APPIC Interview Invitation Thread (2021)

[summerbabe]

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I found that one individual is currently publishing on pseudoscientific clinical research. I found this surprising since I didn't think this type of research would be funded within the VA, and I'm concerned that it might speak to the research and clinical values at this site.

Is this person publishing on behalf of the VA (VA IRB, using veteran data, publishing with other VA researchers) or does it look more like personal research that they are doing on their own time? Either way, I wouldn't worry about a single data point.

Overall, it's really hard for VA clinicians to get protected time for research and the vast majority of staff are not actively involved in any research from my experience. But research that falls under the ORD (VA Office of Research and Dev) should be evidence-based and support current priorities.

If doing research while on internship is important for you, make sure to ask specifically. Some VAs have a lot of structure built in to easily support getting involved in research while it may be difficult at other sites.

 

[Psychai]

Is this person publishing on behalf of the VA (VA IRB, using veteran data, publishing with other VA researchers) or does it look more like personal research that they are doing on their own time? Either way, I wouldn't worry about a single data point.

Overall, it's really hard for VA clinicians to get protected time for research and the vast majority of staff are not actively involved in any research from my experience. But research that falls under the ORD (VA Office of Research and Dev) should be evidence-based and support current priorities.

If doing research while on internship is important for you, make sure to ask specifically. Some VAs have a lot of structure built in to easily support getting involved in research while it may be difficult at other sites.

Yes, this research was a clinical trial with a veteran population, so I assume it had to be grant-funded within the VA. That's why I found it especially surprising that it was based on pseudoscience. I don't think I'm an outlier in thinking the mechanism being researched is pseudoscientific since it has been discussed extensively as pseudoscience including in talks I've attended at ABCT.

That's helpful feedback though from you and @StellaB that it's not worth being concerned about the site based on a single person. Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[HelpBetter]

Yes, this research was a clinical trial with a veteran population, so I assume it had to be grant-funded within the VA. That's why I found it especially surprising that it was based on pseudoscience. I don't think I'm an outlier in thinking the mechanism being researched is pseudoscientific since it has been discussed extensively as pseudoscience including in talks I've attended at ABCT.

That's helpful feedback though from you and @StellaB that it's not worth being concerned about the site based on a single person. Thanks for your thoughts!

Are you talking about EMDR? The VA considers EMDR to be an evidence based treatment. Indeed there are multiple RCTs demonstrating it is effective. Yes, there are some major questions about the explanation of the underlying mechanism of bilateral stimulation, but other components of the treatment align really well with other trauma EBTs, and the fact that it works well for patients merits its continued empirical examination.

 

[HPB2015]

This might be a bit of a pretentious question, but how can one figure out how well-regarded or prestigious a particular internship site's reputation is? Estimate based on number of applicants or interview offer rate? Is there some kind of ranked list somewhere I can look at? Obviously this is not going to be the most important factor in making my decision (it's all about fit!) but when considering long-term career impact I'm curious about how different sites are perceived.

I have also been wondering about this! And I hope it's not pretentious (or, if it is, I guess whatever) but the purpose of the question is to understand how various sites may or may not open doors to future career opportunities.

On a related note, I understand that doing a VA internship can very easily lead to a VA job, but I'm curious about how a non-VA research-oriented site, like a psychiatry department or university setting, would perceive a VA internship (let's say, one that isn't one of those commonly cited as being the best like the Palo Alto VA is).

 

[Psychai]

Are you talking about EMDR? The VA considers EMDR to be an evidence based treatment. Indeed there are multiple RCTs demonstrating it is effective. Yes, there are some major questions about the explanation of the underlying mechanism of bilateral stimulation, but other components of the treatment align really well with other trauma EBTs, and the fact that it works well for patients merits its continued empirical examination.

No it's not EMDR. EMDR wouldn't be my preference based on the evidence base, but I agree there's some nuance where although there are pseudoscientific aspects, I can see how it meets similar goals as EPTs like PE. I apologize for being vague but feel free to PM me if you're interested and I'm happy to discuss it.

 

[electricopal]

For neuropsych --- generally speaking, which has a better reputation.... internship training at a VA or academic medical center? Or does it truly not matter at all?

 

[intern21]

Interview process has been interesting to say the least! A site that I LOVED on paper is my least favorite now after interviewing. I have done really well in some (so I think...), and cannot stop thinking about how much better I could have answered certain questions during other interviews... I have my ranking pretty much set, and have enjoyed the process so far! How are you guys doing?

