2015-2016 Post-Doc Thread

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stw2010 said:
I have definitely heard similar. I was told around 5-6 is fine and that most find the post docs they want. ::fingers crossed::
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I applied for 11, and might apply for more if I see programs that are of interest. I also thought that you don't have to do more than about 5, but then I was told that 10-15 is better. I guess it all depends on the area of interest also.
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stw2010 said:
How's everyone doing with post doc apps?

I'm enjoying that they are pretty uniform for me in the materials (cv, cover letter, letters and sometimes representative publications).

Also I am not sure about others in how your choosing post docs. For example, at this stage it definitely is about fit but also to a larger degree about location and where I see myself settling down. How about for you all?
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I'm only interested in hospital/ forensic sites, so I've applied to most facilities of that type that I received an email about. Unfortunately, many of them are in very small towns that I probably wouldn't want to settle down in, but I figured that I can live anywhere for a year.
 
The "we are reviewing your application" email from Minneapolis VA made my heart race
 
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vixenz24 said:
I didn't like this process at all. For internship, sources were able to just upload one letter to the system, and all sites could access it. For this process, I have to ask my sources for individual letters to be sent separately to each site, and I really don't like bothering people so much even if they don't mind. Also, there's no list of all available programs, as you never know if you'll get another email about a program you might like. And since most programs don't use the APPA CAS system, they don't have a set date for notification, interviews, offers, etc. Internship process involved more pressure, as it was required, but it was way more streamlined and organized, whereas this is just pure chaos.
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I meant the overall interview and offer experience, not the logistical stuff or application submission process by itself. APPA CAS was horrible.
 
Updated the list! Need to organize a bit more but for now I hope it's clear. So tired! Goodnight and good luck to all. :)
 
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vixenz24 said:
I didn't like this process at all. For internship, sources were able to just upload one letter to the system, and all sites could access it. For this process, I have to ask my sources for individual letters to be sent separately to each site, and I really don't like bothering people so much even if they don't mind. Also, there's no list of all available programs, as you never know if you'll get another email about a program you might like. And since most programs don't use the APPA CAS system, they don't have a set date for notification, interviews, offers, etc. Internship process involved more pressure, as it was required, but it was way more streamlined and organized, whereas this is just pure chaos.
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You're preaching to the choir, here. Plenty of us in the field who have pushed for uniform notification dates, match process, etc for the postdoc process. In neuro,it goes back and forth each year. If you're in position with some leeway as a faculty/staff at a training site in the future, remember this feeling and push for change. It's going to take a lot of us.
 
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vixenz24 said:
I applied for 11, and might apply for more if I see programs that are of interest. I also thought that you don't have to do more than about 5, but then I was told that 10-15 is better. I guess it all depends on the area of interest also.
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I actually just ended up applying to 4. Which is probably on the low end and includes the site I am currently at. I'm not sure if this is a difference between those applying for research fellowships and those applying to clinical ones? Any one have thoughts on this? And want to share how many sites they applied to?

Edit: I also geographically restricted myself since I'm at a place in my life where I just want to be closer to where home is.
 
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stw2010 said:
I actually just ended up applying to 4. Which is probably on the low end and includes the site I am currently at. I'm not sure if this is a difference between those applying for research fellowships and those applying to clinical ones? Any one have thoughts on this? And want to share how many sites they applied to?

Edit: I also geographically restricted myself since I'm at a place in my life where I just want to be closer to where home is.
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I applied to 13 clinical sites on APPA CAS and 5 not on that site. Because the internship process was so horrible, I figured I would apply to a lot of postdocs because I am now paranoid about my chances. Realistically you probably only need to apply to 6 or 7. I also wanted to limit myself geographically this time to be closer to my s.o. I feel I've earned that luxury now. :) So far 3 interviews and 1 rejection.

Did anyone apply to Salud Health Centers in Colorado? I heard back when they received the application, but no word yet on interviews.
 
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stw2010 said:
I actually just ended up applying to 4. Which is probably on the low end and includes the site I am currently at. I'm not sure if this is a difference between those applying for research fellowships and those applying to clinical ones? Any one have thoughts on this? And want to share how many sites they applied to?

Edit: I also geographically restricted myself since I'm at a place in my life where I just want to be closer to where home is.
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I also ended up applying to 5 (clinical) sites all through APPA CAS. I started off with more but ended up applying to fewer as I moved through the process. I personally think the area/tracks you are interested in makes a difference. My area of interest is, fortunately, not super popular so I feel like I am competing with fewer applicants for a lot of spots. At least, I hope I am!
 
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stw2010 said:
I actually just ended up applying to 4. Which is probably on the low end and includes the site I am currently at. I'm not sure if this is a difference between those applying for research fellowships and those applying to clinical ones? Any one have thoughts on this? And want to share how many sites they applied to?

