above?)

In general, I'd consider an "intellectual" test to essentially be anything that purports to measure general intelligence/intellectual functioning. And no, I definitely don't mean that in a "duh" manner. So things like the WAIS, Stanford-Binet, KBIT, etc. (essentially anything with "intelligence" in the name). The MOCA is neuropsych-ish, but I personally don't consider any screening measure that brief (e.g., MOCA, MMSE) to bump a report into the integrated range...mostly because there's generally minimal interpretation of those results being done.

For "cognitive" tests, I'd consider that to entail tests assessing other cognitive functions, such as memory, visuospatial skills, executive functions, language abilities (e.g., aphasia assessments), skilled motor abilities, etc. Obviously the WAIS, for example, covers some of these areas, but I'd reserve the term "cognitive test" for those that only/primarily measure these other cognitive functions.

However, part of the difference can also be in how the reports are being interpreted...are you looking only at intellectual and/or academic functioning, for example, or is it more of a neuropsychologically-focused assessment that's also taking into account neuropathology/other medical factors and known components of brain-behavior relationships?

As for projectives, I'd put them in the same category as other personality/psychopathology measures such as the MMPI and PAI.

 

[DynamicDidactic]

In general, I'd consider an "intellectual" test to essentially be anything that purports to measure general intelligence/intellectual functioning. And no, I definitely don't mean that in a "duh" manner. So things like the WAIS, Stanford-Binet, KBIT, etc. (essentially anything with "intelligence" in the name).

agreed

The MOCA is neuropsych-ish, but I personally don't consider any screening measure that brief (e.g., MOCA, MMSE) to bump a report into the integrated range...mostly because there's generally minimal interpretation of those results being done.

While I generally agree, I think the MOCA would constitute a neuropsych test as far as the application. But your training director should be the final say in such a decision.

For "cognitive" tests, I'd consider that to entail tests assessing other cognitive functions, such as memory, visuospatial skills, executive functions, language abilities (e.g., aphasia assessments), skilled motor abilities, etc. Obviously the WAIS, for example, covers some of these areas, but I'd reserve the term "cognitive test" for those that only/primarily measure these other cognitive functions.

However, part of the difference can also be in how the reports are being interpreted...are you looking only at intellectual and/or academic functioning, for example, or is it more of a neuropsychologically-focused assessment that's also taking into account neuropathology/other medical factors and known components of brain-behavior relationships?

generally, I think separating neuropsych and cognitive assessments is just a difference in semantics. I prefer the term neurocognitive assessments. I think it really stems from a need to differentiate assessments that go beyond the WAIS and WMS.

As for projectives, I'd put them in the same category as other personality/psychopathology measures such as the MMPI and PAI.

yup.

Once one starts to actually complete the application there are examples of each type of assessment to choose from and your training director would probably be the best person to help you choose which category fits best.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

While I generally agree, I think the MOCA would constitute a neuropsych test as far as the application. But your training director should be the final say in such a decision.

Given that you're generally only looking at the global score rather than performance on, say, the trail making component, I'd still hedge against calling it a neuropsych measure for the purposes of counting a report as integrated. There are certainly neuropsychological principles at play in the test itself, though, agreed.

...generally, I think separating neuropsych and cognitive assessments is just a difference in semantics. I prefer the term neurocognitive assessments. I think it really stems from a need to differentiate assessments that go beyond the WAIS and WMS.

Agreed here as well. I actually wasn't trying to separate out cognitive vs. neuropsych measures, and was more so focusing on the difference between, for example, a traditional psychoed and a neuropsych. Or, as you've said, to differentiate assessments that go beyond just a WAIS. I was also trying to capture the idea that what makes something a neuropsychological evaluation isn't necessarily as closely tied to the tests you administer as it is the ways in which all of the data (including test results, history, interview, etc.) are compiled and interpreted through the lens of advanced knowledge of brain-behavior relationships.

 

[snowy584]

Anyone have trouble searching for sites through the new online directory?

 

[aly cat]

Anyone have trouble searching for sites through the new online directory?

Yep, no matter what parameters I search for I get "error 🙁" in response.

Update: It looks like any time I try to specify "Training opportunities" is when I get the error message. If I leave those out but specify other things like type of site and accreditation status, it returns results.

 

[AryaStark]

I emailed APPIC- they said they told their vendor. Still not working for me. FRUSTRATIONNNNN

Yep, no matter what parameters I search for I get "error 🙁" in response.

Update: It looks like any time I try to specify "Training opportunities" is when I get the error message. If I leave those out but specify other things like type of site and accreditation status, it returns results.

 

[cara susanna]

Is it a good or bad idea to include unfunded grants on your CV if applying for research-oriented internships?

