2014 APPIC internship Application Thread

[PhDInsanity]

Slightly off topic but...is there a forum like this for the post doc level? Neuropsych in particular. I found this forum to be so helpful and supportive during my pre doc application process and can only hope I find something similar for the next step.

Good luck to everyone! Let me know if I can help! I'm happy to share my experience of this nutty process

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[AcronymAllergy]

There are at least a few of us neuropsych postdocs and neuropsychologists on the board, so you can always feel free to create specifics topics/threads for questions or concerns you might have.

 

[BoilerBoy]

I've had some questions about totaling up hours for the APPIC app. (For reference, I use PsyKey to track my hours.)

1. On the page that says, "How many hours have you spent in each of the following treatment settings? Please indicate the estimated total number of intervention and assessment hours spent in each of the following treatment settings to November 1, 2013."

Are people assuming that this means just contact hours, contact + supervision, or contact + supervision + support? The various guides available on the internets conflict with each other. The totals that PsyKey spits out weirdly seem to include more hours than my total of contact and supervision, but not nearly enough to account for support.

2. Has anyone else noticed that the "other intervention" categories list "# of individuals?" I had several substance use groups that I would like to put in that category, but it's misleading to list the number of individuals in the groups, and it's also misleading to list the number of groups as individuals. Weird.

 

[BoilerBoy]

I've had some questions about totaling up hours for the APPIC app. (For reference, I use PsyKey to track my hours.)

1. On the page that says, "How many hours have you spent in each of the following treatment settings? Please indicate the estimated total number of intervention and assessment hours spent in each of the following treatment settings to November 1, 2013."

Are people assuming that this means just contact hours, contact + supervision, or contact + supervision + support? The various guides available on the internets conflict with each other. The totals that PsyKey spits out weirdly seem to include more hours than my total of contact and supervision, but not nearly enough to account for support.

Just to follow-up -- I determined that PsyKey spits out your hours by treatment setting in a really weird way. Supervision hours are not included. Most of the support hours are not included. Intervention and assessment contact hours are included, as well as report-writing and test scoring hours. This seems fairly arbitrary to me. It seems to come from some glitch in the system where report-writing and test-scoring are things you can list as being "face to face" (?????) in their categorization system.

Anyway, just thought others who used PsyKey might want to be aware of this. And still curious how people interpret the ""How many hours have you spent in each of the following treatment settings?" question.

 

[APPICBlues]

Ahh -- the above application questions are interesting. I don't know the answer to them but they inspired another question about the hour component of the application. When APPIC wants to know your total number of clients seen in various categories:
1) Has anyone found any other info from APPIC on a consensus about what should qualify as serious mental illness? They have an "e.g." in their definition but that implies to me that psychotic/significant mood disorders are not exhaustive.
2) I worked at a clinic doing a lot of psychodiagnostic assessments of children. Worked closely with parents doing interviews and feedbacks. Should parents be counted in the the client total?

 

[researchgirl]

So, I understand what an integrative report is and how to count how many I have done, but I'm confused about reporting the number of times I've used an assessment tool. When you input how many times you have administered a tool, you say # of times administered/scored, # of clinical reports written with that measure, and # of times administered for research.

So, if I have administered and scored a measure, and used it in a report, but that report does not qualify as an integrated report, do I count it as used in a clinical report?

AKA, is there a distinction here between integrated report and clinical report?

Example: I often give the BDI to clients as part of intakes. I score, interpret, and report their score in their intake report. However, my average intake report does NOT include other types of measures (e.g. cognitive evaluations), so those reports generally are not what APPI considers an integrated report.

Thoughts?

 

[docma]

So, I understand what an integrative report is and how to count how many I have done, but I'm confused about reporting the number of times I've used an assessment tool. When you input how many times you have administered a tool, you say # of times administered/scored, # of clinical reports written with that measure, and # of times administered for research.

So, if I have administered and scored a measure, and used it in a report, but that report does not qualify as an integrated report, do I count it as used in a clinical report?

AKA, is there a distinction here between integrated report and clinical report?

Example: I often give the BDI to clients as part of intakes. I score, interpret, and report their score in their intake report. However, my average intake report does NOT include other types of measures (e.g. cognitive evaluations), so those reports generally are not what APPI considers an integrated report.

