APPIC Interview Invitation Thread (2021)

[AlmostaPhD]

FWIW, the norm is unpaid practica. I know of a few places where students get paid, but it seems to be the exception, rather than the norm.

This is wild to me. I believe you, and the posts on this thread show me that apparently my experience is not as universal as I thought. My sample is n = 2 programs, and I guess i could ask colleagues about their grad programs but I just assumed that people's GA funding in the advanced years of their clinical PhD programs were paid externships everywhere. For research-focused programs, how would you find time to meet research expectations while doing a GA and a volunteer 20 hours/week practicum??!

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[neuropsycho12]

This is wild to me. I believe you, and the posts on this thread show me that apparently my experience is not as universal as I thought. My sample is n = 2 programs, and I guess i could ask colleagues about their grad programs but I just assumed that people's GA funding in the advanced years of their clinical PhD programs were paid externships everywhere. For research-focused programs, how would you find time to meet research expectations while doing a GA and a volunteer 20 hours/week practicum??!

Great question. I'm at a clinical psych PhD program and I can't speak for others but I work ridiculous hours. We have to teach and/or TA 2 sections for funding unless we have external funding (like grants or fellowships) or our research mentors pay us. Then we take classes, do research , and have practica (ours are really flexible though, number of hours vary, and we're sometimes doing more than one at once). I end up working 6-7 days a week most weeks, and it's not uncommon to spend well over 8 hours a day and pull a lot of late nights (but less on weekends because I have kids).

Let me add that I've been super grateful for my training but the expectations are high and the workload is super problematic...

 

[student9295]

Tomorrow is another day...

 

[modestmousktr]

This is wild to me. I believe you, and the posts on this thread show me that apparently my experience is not as universal as I thought. My sample is n = 2 programs, and I guess i could ask colleagues about their grad programs but I just assumed that people's GA funding in the advanced years of their clinical PhD programs were paid externships everywhere. For research-focused programs, how would you find time to meet research expectations while doing a GA and a volunteer 20 hours/week practicum??!

I asked myself the same question for all the five years of my Ph.D. that I was required to do this, hahahha

 

[Quizzling]

Great question. I'm at a clinical psych PhD program and I can't speak for others but I work ridiculous hours. We have to teach and/or TA 2 sections for funding unless we have external funding (like grants or fellowships) or our research mentors pay us. Then we take classes, do research , and have practica (ours are really flexible though, number of hours vary, and we're sometimes doing more than one at once). I end up working 6-7 days a week most weeks, and it's not uncommon to spend well over 8 hours a day and pull a lot of late nights (but less on weekends because I have kids).

Let me add that I've been super grateful for my training but the expectations are high and the workload is super problematic...

I can relate to this too hard. At one point, I was RA-ing 20 hours a week, doing a 20 hour a week practicum, and taking 3 classes all at the same time... Not to mention quals and other research responsibilities. Needless to say, I was sleeping little and crying lots. Imagine my shock when a psyd intern at my practicum site told me that not only did she have full funding/financial aid at her school, but also zero research/TA or RA responsibilities.

I don't want to sound ungrateful, because I truly am, but sometimes it can be overwhelming. And my school is especially research-oriented so my clinical skills feel severely underdeveloped and it's frustrating at times. Pros and cons to every program, I suppose!

 

[AlmostaPhD]

Great question. I'm at a clinical psych PhD program and I can't speak for others but I work ridiculous hours. We have to teach and/or TA 2 sections for funding unless we have external funding (like grants or fellowships) or our research mentors pay us. Then we take classes, do research , and have practica (ours are really flexible though, number of hours vary, and we're sometimes doing more than one at once). I end up working 6-7 days a week most weeks, and it's not uncommon to spend well over 8 hours a day and pull a lot of late nights (but less on weekends because I have kids).

Let me add that I've been super grateful for my training but the expectations are high and the workload is super problematic...

I mean I expect people to work > 40 hours/week in grad school (this doesn't stop when you graduate if you go the academic route, at least based on my trajectory) but in my experience TAing or teaching a lab section was not that time consuming (I think I also only ever had one section, and my students now definitely only have one section) so I thought that was mostly research effort that was leading folks to burn the midnight oil. But if you have a real 20-hour GA that's a doozy.