Edit: I also geographically restricted myself since I'm at a place in my life where I just want to be closer to where home is.
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I applied to 9 total--5 research-focused sites, and 4 VAs (two with a heavy research focus). It seems like for research fellowships it highly depends on whether or not grant-funding is obtained, so I think that makes it a bit more complicated. I've consistently heard 4-6 is pretty standard, but I imagine it depends on a lot of factors, like geography as you mentioned.
 
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As a perspective from the other side. I applied to 8 total, very geographically spread out. I wanted to get some more info on some sites. When it was all said and done after interviews, maybe 5 of those were places I was still interested in. This was before the APPACAS days. Had to get everything by hand and make packets to send to people.
 
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Updated! Has anyone gotten a formal rejection from the Hampton VA Women's Mental Health and Trauma? Alternatively, has anyone heard good new from Bedford/Edith Nourse? I didn't end up applying to that many post-docs; got so burned out! Submitting a few job apps instead... we'll see.
 
Has anyone received any rejections? I was under the impression that sites would notify you if you were no longer being considered (much in the same way they did with internship interviews). However, I was informed that this form of etiquette does not necessarily extend to post-docs, and that it is not uncommon to not receive any kind of notification if your application has in fact been rejected. So, I'm curious as to which sites have sent out rejections.
 
vonhoneybee said:
Has anyone received any rejections? I was under the impression that sites would notify you if you were no longer being considered (much in the same way they did with internship interviews). However, I was informed that this form of etiquette does not necessarily extend to post-docs, and that it is not uncommon to not receive any kind of notification if your application has in fact been rejected. So, I'm curious as to which sites have sent out rejections.
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Portland VA let me know that my application is still under consideration, but they are not offering me a phone interview at this time. It was a very nice email. Not technically a rejection, but at least letting me know about my status.
 
psychchica80 said:
Portland VA let me know that my application is still under consideration, but they are not offering me a phone interview at this time. It was a very nice email. Not technically a rejection, but at least letting me know about my status.
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That's very considerate of them! Do you mind sharing (publicly or privately) which track this was for?
 
I have received one rejection. However, in some of the brochures that I read, it said things that suggest that you might continue to be under consideration until all of their positions are filled. This makes me think that we could be left hanging as back-ups in case all slots aren't filled. I heard something from my training director about around 30% of VA post-doc positions remaining unfilled after the notification date last year, so who knows!
 
vonhoneybee said:
Has anyone received any rejections? I was under the impression that sites would notify you if you were no longer being considered (much in the same way they did with internship interviews). However, I was informed that this form of etiquette does not necessarily extend to post-docs, and that it is not uncommon to not receive any kind of notification if your application has in fact been rejected. So, I'm curious as to which sites have sent out rejections.
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There's rejections listed on the main post, here. I've gotten one from Northern CA VA- beh med track. I assume it just depends on the site.
 
I have a question re: communication post-interview w/ sites. I know that the rules are a bit different than internship, but that almost increases the amount of ambiguity- like does that mean we are expected to reveal more info about where the site stands (particularly for top choices)? Wondering if I can get some idea of what others have done in the past.
 
For those of you who have been on VA postdoc interviews, what kinds of questions did you get asked? Did it feel similar to an internship interview? Less stressful/more conversational?
 
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NeonNoire said:
I have a question re: communication post-interview w/ sites. I know that the rules are a bit different than internship, but that almost increases the amount of ambiguity- like does that mean we are expected to reveal more info about where the site stands (particularly for top choices)? Wondering if I can get some idea of what others have done in the past.
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I didn't feel pressured, if that helps.
 
So I'm applying in California to both formal postdoc positions and regular jobs. I have a couple of job interviews coming up, and I have noticed that employers (e.g., for a tenure-track professor position) are very confused about what they would be required to provide in order for me to get licensed after my first year of work.

My question: has anyone found clear resources about how to get license requirements met outside of an accredited postdoc program. I tried to read the APA codes and they are ambiguous about what would count as the 4 hours of supervision weekly, etc. It doesn't even clearly state that in CA research and teaching are appropriate tasks for clinical licensure. Any help (or commiseration) would be great.
 
timshel14 said:
So I'm applying in California to both formal postdoc positions and regular jobs. I have a couple of job interviews coming up, and I have noticed that employers (e.g., for a tenure-track professor position) are very confused about what they would be required to provide in order for me to get licensed after my first year of work.

My question: has anyone found clear resources about how to get license requirements met outside of an accredited postdoc program. I tried to read the APA codes and they are ambiguous about what would count as the 4 hours of supervision weekly, etc. It doesn't even clearly state that in CA research and teaching are appropriate tasks for clinical licensure. Any help (or commiseration) would be great.
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As a native Californian, I don't believe research and teaching count as viable hours for licensure in CA. However, I would contact the CA Board of Psychology (http://www.psychology.ca.gov/index.shtml) and maybe speak with someone directly to get a better understanding and more clarity.
 