Thoughts?

You can make yourself crazy with parsing the details in this process and should know that sites know that the numbers and hours accounting is not an exact science. They are looking for an overall sense of your experience with measures that are relevant for their setting. In your example, I would say count single self-reports like the BDI given at intake as clinical reports. I think the reason they offer options is that simply administering in a research setting may be pretty mechanical, while using in a clinical setting will often include some feedback, etc and integration into a write up and the context of the intake. There are qualitative differences in skill level in the use of the test across these levels--but quantitative familiarity with a measure also builds skills. Frankly, I scan to see what measure the candidate has some experience administering, knowing that some settings may give you good experience with some measures but limited chances for full batteries or integrated reports.

 

[psychrat]

I am trying to tally up my hours on for the APPI and use Time2Track. The APPI is asking me how many face-to-face hours I have had with each age group. However, on Time2Track I could only seem to get it to tell me how many interventions I have had with each age group (not hours, just number of types of interventions) and how many individuals in each age group I have seen. Does anyone know how I could get Time2Track to tell me how many face-to-face hours I have had with each age group?

 

[cara susanna]

I just transferred my T2T information over to AAPI and didn't have that issue. Are you using the AAPI View option under Reports?

 

[psychrat]

I just transferred my T2T information over to AAPI and didn't have that issue. Are you using the AAPI View option under Reports?[/QUO

I am, but I do not see a way to transfer or a breakdown my age and hours?

 

[psychrat]

I just transferred my T2T information over to AAPI and didn't have that issue. Are you using the AAPI View option under Reports?

I figured it out. For some odd reason all of the sections were not appearing when I logged in with my laptop :confused

 

[psychrat]

Another question: Where in the APPI do we put anticipated hours?

 

[cara susanna]

I THINK it's under "summary of doctoral training."

For people who are submitting case summaries, are you diagnosing based on the DSM-5 or sticking with the DSM-IV?

 

[futureapppsy2]

I THINK it's under "summary of doctoral training."

For people who are submitting case summaries, are you diagnosing based on the DSM-5 or sticking with the DSM-IV?

I'd say stick to DSM-IV, as that's what you used when you actually assessed the client.

 

[eowyne]

I'd love to hear your thoughts about fit. Everyone says that fit between our experience, our goals, and the sites is extremely important. Clearly, I'm going to choose sites that fit my interests, and it would be my inclination to choose tracks/rotations in the same way. However, some sites say that they encourage interns to choose training options outside their previous experience. So does that imply that they do not want us to choose tracks/rotations that are similar to our previous experience, and instead choose ones that are related but different? For example, would they prefer that someone with experience and interests in trauma pass up the trauma track and choose a dual-diagnosis or behavioral med or other track? Or do they prefer that we choose a main track/rotation similar to our previous experience/interests but choose elective rotations that are different? Or stick to tracks/rotations that are closely related to our previous experience, such a different type of trauma therapy. What do you think?

 

[docma]

"Fit" is about both the congruence between your training and professional goals and the site and how you fit into their needs, so I think you want to aim for a balance. Sites want to choose trainees who will be able to competently service their client population AND who want to learn things they can teach. So, if you have no neuro experience, choosing a neurotrack will put you at a disadvantage relative to applicants who do have practical experience and will not need basic instruction. If you have trauma experience you could opt for behavioral med or substance and make it clear how you want to deepen your trauma work by adding more expertise in said rotation. Mostly, sites want to know you are thinking and writing clearly about professional goals they can help you achieve. They do not want you to be a "student" they want you to be an intern, applying skills you know to an expanded range of clinical challenges.

 

[eowyne]

"Fit" is about both the congruence between your training and professional goals and the site and how you fit into their needs, so I think you want to aim for a balance. Sites want to choose trainees who will be able to competently service their client population AND who want to learn things they can teach. So, if you have no neuro experience, choosing a neurotrack will put you at a disadvantage relative to applicants who do have practical experience and will not need basic instruction. If you have trauma experience you could opt for behavioral med or substance and make it clear how you want to deepen your trauma work by adding more expertise in said rotation. Mostly, sites want to know you are thinking and writing clearly about professional goals they can help you achieve. They do not want you to be a "student" they want you to be an intern, applying skills you know to an expanded range of clinical challenges.