I guess I should be grateful for my training experience and that my current students aren't bogged down with double duty on GA positions and practica. As a supervisor this makes me want to tell them that they have a relatively favorable setup and that I should be getting even more research productivity out of them than I am...

In all seriousness, though, thanks for everyone's comments on this. It's good to get this kind of info and to know where my current program stands in terms of potential strengths and weaknesses.

 

[neuropsycho12]

I mean I expect people to work > 40 hours/week in grad school (this doesn't stop when you graduate if you go the academic route, at least based on my trajectory) but in my experience TAing or teaching a lab section was not that time consuming (I think I also only ever had one section, and my students now definitely only have one section) so I thought that was mostly research effort that was leading folks to burn the midnight oil. But if you have a real 20-hour GA that's a doozy.

I guess I should be grateful for my training experience and that my current students aren't bogged down with double duty on GA positions and practica. As a supervisor this makes me want to tell them that they have a relatively favorable setup and that I should be getting even more research productivity out of them than I am...

In all seriousness, though, thanks for everyone's comments on this. It's good to get this kind of info and to know where my current program stands in terms of potential strengths and weaknesses.

In our program it varies so widely. My first semester teaching, I had a 200 person undergrad abnormal psych lecture and that only counted for one section so I had to be my own TA as my "second section". I did have another TA but it was still definitely at least 20 hours a week. I was also taking class of my own, doing research, 2 practica... In contrast, this semester I'm TAing for someone else where I only have to grade a few assignments for 50 students throughout the entire semester and I'm getting paid to be a clinician on an RCT... the workload is vastly different but the pay is the same.

 

[anxiousapplicant9]

I know I have seen posts about invites for Kennedy Krieger Institute from multiple tracks, but I haven't seen anything on the Psychiatric Mental Health Program Track. Is there anyone out there that has received an invite for this? Thank you!

 

[2blackcats]

I mean I expect people to work > 40 hours/week in grad school (this doesn't stop when you graduate if you go the academic route, at least based on my trajectory) but in my experience TAing or teaching a lab section was not that time consuming (I think I also only ever had one section, and my students now definitely only have one section) so I thought that was mostly research effort that was leading folks to burn the midnight oil. But if you have a real 20-hour GA that's a doozy.

I guess I should be grateful for my training experience and that my current students aren't bogged down with double duty on GA positions and practica. As a supervisor this makes me want to tell them that they have a relatively favorable setup and that I should be getting even more research productivity out of them than I am...

In all seriousness, though, thanks for everyone's comments on this. It's good to get this kind of info and to know where my current program stands in terms of potential strengths and weaknesses.

Hi! I say this very sincerely... I have a strong reaction to the statement "I should be getting more research" from students and the inclination to tell them that they have it better than others. I am in a clinical phd program like this, and it has backfired and set the program back in a lot of ways. This is the type of mindset that myself and many rising academics I know are actively fighting against. It's toxic and is often counterproductive.

I have a background in business management and at the end of the day, research labs, clinics, departments and academia as a whole is a business (which is not a bad thing). There is good theory and research on how to manage "workers" in a way that preserves their dignity and autonomy, and encourages intrinsic motivation for productivity without using shame. As someone trained under the clinical science model, I choose to follow the research. I think we, the field, can do better.

 

[ccool]

I know I have seen posts about invites for Kennedy Krieger Institute from multiple tracks, but I haven't seen anything on the Psychiatric Mental Health Program Track. Is there anyone out there that has received an invite for this? Thank you!

The earlier KKI posts seem to be related to the Behavioral Psychology/ Neuropsychology Program and not the newer, PMHP/Family Traumatic Stress Program. This is a separate program, not tracks.

 

[SubCorNeuroGal]

Has anyone else heard back from Detroit VA confirming their interview date preference?

 

[user4321]

Official Site Name: VA Maine
Date Invitation Received: 12/04/2020
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, Snapchat): Mass email
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): Neuropsychology track
Interview Dates Offered: allow you to rank dates- 01/05, 01/06, 01/14
(In honor of years past) If & How you're staying sane:

 

[F21466]

Has anyone heard back from Henry Ford Neuropsych Track?

