APPIC Interview Invitation Thread (2021)

[mamux]

By externship do you mean a practicum that is done during your program, like while you also take classes? Or is it something different?

As far as I know, you can do externship (which is unpaid) when you finish your graduate courses.

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[Spydra]

As far as I know, you can do externship (which is unpaid) when you finish your graduate courses.

Hmmm this may be different from practicums then.

 

[psychicago]

As far as I know, you can do externship (which is unpaid) when you finish your graduate courses.

In my program, practicum and externship are synonymous.

Edit: This may be because all of our clinical training opportunities are outside of our program (i.e., with academic medical centers, VA, etc in the city). However, to my knowledge this is also the typical terminology in Chicago/Chicagoland broadly.

 

[PSYchedAndStressed]

I've seen a few people, myself included, wondering about UPenn's child/developmental disabilities track interview offers since the APPIC date listed was 12/1. Below is an update posted on their website today. Fingers crossed for all of us waiting on emails!

UPDATE 12/2/2020: Interview invitations for the adult track have been sent out. Invitations for the child/developmental disabilities track will go out by 12/8. We apologize for the delay.

 

[psykhe]

One lonely DM AND an important reminder!

Official Site Name: Weill Cornell/New York Presbyterian Hospital (Cornell Campus)
Date Invitation Received: 12/1/20
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, Snapchat): Personal email
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): n/a, one track
Interview Dates Offered: Jan 7, 8, 11, 12

 

[USA_Troll]

Has anybody heard from James Haley VA?

Not yet...

 

[SubCorNeuroGal]

Do you know people who have not matched and applied to the sites that rejected previously rejected them during the next application cycle?

My clinical supervisor (neuropsych) applied in year four for neuropsych sites and did not match. She waited a year, (6 years total) and improved her dissertation, received additional hours, and re-applied to many of the same sites. Received tons of interviews and matched at her top site. A rejection one year does not equate to a rejection the following year or in post doc, at least based on what she shared with me .

 

[neuropsychnerd15]

Official Site Name: Rusk Rehabilitation/NYU Langone
Date Invitation Received: 12/3/20
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, Snapchat): Personal email
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): Adult Track
Interview Dates Offered: asked to specify availability between December 10 to January 22

 

[schoolpsych2020]

Official Site Name: Rusk Rehabilitation/NYU Langone
Date Invitation Received: 12/3/20
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, Snapchat): Personal email
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): One Track
Interview Dates Offered: asked to specify availability between December 10 to January 22

Congrats! I'm still waiting on this one!

 

[onlymatchvibes]

I also strongly suspect this is possible, but still hope that virtual interviews remain a permanent new normal. The insane travel and cost burden was absurd with zero guarantees. Now if virtual interviews do remain a thing I hope APPIC mandates a cap on how many sites applicants can apply to like the system literally won't allow you to choose more than 15. Seriously 15 is enough, I don't care what the circumstances.



It would not surprise me in the least if this batch of students who seriously got screwed finally gathered what they needed to be able to apply to internship and then sent out a crapload of applications, like 25+, with the hopes of matching anywhere and getting their degree before its threatened again. I think there has been so much focus on their student debt burden no one was looking at what internship and licensing might be like for them. Now we may be seeing it and some of us may end up unintended collateral damage.



I will admit that for some time waiting until the following year has been my preferred contingency plan over Phase II or Post Match. The latter two are still contingency plans and it is way too early for me to have to go the contingency route, but I do know that I am not willing to go just anywhere. I had that openness for programs and the misery that ensued has been more than anyone should ever have to endure. The following year option does have to be done strategically otherwise it won't help. With that option dissertation should be close to or totally done and perhaps another publication. If hours weren't the concern the first time around then it might make more sense to diversify the type of hours rather than just accrue more for the sake of more.

I wouldn’t judge an entire group of students’ training and application behavior based on articles you may have read about what happened. This is likely a competitive year for a variety of reasons. It may be more productive to support each other than look for scapegoats for “collateral damage.”

 

[ha12301]

Official Site Name: Rusk Rehabilitation/NYU Langone
Date Invitation Received: 12/3/20
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, Snapchat): Personal email
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): i applied to both adult and child, however the email didnt specify which one i was invited for
Interview Dates Offered: asked to specify availability between December 10 to January 22
(In honor of years past) If & how you’re staying sane: trying to stay busy and prepare for interviews

 

[dcpsychdoc]

Does anybody know if I can apply to externship and internship simultaneously (not at the same sites though)?

In what way are you defining “externship” and “internship?” And, why are you considering this? It is not possible to do both at once, based on how we define those terms.