AND I have not sent a single "thank you" email. I figured TDs are so busy, interviewing so many people, that I don't think they will remember during ranking that "this person sent a note, this one did not..." Maybe I am wrong, but I did not want to bother them with a formality that does not seem to impact their impressions of candidates based on what TDs have said here.

People are not sharing questions, but here goes some of mine:
" What do you like to do that is not related to psychology?"
"Why should we choose you?"
"Tell me your trajectory up to this point."
"What are some challenges you anticipate having during internship?"
"What is you greatest weakness?"
"How important do you consider diversity during an assessment?"
"What are your career goals?"
"What supervision style works for you?"
"What are you looking for in a supervisor?"
"What battery would you use to investigate a reading problem?"
"What would you do if you missed a deadline?"
"Tell me about a case that was successful."
"Tell me about a case that where diversity played a role and what did you learn from it?"
"Describe an assessment for X from beginning to end."
"How would you assess X..."
"What is the status of your dissertation?"
"How would you handle conflict with a team member?"

Best of luck, people!

 

[PsyNeuro37]

For neuropsych --- generally speaking, which has a better reputation.... internship training at a VA or academic medical center? Or does it truly not matter at all?

I’m an intern applicant same as you, but I can take a stab at this. I’ve been told that at the end of the day, good neuro training is good neuro training. Doesn’t matter too much if that’s happening within a VA or AMC as long as the training is quality. There might be some things that you’ll be able to get more exposure to in one setting over the other (i.e. polytrauma for VAs and epilepsy for AMCs). That’s obviously not universal for VA/AMCs, just an example, but a consideration for fit. I’ve been told that if your long-term goal is a VA, a VA internship helps. Same goes for an AMC internship if that’s the long-term goal. Definitely not impossible to start at one for internship and end up at another for fellowship and beyond. Again, this is just what I’ve been told by mentors, so those with more experience please correct any misconceptions I have.

 

[WisNeuro]

For neuropsych --- generally speaking, which has a better reputation.... internship training at a VA or academic medical center? Or does it truly not matter at all?

Depends on the site. There are institutions in both the VA and the AMC world in which I wouldn't hire the person who trained there. And on the flip sides, people I'd take on in a second if they had good recs.

 

[DietCokeSoda]

General question. If a sites brochure is outdated, wrong, or just inconsistent with the information presented at an interview, how big of a red flag is that?

I know several sites had changes related to COVID that they may not have known when they published their brochures, so I’ve been trying to keep an open mind and focusing on the information they present at the interview over the brochure information. Thoughts?

 

[foreverbull]

This might be a bit of a pretentious question, but how can one figure out how well-regarded or prestigious a particular internship site's reputation is? Estimate based on number of applicants or interview offer rate? Is there some kind of ranked list somewhere I can look at? Obviously this is not going to be the most important factor in making my decision (it's all about fit!) but when considering long-term career impact I'm curious about how different sites are perceived.

People don’t typically care about this in the field. The answer would also depend on your specialty. Our neuro people would tell you about some neuro sites that are prestigious and others in other niches would have a different set of sites that are “prestigious.”

Frankly, when getting to the postdoc stage, what can actually make a bigger difference is if the postdoc site knows your internship site/TD because their opinion will carry more weight than a TD from a place they don’t know. That was a problem I ran into when applying to postdocs that were very competitive and in places I’d never lived before—the sites didn’t know my TD at all so I was applying with folks whose TDs knew each other and worked in the same state. That did end up putting me at a disadvantage, but I also applied to a very oversaturated state and nowhere else because I knew I would be living there.

 

[foreverbull]

General question. If a sites brochure is outdated, wrong, or just inconsistent with the information presented at an interview, how big of a red flag is that?

I know several sites had changes related to COVID that they may not have known when they published their brochures, so I’ve been trying to keep an open mind and focusing on the information they present at the interview over the brochure information. Thoughts?

I went through internship years ago and multiple sites had outdated info on their brochures or even website, so it’s just one of those things you have to deal with and is pretty common—not necessarily a red flag. In a few interviews, it did make things awkward when I said “I was impressed to see this experience offered as part of training” and they had to correct me because their website was outdated and they didn’t actually offer one of the training experiences I’d looked forward to.

 

[Doctor Koala]

This might be a bit of a pretentious question, but how can one figure out how well-regarded or prestigious a particular internship site's reputation is? Estimate based on number of applicants or interview offer rate? Is there some kind of ranked list somewhere I can look at? Obviously this is not going to be the most important factor in making my decision (it's all about fit!) but when considering long-term career impact I'm curious about how different sites are perceived.