 

[WisNeuro]

This is wild to me. I believe you, and the posts on this thread show me that apparently my experience is not as universal as I thought. My sample is n = 2 programs, and I guess i could ask colleagues about their grad programs but I just assumed that people's GA funding in the advanced years of their clinical PhD programs were paid externships everywhere. For research-focused programs, how would you find time to meet research expectations while doing a GA and a volunteer 20 hours/week practicum??!

Others have also chimed in, but you make it work. Additionally, the in-depth pracs for my program tended to be later in the program years when class load was minimal. It's a lot of work, but I managed that as well as being employed on a large research grant doing testing. Getting a stipend, full tuition remission, plus good health insurance was a pretty good deal when you actually look at the numbers.

 

[teach4all]

On behalf of someone in my cohort!

Official Site Name: Yale Child Studies Center
Date Invitation Received: 12/04/2020
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, Snapchat): Phone call at 8:40am
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): Early Childhood Specialty Track
Interview Dates Offered: 1/8, 1/11, 1/12, 1/13
(In honor of years past) If & How you're staying sane: Professor Bren's psych insta (check it out, so good).

 

[kayfay89]

Has anyone else heard back from Detroit VA confirming their interview date preference?

I have not heard back from them yet.

 

[kayfay89]

Official Site Name: VA Maine
Date Invitation Received: 12/04/2020
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, Snapchat): Mass email
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): Neuropsychology track
Interview Dates Offered: allow you to rank dates- 01/05, 01/06, 01/14
(In honor of years past) If & How you're staying sane:

Awww bummer. I definitely didn’t get that email

 

[neuropsychnerd15]

Has anyone heard back from Henry Ford Neuropsych Track?

Nope, I haven't yet and am waiting for this one as well!

 

[anxioustudent]

Is anyone applying to the Sacramento VA in light of them just obtaining APA accreditation (that wasn’t planning on previously applying)? Has anyone heard anything about this site in general (good or bad)?

 

[wtfook]

I have a question for this thread, is it better to schedule the first interview or the last interview date? How about a middle interview date? Thanks!

Also:

Official Site Name: Holcomb Behavioral Health Systems
Date Invitation Received: 12/04/2020
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, Snapchat): Mass email
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): none
Interview Dates Offered: 1/11, 1/12, 1/13, 1/14, 1/15, 1/19, 1/20, 1/21, 1/22
(In honor of years past) If & How you're staying sane: Watching stupid Youtube videos

 

[WisNeuro]

Schedule whatever works with your schedule. Doesn't really matter when you are in those blocks. I can't ever remember order f interviews making a speck of difference in final rankings.

 

[mesmes99]

Rejection from Hines VA at 9:50 am EST today (December 4th).

 

[stressed&blessed]

Rejection from University of Pittsburgh (9:21am CST)

 

[neuro_is_the_werd]

Rejection from VA Long Beach at 10:20 EST

 

[spacegiraffe]

FBOP folx, has anyone heard back after completing the USAjobs.gov application?

Starting to wonder about hearing back on the federal follow-ups - have you received anything from your site yet? Mine was FMC Devens and I have not heard anything. Would they notify us if they decided not to move forward with the interview?

 

[dranxiety3]

Official Site Name: Ohio Psychology Internship
Date Invitation Received: 12/4
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, Snapchat): Personal email
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): Forensic Track
Interview Dates Offered: Week of 1/11, 1/18, and Monday 1/25

 

[hsiren]

Starting to wonder about hearing back on the federal follow-ups - have you received anything from your site yet? Mine was FMC Devens and I have not heard anything. Would they notify us if they decided not to move forward with the interview?

I haven’t heard anything yet—someone in the thread suggested that based on last year, we may not hear until next week.

 

[counselingcenterlover]

Official Site Name: University of Maryland Counseling Center
Date Invitation Received: 12/04/2020 9 am CST
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, Snapchat): Mass email
Interview Dates Offered: December & January

 

[SubCorNeuroGal]

I have not heard back from them yet.