 

[arb5309]

Rejection email from Pittsburgh VA

 

[anxioustudent]

Rejection from Pittsburgh VA 12/3

 

[mamux]

In what way are you defining “externship” and “internship?” And, why are you considering this? It is not possible to do both at once, based on how we define those terms.

I view externship as an opportunity to spend an additional year in a “practicum” outside of my program and a way to gain additional skills to be a more competitive trainee for the internship. Not getting interviews may be a sign that there are some gaps that need to be filled with additional skills. This is how I am explaining myself why I have only rejections and 0 invitations. But maybe I am wrong 🤔

 

[Neurogeek91]

Earlier in the thread someone listed questions we should be prepared for during interviews, but I can't find it! Can anyone share questions their DCTs or supervisors have suggested we prepare for? Thank you!!!

 

[PsyD121]

Rejection from Heritage Clinic 12/2

 

[sampsyd123]

Thank you for sharing this helpful insight. I do agree that it only takes one, but after all of the years of training I think most of us want to feel like the desirable applicants we've worked hard to be and have a few choices to rank rather than everything boiling down to literally one option.



All of the advice I've been given is dress appropriately for an interview and definitely wear appropriate bottoms in case you have to get up for some reason (e.g., grab something, switch computers). For general video conferencing the advice I have been given is keep jewelry to a minimum and make sure it doesn't reflect light, avoid patterns that may look too busy or be distracting, sleeveless shirts (even professional one's) make your arms look fatter on camera so perhaps not the best choice, and if wearing glasses tip them slightly to reduce the screen glare.

What does my body size have to do with my interview?

 

[hsiren]

Official Site Name: Clemson University CAPS
Date Invitation Received: 12/03/20
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, Snapchat): Mass (appearing) email
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): General track - no other options
Interview dates offered: 1/4/20-1/12/20 via Sign-Up Genius Link (45 minute interviews...I'm a little concerned about this because how will I get a feel for the site in 45 minutes? Any tips appreciated, but we shall see!)

 

[counselingpsychstudent]

Thank you for sharing this helpful insight. I do agree that it only takes one, but after all of the years of training I think most of us want to feel like the desirable applicants we've worked hard to be and have a few choices to rank rather than everything boiling down to literally one option.



All of the advice I've been given is dress appropriately for an interview and definitely wear appropriate bottoms in case you have to get up for some reason (e.g., grab something, switch computers). For general video conferencing the advice I have been given is keep jewelry to a minimum and make sure it doesn't reflect light, avoid patterns that may look too busy or be distracting, sleeveless shirts (even professional one's) make your arms look fatter on camera so perhaps not the best choice, and if wearing glasses tip them slightly to reduce the screen glare.

The comment about sleeveless shirts/arms is fatphobic. If a site does not want to work with someone because of the size of their body, then that is likely a toxic site and somewhere you do not want to be.

 

[neurobrain1]

Anyone hear anything from the bedford VA yet? Best of luck to everyone in this process!!

 

[counselingpsychstudent]

Official Site Name: Washington DC VA Medical Center
Date Invitation Received: 12/2/20
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, Snapchat): Email
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): General
Interview dates offered: 1/5, 1/7, 1/8, 1/11

Official Site Name: Leavenworth VA
Date Invitation Received: 11/24/20
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, Snapchat): Email
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): General
Interview dates offered: 1/7, 1/8, 1/14, 1/15

Official Site Name: Topeka VA
Date Invitation Received: 11/20/20
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, Snapchat): Email
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): General
Interview dates offered: 1/6, 1/8, 1/19, 1/21

Rejected from Philly VA on 12/3 via email

 

[clinicaldoc2020]

Has anyone heard from Penn State Health Milton. S Hershey Medical Center?

 

[clinicaldoc2020]

Has anyone heard from Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center?

 

[mypointlesspov]

I view externship as an opportunity to spend an additional year in a “practicum” outside of my program and a way to gain additional skills to be a more competitive trainee for the internship. Not getting interviews may be a sign that there are some gaps that need to be filled with additional skills. This is how I am explaining myself why I have only rejections and 0 invitations. But maybe I am wrong 🤔

IIRC you can apply to internship and externship/practica at the same time, but you need a good-ass reason, approval from your DCT, and you need to tell externships that you're applying to internships concurrently. YMMV though, as these instructions were specific to NY/NJ.