Very helpful, thanks!

 

[psychrat]

I THINK it's under "summary of doctoral training."

For people who are submitting case summaries, are you diagnosing based on the DSM-5 or sticking with the DSM-IV?

Thanks.

I am using the DSM-IV TR.

 

[G Costanza]

So I'm at the cover letter writing stage. I wondering if you folks think its wise to incorporate training areas of need into the letter? Example- I don't have a lot of group experience so highlighting a sites group training model as a reason I want to go there.

 

[erg923]

yes

 

[aurisha7]

So I'm at the cover letter writing stage. I wondering if you folks think its wise to incorporate training areas of need into the letter? Example- I don't have a lot of group experience so highlighting a sites group training model as a reason I want to go there.

I think this would definitely be a good idea. During interviews there was a lot of talk about areas in which I hope to get new experience, and how the site can help meet those needs.

 

[researchgirl]

Is anyone out there applying to Brown? Given how heavy of a research site it is, I'm surprised to see this:

"We require a minimum of 800 contact hours of formal, supervised practicum training."

I might e-mail them - but does anyone know if they mean 800 face to face by November 1st? That is much higher than other research heavy sites, so I am surprised. Just thought I'd ask here before I e-mail them directly...

 

[cara susanna]

I don't know the exact answer to that question, but lot of people who applied in previous years said that they received interviews without having that many hours.

 

[InNae]

Is anyone out there applying to Brown? Given how heavy of a research site it is, I'm surprised to see this:

"We require a minimum of 800 contact hours of formal, supervised practicum training."

I might e-mail them - but does anyone know if they mean 800 face to face by November 1st? That is much higher than other research heavy sites, so I am surprised. Just thought I'd ask here before I e-mail them directly...

Interesting. I'm one of those people who got an interview with fewer hours, but that was some time ago. It's possible they got burned by some under-prepared folks and had to do too much remediation, and now they're thinking that they can filter out less prepared applicants by requiring more hours? In my opinion this is a lapse in logic. It is completely possible to get high quality foundational training and a reasonable amount of more specialized training with fewer hours. More potentially lower quality hours isn't really better than fewer potentially lower quality hours. They'll also lose a lot of applicants from clinical science programs in which students are discouraged from doing much more than the program minimum of (high quality) hours.

Anyone else have some recent insight?

 

[InYourHead]

For # of integrated reports, would concussion notes be counted?

They include a clinical interview, aspects of the WISC, D-KEFS, ImPACT, etc.

Any responses would be helpful!

 

[Ollie123]

I know several people who interviewed recently who had less than that.

My impression is that Brown leaves individual faculty a fair amount of discretion in who they want to invite/rank, so I suspect there is some variance in how strictly they adhere to any guidelines that are set. I can't imagine if one of their senior faculty wanted to interview someone with 20 publications but 790 hours they would not be able to do so.

 

[psychrat]

How are you guys balancing your cover letters in terms of talking about goals for the internship year (since it is supposed to be a training experience), match, and selling yourself?

 

[henri107]

I know several people who interviewed recently who had less than that.

My impression is that Brown leaves individual faculty a fair amount of discretion in who they want to invite/rank, so I suspect there is some variance in how strictly they adhere to any guidelines that are set. I can't imagine if one of their senior faculty wanted to interview someone with 20 publications but 790 hours they would not be able to do so.

Hmm, any sense of how much under the 800 requirement they were? And was it last year they applied and interviewed? My understanding is that was when they switched the minimum to 800.. I'm way under that number (I'm at 625) and would hate to waste the time and money on an application that is certainly going to be thrown out.

 

[IvoryTower2013]

Hmm, any sense of how much under the 800 requirement they were? And was it last year they applied and interviewed? My understanding is that was when they switched the minimum to 800.. I'm way under that number (I'm at 625) and would hate to waste the time and money on an application that is certainly going to be thrown out.

I applied and interviewed there this past cycle with 635 face to face hours. I had a very strong research match with multiple faculty there, perhaps that was taken into account. They never brought up any comments about the hours at the interview.