Thanks for letting me know. Wasn't sure when to follow up with them but maybe I'll wait a few days. 💜

 

[neuro_is_the_werd]

Official Site Name: Baycrest Hospital (Canada)
Date Invitation Received: 12/4
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, Snapchat): Personal email
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): Neuropsychology
Interview Dates Offered: Wednesday, 1/13; Friday 1/15

 

[sponge123]

Starting to wonder about hearing back on the federal follow-ups - have you received anything from your site yet? Mine was FMC Devens and I have not heard anything. Would they notify us if they decided not to move forward with the interview?

In the past, I think it's been 11/30ish when they change the status on USA Jobs. I read that it went from "received" to "referred" (hopefully- if we get placed in Best Qualified). I've been checking and they have not don't that yet this year :/ But yes, I'm sure they would let us know if/when/how to proceed.

 

[AverageAnt]

Rejection from VA Long Beach at 10:20 EST

Same here *sigh*

Disappointing but the show must go on! At least the email was very considerate and warm.

 

[user4321]

Rejection from Hines VA at 9:50 am EST today (December 4th).

Same!

 

[psyched1234]

Official Site Name: Columbus VA
Date Invitation Received: 12/4
Method of Invitation: Personal email
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): N/A
Interview Dates Offered: asked me to send back dates I'm available

 

[psychmbr08]

I received an invite to interview that said they would be sending out a link to schedule a time and if not interest in interviewing to email them back.

I am interested in interviewing and didn’t know if it would be appropriate to email back thanking them for the offer to interview and a quick line about looking forward to it or if I should just wait for the scheduling email?

 

[psyched0ut]

From a cohortmate:

Official Site Name: Yale Child Study Center
Date Invitation Received: 12/4
Method of Invitation: Phone call at 10:02am CST
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): Pediatric
Interview Dates Offered: 1/6, 1/7, 1/8, 1/11, 1/12

 

[inpursuitphdpsych]

Starting to wonder about hearing back on the federal follow-ups - have you received anything from your site yet? Mine was FMC Devens and I have not heard anything. Would they notify us if they decided not to move forward with the interview?

I have not heard back yet. If you sign in on the usajobs.gov site, and then click on additional application information until you get redirected to the federal prison portal on their monster website, you can see the status of your application. Right now mine still says vacancy applications are still being processed. From my understanding, this means I'm still under consideration. It will update once they have made a decision and say something about whether or not I'm still under consideration - I'm forgetting what exactly it will say at the moment but hopefully that helps?? Good luck! fingers crossed!!!

 

[inpursuitphdpsych]

Official Site Name: Ohio Psychology Internship
Date Invitation Received: 12/4
Method of Invitation: Personal email
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): Forensic track
Interview Dates Offered: asked me about several different weeks in January and to send back my general availability

 

[Unknown12345]

Official Site Name: Child and Adolescent Services (CAS) Multicultural Clinical Training Program/ University of California, San Francisco/ Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital / Department of Psychiatry
Date Invitation Received: 11/ 24 - invitation with no dates; 11/25 - invitation with dates
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, Snapchat): personal email
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): Adolescent Mental Health Track
Interview Dates Offered: Too many to list. December and January. One hour time slots.
(In honor of years past) If & How you're staying sane: Reading this forum!

Official Site Name: Duke University Medical Center / Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences
Date Invitation Received: 11/24
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, Snapchat): personal email
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): Didn't specify which track in invite but I only applied for the Child track (trauma)
Interview Dates Offered: 1/8 and 1/15
(In honor of years past) If & How you're staying sane: Painting!

Rejection from Allegheny General Hospital on 11/24

 

[spacegiraffe]

I have not heard back yet. If you sign in on the usajobs.gov site, and then click on additional application information until you get redirected to the federal prison portal on their monster website, you can see the status of your application. Right now mine still says vacancy applications are still being processed. From my understanding, this means I'm still under consideration. It will update once they have made a decision and say something about whether or not I'm still under consideration - I'm forgetting what exactly it will say at the moment but hopefully that helps?? Good luck! fingers crossed!!!

Thanks so much for your help, good luck to you too!!!