 

[anxioustudent]

Official Site Name: Washington DC VA Medical Center
Date Invitation Received: 12/2/20
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, Snapchat): Email
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): General
Interview dates offered: 1/5, 1/7, 1/8, 1/11

Official Site Name: Leavenworth VA
Date Invitation Received: 11/24/20
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, Snapchat): Email
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): General
Interview dates offered: 1/7, 1/8, 1/14, 1/15

Official Site Name: Topeka VA
Date Invitation Received: 11/20/20
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, Snapchat): Email
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): General
Interview dates offered: 1/6, 1/8, 1/19, 1/21

Rejected from Philly VA on 12/3 via email

Do you know if the DC email was a personal or mass email? Waiting to hear from them 🤞🏼

 

[inpursuitphdpsych]

Hello - I am sitting twiddling my thumbs waiting for responses from all but three of my sites. Anyone else in this situation? I've gotten two rejections and one invitation...but haven't heard back from any other sites!

Yup, I'm in a similar position. One rejection, two offers, haven't heard anything from the rest. I am hopeful because other sites I applied to but haven't heard from have not been discussed on here, so perhaps they're still reviewing. Fingers crossed that interview offers are on their way to your inbox soon!

 

[Spydra]

What does my body size have to do with my interview?

The comment about sleeveless shirts/arms is fatphobic. If a site does not want to work with someone because of the size of their body, then that is likely a toxic site and somewhere you do not want to be.

These were both points I raised when sites started announcing a shift to video and I was given suggestions on what to do/not do. I certainly agree it shouldn't matter, but the response I was given boiled down to 'is it worth providing any additional reason (regardless of how stupid or unfair) to be overlooked or written off when there is already enough riding on the interview?' I personally think we're already unfairly judged on a multitude of things, so for me going sleeveless is not something else I'm willing to add to that pile. Ultimately we should all do what we feel is best for us, but if anyone is concerned about how they might appear on camera it certainly doesn't hurt to do a few practices or take still shots to test different outfits and lighting. I'll admit I did a lot of testing with my face products to make sure I don't look oily or shiny.

 

[neuropsychnerd15]

Official Site Name: LIJ/Zucker Hillside Hospital (Northwell Health)
Date Invitation Received: 12/3/20
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, Snapchat): Mass Email
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): Neuropsychology
Interview dates offered: Info Session: 01/04, 01/05, 01/06 AND Interviews: 01/12, 01/14, 01/19, 01/20

 

[counselingpsychstudent]

Do you know if the DC email was a personal or mass email? Waiting to hear from them 🤞🏼

Hi there! I am not sure how to tell.

 

[anxioustudent]

Hi there! I am not sure how to tell.

Thanks for responding! Was it addressed to you by name or did it say something generic like “dear applicant”? Thanks again! And congrats on the invite!

 

[counselingpsychstudent]

Thanks for responding! Was it addressed to you by name or did it say something generic like “dear applicant”? Thanks again! And congrats on the invite!

No problem! It said my name. And thank you!

 

[mamux]

IIRC you can apply to internship and externship/practica at the same time, but you need a good-ass reason, approval from your DCT, and you need to tell externships that you're applying to internships concurrently. YMMV though, as these instructions were specific to NY/NJ.

I appreciate your response but I am confused now. Are you saying that the student doesn’t have a right to withdraw from the internship application process if, let’s say, it doesn’t go the way the student predicted? What is considered a “good reason” and why does the student need a permission to go a different direction (i.e., enhance/add skills and prepare better for the next year)?

 

[kayfay89]

Anyone heard from the VA Maine or Robley Rex VA in Louisville Kentucky yet? Deadline for date notifications is tomorrow and I am waiting in anxious fear and anticipation.

 

[Rwmccormic]

Official Site Name: Illinois State University
Date Invitation Received: 12/3/20
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, Snapchat): Personal email
Interview Dates Offered: Jan 4, 5, 6, 7, & 8

 

[missplum]

Earlier in the thread someone listed questions we should be prepared for during interviews, but I can't find it! Can anyone share questions their DCTs or supervisors have suggested we prepare for? Thank you!!!

This is what I posted earlier, but it's from Time2Track not DCTs. I hope it helps https://time2track.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Sample-APPIC-Internship-Interview-Questions.pdf

 

[schoolpsych2020]

Has anyone heard from NYU Rusk child track?

 

[AlmostaPhD]

I appreciate your response but I am confused now. Are you saying that the student doesn’t have a right to withdraw from the internship application process if, let’s say, it doesn’t go the way the student predicted? What is considered a “good reason” and why does the student need a permission to go a different direction (i.e., enhance/add skills and prepare better for the next year)?

I think you might be in a different kind of program than many of us are? My externships were always arranged by the program and were our paid GA positions (i.e., what we did to get our stipends and tuition remission instead of being a TA or being on a faculty grant). Students would submit a list of externships they were interested in from the catalog of options with which the program had a financial agreement in the spring and would start in the summer. It was post-internship apps and if someone had the misfortune of not matching they would still be able to be funded in the dept. This is a clinical psych PhD program at a large university. I know things run a little different in NYC, for example.

