PhD/PsyD APPIC Internship Interview Invitation Thread (2019)

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I know a lot of you were waiting to hear one way or another. I got a rejection today from the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center. I had applied to the General and St. Jude's tracks.
 
Suggested reframe for everyone waiting to hear back from sites that have already sent out invites (so basically, a ton of us :happy:)...I was talking to my friend who went through match last year and she mentioned that she knew quite a few people who ended up revoking their interviews, after initially accepting, because they found out they got many more interviews later on in the process.

For the past few weeks, I have been thinking about how weird it is that sites don't just reject you within the same week as scheduling their interviews because at that point they obviously know who has accepted an interview or not. However, I was overlooking the possibility that people might cancel their interviews way later in the game. So in a way, even though it feels torturous, the sites that wait until the last day to send out rejections are actually maximizing the amount of time for potential interviewees to back out, thus potentially opening up a spot for another person. I kind of wish sites would still send out some sort of notification saying, "you are on a waiting list..." kind of thing, and it still doesn't mean that the odds are great that someone WILL back out of their interview and you will be next on the list, but it makes me feel a little less frustrated with the protocol of these sites.
 
Official Site Name: Johns Hopkins All Children's
Date Invitation Received: 12/12
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, snapchat): phone call
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): N/A
Offered Interview Dates: UNSURE, I MISSED THE DANG CALL -WAITIN on a call back

Hey what area code was the number? I got a voice mail as well but I’m not sure if it is from this site.


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Official Site Name: University of Florida counseling and wellness center
Date Invitation Received: 12/12
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, snapchat): mass email
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): N/A
Offered Interview Dates: 2 zoom interviews - part 1 Jan 8th-22nd, part 2 Jan 23- Feb 1
 
Official Site Name: University of Tennessee Health Science Center Consortium
Date Invitation Received: 12/12
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, snapchat): Phone call
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): St. Jude
Offered Interview Dates: 1/3, 1/7, 1/24, 1/30
(In honor of last year) If & How you're staying sane: acceptance
 
Official Site Name: University of Washington Counseling Center
Date Invitation Received: 12/12
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, snapchat): personal email
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): N/A
Offered Interview Dates: 1/3-1/9, 1/11
If & How you're staying sane: Keeping my focus 1 day at a time, and wearing really comfy clothes when I'm home binging GOT before bed!
 
It’s like practicum. In NYC it’s a convoluted process almost like a mini version of the match. I ended up in a site that I love but I definitely had some bad interviews!

The main things I have prepared for: talking about myself, a difficult or rewarding case, supervision style/ challenging times with a supervisor, why this site, and just general information about the experiences I’ve had. I’ve also tried to prepare for questions about diversity, self-care, and my strengths and weaknesses as a clinician. The toughest thing for me is always having questions for the site that aren’t dumb and easily answered by the brochure!

It sounds like you've done a great job preparing for these interviews! Best of luck! As far as the questions for them goes, I've gone the route of asking about specific aspects of the program that are unique, like tying it to a related experience you've already had and then asking what to expect in comparison. It helps to show you know the details of their program and are interested!

Thank you that was really helpful! I get nervous about diversity questions because I don’t want to sound ignorant or say the wrong thing. I’m also not sure what to say for a weakness, I was thinking maybe that I can be a perfectionist? But I don’t want to sound bad either lol

Our TD suggests to have a plan of action that you are already following to show that you are not only aware of your growth area but also are making deliberate strides to improve, and discussing it in supervision.
 
What type of interview questions have you guys been asked thus far, or what are some of the common questions? I’m prepping for my first interview tomorrow and am SO nervous!

Best of luck!! Remember that they'll be asking you about yourself. No one know these answers better than you. And the vignettes they give, just imagine it as a class exercise, it may help to take off the pressure of the interview. They expect you to be human - asking for a minute to brainstorm is OK. I've been on internship before, and on 10-15 interviews for practica for the last 5yrs. If you want to talk more about this in a PM, I'm happy to do so!

Also, an old TD of ours was very convinced by the boost of confidence that comes from standing in the superman/woman stance, hands on your hips, straight and chin up, feet apart, for a few minutes before. She would tell us to go to a bathroom and do it once we got to the site, or, if its over the phone, do it right before the phone call.

You got this!!
 
Blue Duck,
Your work is almost done. Again, I hope the karma is coming in buckets.

Official Site Name: SUNY Buffalo Counseling Services
Date Invitation Received: 12/12
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, snapchat): email
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): N/A
Offered Interview Dates: 12/20-1/15
(In honor of last year) If & How you're staying sane
 
Official Site Name: California Psychology Internship Consortium - Department of State Hospitals - Coalinga
Date Invitation Received: 12/12/2018
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, snapchat): mass email
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): Coalinga State Hospital
Offered Interview Dates: TBD
 
Official Site Name: University of Tennessee Health Science Center Consortium
Date Invitation Received: 12/12
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, snapchat): Phone call
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): St. Jude
Offered Interview Dates: 1/3, 1/7, 1/24, 1/30
(In honor of last year) If & How you're staying sane: acceptance


Also received an interview for the General track. Interview dates were same as above plus 1/16.