 

[user4321]

Official Site Name: Coatesville VA Medical Center
Date Invitation Received: 12/04/2020
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, Snapchat): Mass email
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): Neuropsychology track
Interview Dates Offered: Range of times on these dates- 12/16, 01/07, 01/20
(In honor of years past) If & How you're staying sane:

 

[PricelessCare]

Official Site Name: University of Pittsburgh Counseling Center
Date Invitation Received: 12/03/2020
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, Snapchat): Personal email
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): n/a
Interview Dates Offered:TBD
(In honor of years past) If & How you're staying sane: Cake is a good one. Netflix, phone calls with friends and family, sporadic workouts.

Rejection from University of British Columbia today (12/4/20)

Rejection from University of California - Berkeley on 12/2.

 

[LoadingDoctorateDegree...]

Rejection from University of Pittsburgh (9:21am CST)

Same

 

[swirlingmind]

Official Site Name: St. Cloud VA
Date Invitation Received: 12/2
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, Snapchat): Phone Call
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): General
Interview Dates Offered: 1/11, 1/15, 1/20 (morning or afternoon slots)
(In honor of years past) If & How you're staying sane:

and I didn't see anyone do the format for this but
Official Site Name: Eastern Oklahoma VA
Date Invitation Received: 11/20
Method of Invitation (Phone call, personal/mass email, Snapchat): Email
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): General
Interview Dates Offered: 1/6 & 1/12
(In honor of years past) If & How you're staying sane: Crying to my dissertation chair and mainlining coffee

 

[tottenhamamh23]

Official Site Name: University of Tennessee Student Counseling Center- Knoxville
Date Invitation Received: 12/4
Method of Invitation: Personal email
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): N/A
Interview Dates Offered: 1/5, 1/7, 1/8, 1/11, 1/12, 1/13, 1/14
If & How you're staying sane: eating gummy bears!

 

[gradstudent44]

Is anyone applying to the Sacramento VA in light of them just obtaining APA accreditation (that wasn’t planning on previously applying)? Has anyone heard anything about this site in general (good or bad)?

I was thinking about it, but I haven't heard anything about the site

 

[zcjthh0]

Has anyone heard from the Harvard/Mass Gen CBT track?

 

[AlmostaPhD]

Hi! I say this very sincerely... I have a strong reaction to the statement "I should be getting more research" from students and the inclination to tell them that they have it better than others. I am in a clinical phd program like this, and it has backfired and set the program back in a lot of ways. This is the type of mindset that myself and many rising academics I know are actively fighting against. It's toxic and is often counterproductive.

I have a background in business management and at the end of the day, research labs, clinics, departments and academia as a whole is a business (which is not a bad thing). There is good theory and research on how to manage "workers" in a way that preserves their dignity and autonomy, and encourages intrinsic motivation for productivity without using shame. As someone trained under the clinical science model, I choose to follow the research. I think we, the field, can do better.

I wanted to reply to this and then I will let this thread get back on track . I was being a bit sarcastic and will not actually tell my students that, but it's also the case that academics are typically pretty driven people and for me, at least, I find myself getting frustrated a lot with student productivity levels. I'm not a senior person so I imagine it depends on your career level/the students you attract, and I do try to be sensitive to the fact that students have a variety of things on their plates and dont work 100% on research (that's what postdocs are for ). Plus now we've got the pandemic on top of everything else. I've tried to follow good people management practices (which you don't learn in grad school...) and I find that this is good for dynamics in the lab and my relationships with trainees, but still doesn't get their productivity to the level I would want.

I appreciate the student perspective and the push back against a hyperintense productivity culture, but I also want to warn future academics that my experience has been that I enjoy mentoring students but that I still feel like I'm doing a lot of the heavy lifting for all of our research productivity and I wish I was seeing more from the students. Perhaps this will improve as I continue to learn how to manage a lab, but those of you who are very ambitious and excited to start your own lab...be aware that there's a lot of frustration because a lot of people can't live up to your standards, at least not for a while.

 

[red riot]

Official Site Name: UMass Medical School and Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital
Date Invitation Received: 12/4
Method of Invitation: Mass email
Specialty Track or Site (e.g., for consortiums): N/A
Interview Dates Offered: 1/7, 1/14
If & How you're staying sane: Treating myself to lots of Starbucks

 

[km13psy]

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.

All I’ve received so far is a “save a date” for an open house for Robley Rex VA. 🤷🏻‍♀️