 

[WisNeuro]

Yeah, just because you threw a MoCA or MMSE in there, it's still not an integrated report. This is something I actually look at when I review apps. If they claim a huge number of integrated reports, and it's clear that it's all from, say a BDI and MoCA/MMSE, or the like, that's a mark in the negative category. Just seems like you're trying to be misleading.

 

[DynamicDidactic]

say a BDI and MoCA/MMSE

if someone counted that as an integrated assessment they would be lying since short self report questionnaires like the BDI are not counted by APPIC as a part of an integrated assessment (unless something changed this year).

 

[CalFrn]

Hi,

APPIC divides between neuropsych and psychodiagnostic, but I'm having trouble with the distinction for many of my cases. I saw a lot of children at a neuropsych clinic where in addition to more classic neuropsych tests we did IQ testing, behavioral/emotional questionnaires, interviewed for anxiety/depression and other mental health issues. I don't feel like it's accurate to describe these as all neuropsych or all psychodiagnostic. Do people ever divide neuropsych/psychodiagnostic hours within the same patient? How do y'all make this distinction?

 

[Always at home]

Hi,

APPIC divides between neuropsych and psychodiagnostic, but I'm having trouble with the distinction for many of my cases. I saw a lot of children at a neuropsych clinic where in addition to more classic neuropsych tests we did IQ testing, behavioral/emotional questionnaires, interviewed for anxiety/depression and other mental health issues. I don't feel like it's accurate to describe these as all neuropsych or all psychodiagnostic. Do people ever divide neuropsych/psychodiagnostic hours within the same patient? How do y'all make this distinction?

I had the same issue where I integrated neuropsych testing with some other psychodiagnostic measures. The overarching themes of my reports, despite the behavior/emotional questionnaires and some other brief measures, were neuropsychology based. I was also supervised by a clinical neuropsychologist. The reports were written from a neuropsychological perspective. For the most part, I counted the hours under neuropsych testing.

 

[CalFrn]

I had the same issue where I integrated neuropsych testing with some other psychodiagnostic measures. The overarching themes of my reports, despite the behavior/emotional questionnaires and some other brief measures, were neuropsychology based. I was also supervised by a clinical neuropsychologist. The reports were written from a neuropsychological perspective. For the most part, I counted the hours under neuropsych testing.

OK, makes sense. With the murkier cases, did you tend to conceptualize entire cases as psychodiagnostic, or split interview/testing time into neuropsych vs. psychodiagnostic?

 

[Always at home]

OK, makes sense. With the murkier cases, did you tend to conceptualize entire cases as psychodiagnostic, or split interview/testing time into neuropsych vs. psychodiagnostic?

To be honest, I never really had murkier cases, since most of the reports were so heavily neuropsych based. It was rather clear where they fell under.

Perhaps someone else can chime in 🙂

 

[PhDToBe]

Hi,

APPIC divides between neuropsych and psychodiagnostic, but I'm having trouble with the distinction for many of my cases. I saw a lot of children at a neuropsych clinic where in addition to more classic neuropsych tests we did IQ testing, behavioral/emotional questionnaires, interviewed for anxiety/depression and other mental health issues. I don't feel like it's accurate to describe these as all neuropsych or all psychodiagnostic. Do people ever divide neuropsych/psychodiagnostic hours within the same patient? How do y'all make this distinction?

Can't you just split the hours into those that were spent on neuropsych testing and those that were spent on psychodiagnostic testing? That's what I have done when I have given both types of tests.

 

[BoilerBoy]

Silly question that has probably been covered before, but I couldn't find anything! 🙂

When an internship site says that it requires a minimum number of hours and phrases it like so: "minimum of XXX intervention and assessment hours," do people interpret that as meaning "XXX intervention hours" AND "XXX assessment hours," or cumulatively at least XXX hours in total.

So for example, if this internship site requires a "minimum of 12 million intervention and assessment hours," do I actually need 24 million total, equally split between the two?

(Obviously this question is only applicable for sites that don't include the minimums on the APPIC info page but have another page somewhere on the internet that provides more info. And clearly I could email the site, but I don't want to sound like an idiot if I am totally alone in my finding the phrasing ambiguous.)

 

[TNPsychGirl85]

I know there has already been some discussion about the increase in cost, but I just have to express how sad I am to see that the cost for 15 applications is now going to cost $400.00. Having gone through the match last year, I found the cost to be a lot then, and now it is going to be even more. It seems unreasonable to have to pay 400 for just 15 applications, 130 to participate in the match, and then cost of travel. I think they have all forgotten that we are struggling graduate students. The worst part is that the process is unavoidable. 👎