 

[G Costanza]

How are you guys balancing your cover letters in terms of talking about goals for the internship year (since it is supposed to be a training experience), match, and selling yourself?

It's been challenging for me. I was going to try and stick to 1 page single spaced but I'm having trouble going over.

Talk about your great experiences but don't come off too polished
Be interesting but don't share too much info
Sell yourself but don't be arrogant
Keep it short but make sure you cover everything you need to
Integrate their language but don't come off as brown nosing

It's fun to think of the upcoming adventures but I wouldn't mind being in a field where you don't have to pay $1000's of dollars, write multiple essays, 20 custom cover letters, track every second of training experience all for a 45% change of doing it all over again next year. When did this field get so out of control?

When I told my brother (who has a PhD in engineering) about how I was saving a couple thousand to fly all over the country for internship interviews he said, "You're kidding right?"

I pay my APA membership dues but it's becoming clear that it would be better spent going into a roth IRA every year. At least I'd get something back for it.

So my response derailed pretty quickly. Carry on.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

For # of integrated reports, would concussion notes be counted?

They include a clinical interview, aspects of the WISC, D-KEFS, ImPACT, etc.

Any responses would be helpful!

Probably depends on what you mean by "notes." If it's really just a very brief chart note (e.g., a paragraph), I probably wouldn't count it as a report. However, if it includes some background information/HPI, a review and interpretation of the test scores, and a summary/recommendations portion that integrates (key part) history and current results, then yep, I'd call that an integrated report.

 

[G Costanza]

From Appic:

"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."

 

[psychrat]

It's been challenging for me. I was going to try and stick to 1 page single spaced but I'm having trouble going over.

Talk about your great experiences but don't come off too polished
Be interesting but don't share too much info
Sell yourself but don't be arrogant
Keep it short but make sure you cover everything you need to
Integrate their language but don't come off as brown nosing

It's fun to think of the upcoming adventures but I wouldn't mind being in a field where you don't have to pay $1000's of dollars, write multiple essays, 20 custom cover letters, track every second of training experience all for a 45% change of doing it all over again next year. When did this field get so out of control?

When I told my brother (who has a PhD in engineering) about how I was saving a couple thousand to fly all over the country for internship interviews he said, "You're kidding right?"

I pay my APA membership dues but it's becoming clear that it would be better spent going into a roth IRA every year. At least I'd get something back for it.

So my response derailed pretty quickly. Carry on.

Thanks! Mine are probably going to be around a page and a half. I am also applying to about 20 sites and was shocked when I looked at how much it would cost. I talked to my sister, who has a PhD in the "hard sciences" also, and she was like, "you might as well apply to a lot, it is free to apply, right?" lol....

 

[cara susanna]

APPIC says that cover letters are typically a page and a half single-spaced. I believe that 800 words is the maximum.

It's fun to think of the upcoming adventures but I wouldn't mind being in a field where you don't have to pay $1000's of dollars, write multiple essays, 20 custom cover letters, track every second of training experience all for a 45% change of doing it all over again next year. When did this field get so out of control?

I know exactly what you mean. It's hard to be excited about the future when you have a decent chance of being stuck for another year. And I feel like certain components of the APPIC application could be streamlined or cut out entirely.

 

[G Costanza]

APPIC says that cover letters are typically a page and a half single-spaced. I believe that 800 words is the maximum.



I know exactly what you mean. It's hard to be excited about the future when you have a decent chance of being stuck for another year. And I feel like certain components of the APPIC application could be streamlined or cut out entirely.

I was jokingly telling a friend this process is more in depth than interviewing for a CEO position at a Fortune 500 company. But I bet it's not that different.

Anyone know if resident-seeking doctors track every medical intervention at each site and the demographic of each patient? Do they write four essays? Does their training director have to write a description of each applicant? It doesn't bother me that they want to know this, it's just silly they are so formal about it.

 

[erg923]

no. faculty are often as judgmental, however. At least its not as much work though...

 

[cara susanna]

Do we need our supervisor's signature on our sample case summary? The example that a previous applicant gave me did not have one, but it seems like something that you'd get normally get signed. Thoughts?