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Those invited to U of Tennessee, I think they do a group interview at the Boling Center. Pay attention to parking instructions because street parking is free/open at the front of the building but you’ll get a ticket at the back. There are weird empty lots that no one parks in. Don’t park there unless they direct you to. There’s an amazing coffee shop with the best breakfast sandwiches walking distance, called Sunrise Memphis. Mmmm, my mouth waters thinking about it. There’s a ton of great food in Memphis, get dinner recommendations from current interns!

Good luck! It is a great site with amazing training opportunities.
 
Official Site Name: University of Tennessee Health Science Center Consortium
Date Invitation Received: 12/12
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, snapchat): Phone call
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): St. Jude
Offered Interview Dates: 1/3, 1/7, 1/24, 1/30
(In honor of last year) If & How you're staying sane: acceptance
I also recieved an interview for the pediatric track plus the date of 1/18 as an interview option. Good luck everyone!
 
Do you guys think it’s ok to bring a suitcase ( a mildly unprofessional one with Mickey mouse ears lmao) to an interview ?
 
Do you guys think it’s ok to bring a suitcase ( a mildly unprofessional one with Mickey mouse ears lmao) to an interview ?

Ha, if I was a training director and for some reason your qualifications and charisma were not enough, the Mickey Mouse ears would totally place you a notch higher. Though some training directors may think differently than myself pretending to be in the role.
 
Do you guys think it’s ok to bring a suitcase ( a mildly unprofessional one with Mickey mouse ears lmao) to an interview ?

I can't speak specifically to the Mickey Mouse aspect haha, but I went to an interview last week and I think all but 2 people brought their suitcases to the interview. They let us keep them locked up in an office during the day and got them out for us when we were ready to leave.
 
Thank you that was really helpful! I get nervous about diversity questions because I don’t want to sound ignorant or say the wrong thing. I’m also not sure what to say for a weakness, I was thinking maybe that I can be a perfectionist? But I don’t want to sound bad either lol


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This is one of the resources given to my cohort about answering interview questions. It suggests staying away from cliches like “I’m a perfectionist” and “I work too hard.” Hope it helps!

Internship Interview: Questions and Answers | Career Advice & Interview Tips | WayUp Guide

Also, this gal’s videos are helpful. Here’s one on weaknesses:



Good luck!!
 
This is one of the resources given to my cohort about answering interview questions. It suggests staying away from cliches like “I’m a perfectionist” and “I work too hard.” Hope it helps!

Internship Interview: Questions and Answers | Career Advice & Interview Tips | WayUp Guide

Also, this gal’s videos are helpful. Here’s one on weaknesses:



Good luck!!


Thank you! I will not be using that weakness now


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Got to my first interview an hour early because I wanted to make sure the taxi didn’t make me late (there were no Ubers in the area!) so now I’m just sitting here hoping they don’t think I’m neurotic .... lol

Oh, is that you in the lobby that I passed on my way in?




Jk
 
Got to my first interview an hour early because I wanted to make sure the taxi didn’t make me late (there were no Ubers in the area!) so now I’m just sitting here hoping they don’t think I’m neurotic .... lol


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I'm super early to every interview. I think it's pretty understandable to be on the early side when in locations you don't know. It also gives me time to ground myself before interviewing. If you're rushing last minute then going into an anxiety provoking situation, then they compound one another.

Sometimes I'll hide in a local coffee shop (or the car depending on the situation), so I'm not there "too" early.

Good luck!
 
I'm super early to every interview. I think it's pretty understandable to be on the early side when in locations you don't know. It also gives me time to ground myself before interviewing. If you're rushing last minute then going into an anxiety provoking situation, then they compound one another.

Sometimes I'll hide in a local coffee shop (or the car depending on the situation), so I'm not there "too" early.

Good luck!

I was once 15 minutes early to a post doc interview and you would have thought by their reactions that I had committed a grievous sin rather than the fact that I was driving through Bay Area traffic to an unknown area and wanted to make sure I was on time.

Needless to say, they didn’t make my list of places I’d ever want to work.
 
Official Site Name: IUPUI CAPS
Date Invitation Received:12/12
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, snapchat): personal email
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums):n/a
Offered Interview Dates: 1/2-1/11 via zoom

Official Site Name:
Florida Gulf Coast University Counseling and Psychological Services
Date Invitation Received: 12/12
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, snapchat): mass email
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): n/a
Offered Interview Dates: 1/2 to 1/9
 
Has anyone received a rejection from University of Kansas Medical Center?

Applied to the underserved population track and haven't heard anything. I am assuming a rejection is coming since the invites are already out.
 
I wanted to add that I too got invited to St. Jude's, however, I received an email late last night! Have they confirmed anyone's dates yet?

Official Site Name: Child and Family Guidance Center (Northridge, CA)
Date Invitation Received: 12/11
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, snapchat): personal email
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): n/a
Offered Interview Dates: Dec 13-21, Jan 4-29 (call to schedule, in person or phone)
(In honor of last year) If & How you're staying sane
: shopping
 
Applied to the underserved population track and haven't heard anything. I am assuming a rejection is coming since the invites are already out.

Same! I’d love to just KNOW so I can finalize travel plans this week. Their notification date is 12/31 but their first interviews are tomorrow.
 
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