 

[anxioustudent]

Anyone heard from the VA Maine or Robley Rex VA in Louisville Kentucky yet? Deadline for date notifications is tomorrow and I am waiting in anxious fear and anticipation.

Did you get an email from Robley Rex that said “We are currently reviewing applications and will be in contact early in December to schedule virtual interviews. In the interim, we want you to “save the date” for our Virtual Open House, which is Friday, December 18th from 9:00 EST to 4:30 EST.”? That’s all I got but I assumed that went to everyone and didn’t mean I was getting an interview necessarily

 

[hsiren]

Earlier in the thread someone listed questions we should be prepared for during interviews, but I can't find it! Can anyone share questions their DCTs or supervisors have suggested we prepare for? Thank you!!!

I made a document where I broke questions out into categories because anxiety It includes questions from my TD, VA materials I found online, T2T Blog, questions reported on here, and Dr. Chen's Grad Corner Blog. Here ya go! Feel free to share.

 

[kayfay89]

I thought the VA Maine's notification deadline was December 7th, as stated on their APPIC page. But I see the fourth in their brochure. So, who knows!

Their brochure says applicants invited for interviews will hear back by tomorrow, so I’m anxious to hear anything today and tomorrow. Ugh. This anxiety is killing me.

 

[cortisolace]

I made a document where I broke questions out into categories because anxiety It includes questions from my TD, VA materials I found online, T2T Blog, and Dr. Chen's Grad Corner Blog. Here ya go!

Thank you for this!

 

[kayfay89]

Did you get an email from Robley Rex that said “We are currently reviewing applications and will be in contact early in December to schedule virtual interviews. In the interim, we want you to “save the date” for our Virtual Open House, which is Friday, December 18th from 9:00 EST to 4:30 EST.”? That’s all I got but I assumed that went to everyone and didn’t mean I was getting an interview necessarily

Yes, I got that. I assumed the same thing, haven’t set that date in stone yet until I hear from them.

 

[hsiren]

Thank you for this!

You're so welcome! Hope it's helpful This is how I manage my anxiety...gathering ALL the resources.

 

[hsiren]

I think you might be in a different kind of program than many of us are? My externships were always arranged by the program and were our paid GA positions (i.e., what we did to get our stipends and tuition remission instead of being a TA or being on a faculty grant). Students would submit a list of externships they were interested in from the catalog of options with which the program had a financial agreement in the spring and would start in the summer. It was post-internship apps and if someone had the misfortune of not matching they would still be able to be funded in the dept. This is a clinical psych PhD program at a large university. I know things run a little different in NYC, for example.

Wow'd that you get paid for those, that's awesome

 

[teach4all]

Official Site Name: Kaiser Permanente Fresno
Date Invitation Received: December 2, 2020, 9:23pm EST
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, Snapchat): personal email
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): N/A
Interview Dates Offered: January 6, 13, 14 from 8am-12pm

 

[AlmostaPhD]

Wow'd that you get paid for those, that's awesome

I mean there were some volunteer ones you could do like 1 day/week on top of other things, but it's pretty typical in university-based clinical PhD programs for students to do paid practica (20 hours/week, stipend not amazing but something). I'm faculty now and our students don't work for free .

 

[hsiren]

I mean there were some volunteer ones you could do like 1 day/week on top of other things, but it's pretty typical in university-based clinical PhD programs for students to do paid practica (20 hours/week, stipend not amazing but something). I'm faculty now and our students don't work for free .

That's amazing! We do *all* of our practica for free and on top of that take classes, do research, and most of us teach 2 sections of an undergraduate course as an assistantship for which we are comically (cries) underpaid. I'm in a counseling psych PhD program and my friend in my uni's clinical psych PhD program is in the same boat. Kudos to your program for valuing the work of your students and not exploiting them. <3 (Sorry for derailing interview thread, this was awesome to hear)

 

[missplum]

I mean there were some volunteer ones you could do like 1 day/week on top of other things, but it's pretty typical in university-based clinical PhD programs for students to do paid practica (20 hours/week, stipend not amazing but something). I'm faculty now and our students don't work for free .

We def don't do that in our program or the ones I've heard of. I didn't even realize it was a thing. Very jelly.

 

[koalabandit]

I made a document where I broke questions out into categories because anxiety It includes questions from my TD, VA materials I found online, T2T Blog, questions reported on here, and Dr. Chen's Grad Corner Blog. Here ya go! Feel free to share.

thank you so much!