 

[Avocadobunny]

Do we need our supervisor's signature on our sample case summary? The example that a previous applicant gave me did not have one, but it seems like something that you'd get normally get signed. Thoughts?

I am struggling with this as well as some of my supplemental materials are from sites I no longer am at and the supervisor doesn't even work there anymore... I have noticed some sites I am applying to specifically ask for a signed assessment report, but don't state that there needs to be a signature on the case summary (although they don't state it doesn't either). For the sites that need a signature, I am considering using coursework and having my professor sign it although I would much rather use work conducted while on practicum. For sites that don't specifically ask for a signature I am not going to worry about it. However, if you are concerned I would say contacting the site is probably the best way to go.

 

[Ollie123]

Just to be certain - to be counted as a "clinical report" in the "Assessment Experience" section it does NOT necessarily need to be an integrated report, correct? I have a ton of reports from groups where people were given brief rating scales (e.g. BDIs) and I generate an intake/termination that is certainly a clinical report, but its not enough to justify calling it an integrated report.

I assume the use of different language across these sections was deliberate but figured I'd make sure I wasn't the only one making that assumption.

 

[researchgirl]

I posted a similar question on 10/3 (scroll up), and I think the answer is yes, you could certainly count an assessment in a clinical report that wasn't integrated - for example, you adminstered the BDI, interpreted it, and used it in a clincial report for an intake, but wouldn't call that integrated.

 

[Ollie123]

I posted a similar question on 10/3 (scroll up), and I think the answer is yes, you could certainly count an assessment in a clinical report that wasn't integrated - for example, you adminstered the BDI, interpreted it, and used it in a clincial report for an intake, but wouldn't call that integrated.

Missed that - thanks!

 

[Always at home]

Do we need our supervisor's signature on our sample case summary? The example that a previous applicant gave me did not have one, but it seems like something that you'd get normally get signed. Thoughts?

CARA SUSANA AND AVOCADO BUNNY:

Not one site wanted a signature on a case summary. I had a few sites that wanted case summaries. I provided the case summary without signatures. There were no problems.

However, some sites did want signatures on the psychological evaluation. I believe I sent in a psychological evaluation without a supervisors signature (on accident) and still received an interview. Obviously, it may have been an oversight on their part. Who knows.

 

[researchgirl]

So, I'm sure my supervisor can help with this, but when we deidentify reports, how much do we need to change? I got rid of all 18 HIPPA identifiers, but what about things like: name of college attended, amount of medication someone is taking, etc.?

 

[PhDToBe]

So, I'm sure my supervisor can help with this, but when we deidentify reports, how much do we need to change? I got rid of all 18 HIPPA identifiers, but what about things like: name of college attended, amount of medication someone is taking, etc.?

Is there a link to these 18 HIPPA identifiers?

i REALLY doubt there's a need to change the amount of meds someone takes. It wouldn't hurt to change the college, but that probably doesn't matter, either.

 

[Solipsism3]

I can't find anywhere on the APPI website that addresses mental status exams, and I'm not sure where (or if) they should be noted. Anyone else listing MSEs under assessment experience/measures? Thanks for any help!

 

[docma]

MSE is not a psychometric or a self-report. While it is an element of any good clinical interview or intake, I don't think it is legitimate to "count" it as a test or measurement in a formal sense.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

MSE is not a psychometric or a self-report. While it is an element of any good clinical interview or intake, I don't think it is legitimate to "count" it as a test or measurement in a formal sense.

If it's the actual MMSE, then you could likely list it, since most folks are going to know what that is. But if it's just a general mental status exam that you've semi-incorporated into your interview, then I agree, I don't know that there's anywhere to list it.

 

[Solipsism3]

Thanks for your replies!

 

[pavlove]

Wow, it's been so quiet in this thread! I guess we're all slaving away at cover letters.

I'm just about finished with preparing my materials (hopefully), and still waiting on my DCT to approve my hours. How is the process going for everyone else? Best wishes as the first application deadlines approach!

 

[PhDMiss2014]

Best wishes to all of you applying this year. The 3 and a half months from the date I submitted my apps to the day I matched last year were the most stressful days of my life. Remember to take time for yourself these next few months. Good luck to all of you !