Hi! Thanks for this site, it's awesome! I was wondering if anyone has heard (or knows anyone who has) from the San Diego VA.
 
vonhoneybee said:
Has anyone received any rejections? I was under the impression that sites would notify you if you were no longer being considered (much in the same way they did with internship interviews). However, I was informed that this form of etiquette does not necessarily extend to post-docs, and that it is not uncommon to not receive any kind of notification if your application has in fact been rejected. So, I'm curious as to which sites have sent out rejections.
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I received a rejection today from Circles of Care hospital in Melbourne, FL. I think I saw some other rejection notifications posted on the master thread. But my friend who went through this 2 years ago, said that there were several sites that she didn't hear anything from.
 
anyone heard from VA Long Beach- PSR track?

Edit: got it!
 
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timshel14 said:
So I'm applying in California to both formal postdoc positions and regular jobs. I have a couple of job interviews coming up, and I have noticed that employers (e.g., for a tenure-track professor position) are very confused about what they would be required to provide in order for me to get licensed after my first year of work.

My question: has anyone found clear resources about how to get license requirements met outside of an accredited postdoc program. I tried to read the APA codes and they are ambiguous about what would count as the 4 hours of supervision weekly, etc. It doesn't even clearly state that in CA research and teaching are appropriate tasks for clinical licensure. Any help (or commiseration) would be great.
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Research definitely counts for CA licensure (as long as it's mental health related). Not sure about teaching. I called the Board and then followed up on an email for documentation purposes. I highly recommend doing so for peace of mind. I'm not doing a formal postdoc and have found a lot of confusion about what counts (for example, zero clinical postdoc hours are needed in CA (they can all be research), but many people think they are required). Your supervisor must be licensed in CA though and sup = 10% of work I believe
 
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I'm still waiting to hear from four sites...at what point should I consider them a "no"? It's still a little early, but was hoping to hear from everyone by end of this week or next.
 
miles1995 said:
Hi! Thanks for this site, it's awesome! I was wondering if anyone has heard (or knows anyone who has) from the San Diego VA.
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I emailed them asking about application review status. They said they had a staff meeting yesterday to decide who they would extend offers to and would be making phone calls towards the end of this week.
 
President_LeslieKnope said:
Has anyone heard from the Milwaukee VA? Last site I'm waiting to hear back from!
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One of my friends is a current postdoc there. They told me that most tracks, aside from neuropsych, only started reviewing applications on Tuesday. So some tracks might be super-quick and let people know by tomorrow. But, most tracks, including the one my friend is in, won't be sending anything out until next week.
 
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kitkat81 said:
One of my friends is a current postdoc there. They told me that most tracks, aside from neuropsych, only started reviewing applications on Tuesday. So some tracks might be super-quick and let people know by tomorrow. But, most tracks, including the one my friend is in, won't be sending anything out until next week.
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Super helpful, thanks much!!
 
Hey everyone! Has anyone heard from UCLA TIES for Families or Harbor-UCLA Child and Adolescent Psychiatry? Thanks so much!
 
Still waiting to hear back from a few sites and wanted to know if anyone has heard anything from West LA VA Health Psychology Track?
 
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Has anyone heard anything from Cambridge Health Alliance? For any track?
 
kitkat81 said:
One of my friends is a current postdoc there. They told me that most tracks, aside from neuropsych, only started reviewing applications on Tuesday. So some tracks might be super-quick and let people know by tomorrow. But, most tracks, including the one my friend is in, won't be sending anything out until next week.
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Do you know if neuropsych has offered interviews yet or just that they have been reviewing applications for a while?
 
Has anyone heard from any of these sites?: Eastern Colorado VA, South Texas VA, or U. of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
 
Any advice for 1 hour long phone interviews for VAs? Possible questions asked?
 
ChiPhD99 said:
I'm still waiting to hear from four sites...at what point should I consider them a "no"? It's still a little early, but was hoping to hear from everyone by end of this week or next.
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I'm still waiting to hear from 7, and some of those have application deadlines that haven't passed yet. It's highly variable for every site, so seems like there's still some time.
 
Question: I submitted all of my APPA CAS applications and never received notification that they were verified. All of the material was uploaded on time. I am concerned that sites won't consider me despite this bc they are not verified. I received two rejections from none APPA CAS sites so am worried.
 
psychrat said:
Question: I submitted all of my APPA CAS applications and never received notification that they were verified. All of the material was uploaded on time. I am concerned that sites won't consider me despite this bc they are not verified. I received two rejections from none APPA CAS sites so am worried.
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Depends on the site. Where I've been, as long as the application was all there (some were unverified until after the date due to letter writers or transcripts not being in yet) we still reviewed them.
 
psychrat said:
Question: I submitted all of my APPA CAS applications and never received notification that they were verified. All of the material was uploaded on time. I am concerned that sites won't consider me despite this bc they are not verified. I received two rejections from none APPA CAS sites so am worried.?
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On the APPA site, do they show as completed?
 
psychrat said:
How do I tell? I see submitted in the history section. And everything was uploaded.
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On the homepage, if you click 'Manage My Programs' on the left-hand side, then click 'Program Status' in the upper-right, it'll take you to a page where you can see each application's verification status. All three arrows should be green to signify a complete application.
 
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