Any current or former forensic post-docs out there?

[coloradocutter]

Hey everybody. Is there anyone out there who is a current or former forensic post-doc?

What kind of predoctoral internship experience do you think would increase an applicant's prospects?

A little about my dilemna: I am applying to internship this year. However, I am strongly considering ranking a less forensic consortia site pretty high because of the breadth of training in areas that would likely help me in forensic evaluations especially with youth. Most of my other options are BOPs and state hospitals that offer no or little experience with juveniles. Just wondering if there are any perspectives on that. I don't want to hurt my chances for postdoc, and I will do what I have got to do. (Other random factoids: I am currently in a forensic lab in a nonforensic program and about 60% of my current hours are in a correctional setting. I also have a JD but got it before, not as part of a psych/law program.)

Thanks for any thoughts!

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[docma]

If your long term goal is to work with youth, getting adolescent experience now could be invaluable. Your have lots of legal/forensic depth but if you want a career outside of BOP and potentially in youth detention/forensics, you need some experience with that developmental stage, family court, etc. I would think. Since many adult forensic cases are actually developmentally still in adolescence anyway, I think direct experience with youth and families makes sense. I am not a current or future post-doc so maybe don't understand whether you need to have a formal post-doc. With the right experience in pre-doc you would have the option of just entering a job where you accrued post-doctoral hours prior to licensure.

 

[coloradocutter]

Thanks docma! I have gotten similar advice from others. Haven't heard any go for BOP arguments yet. The consortia sites have other sacrifices (longer hours, much lower stipend) than the BOP sites and a few state hospitals. I really loved one BOP, which surprised me. I loved the supervisors and training. Exceptional. I have a family and my husband's income is fixed right now due to some personal circumstances, so the money is an issue. It's lower down on the list. But I wonder how happy I will be with training if I have to sacrifice on where we live, acvitities for my kids so much. I think I have to factor it in a different way than those who don't have kiddos. However, I know the training is the most important factor.