Quickest way to gauge “level of prestige” is by asking your research and clinical supervisors for their opinion about a site. Stricter application requirements (e.g., 800 direct clinical hours for Brown University’s internship) may also be an indicator.

 

[dcpsychdoc]

General question. If a sites brochure is outdated, wrong, or just inconsistent with the information presented at an interview, how big of a red flag is that?

I know several sites had changes related to COVID that they may not have known when they published their brochures, so I’ve been trying to keep an open mind and focusing on the information they present at the interview over the brochure information. Thoughts?

I can only speak for our situation. Due to COVID-19, our IT department was extremely busy with high priority tasks such as getting a telebehavioral health platform up and running. Uploading our new program brochures or editing multiple times
based on the evolution of treatment and safety considerations was not anywhere near a priority (understandably).

I would use the information as you would any other data. Look for patterns and think about what is important to you. For some people, our site’s situation could mean they are not interested in working somewhere that does not have a large IT department or other resources to prevent this type of thing from happening. For other people, that may not be a deciding factor. Best of luck with your interviews and ranking!

 

[SpinicalPsychologist]

Seeking advice from anyone who has interviewed/will interview with Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility!

My interview is on Tuesday. In the email, they stated that I should plan to be occupied for 1 hr and 15 minutes starting at 1PM. However, this week they sent a WebEx link that is timestamped to last from 8:00AM-5:00PM. They did not attach a schedule or itinerary or provide any clarification.

I am confused about when I am expected to show up. This is especially consequential also because I am in CST which is 2 hours ahead and if the interview does in fact last until 5PM PST (7PM CST), I will need to make arrangements for my husband to pick up our son at daycare which will involve him leaving work early.

My other major concern is that, of all my sites, I really need to get a clear sense of what it would look like to work in THIS setting. I have never trained in a correctional facility, it is the only correctional facility I will be interviewing at, and I have a lot of questions that I doubt could be answered in 1 hour. The brochure mentions that there will be an open house and a meet and greet with the interns, but I haven't received any communication about that. I did email the training director on Saturday, but since tomorrow is MLK day and my interview is on Tuesday, it seems unlikely I will get an answer from them before my interview.

Can anyone who has interviewed/plans to interview at this site give me more information about when you logged in to the meeting, what the events of the day were, if you had a clear sense of what training would be like there, and if you truly did end at 5:00PM PST?

 

[Unknown12345]

Hey Everyone! Hope your interviews are going well. Is there a threat or a forum in which we chat post interview? I am asking because I was chatting with another applicant and found out that this fellow applicant was told about an intern that left a site/program because the intern was not happy. This was not mentioned during my interviews. So I was hoping that somewhere on the vast internet there is a site in which the folks that interviewed can chat about certain sites specifically and anonymously. Let me know if such a site exists. Thank you!

 

[matryoshka_brain]

Hey Everyone! Hope your interviews are going well. Is there a threat or a forum in which we chat post interview? I am asking because I was chatting with another applicant and found out that this fellow applicant was told about an intern that left a site/program because the intern was not happy. This was not mentioned during my interviews. So I was hoping that somewhere on the vast internet there is a site in which the folks that interviewed can chat about certain sites specifically and anonymously. Let me know if such a site exists. Thank you!

I wish there was a thread or forum for this as well -- like a "Yelp for internship programs" where past interns could share their anonymous feedback from their training experiences and rate the site. 😛

Have y'all noticed at the QA's when current interns look sad, miserable, exhausted, or annoyed??! Has that significantly impacted your ranking after?

 

[ccpsych16]

Hey Everyone! Hope your interviews are going well. Is there a threat or a forum in which we chat post interview? I am asking because I was chatting with another applicant and found out that this fellow applicant was told about an intern that left a site/program because the intern was not happy. This was not mentioned during my interviews. So I was hoping that somewhere on the vast internet there is a site in which the folks that interviewed can chat about certain sites specifically and anonymously. Let me know if such a site exists. Thank you!

I wish there was a thread or forum for this as well -- like a "Yelp for internship programs" where past interns could share their anonymous feedback from their training experiences and rate the site. 😛

Have y'all noticed at the QA's when current interns look sad, miserable, exhausted, or annoyed??! Has that significantly impacted your ranking after?

There is a thread for post-interview chat in this forum. It’s on the front page for me (mobile view).

 

[SubCorNeuroGal]

Hey everyone! I have seen several of you at multiple interviews 🙂. Just wanted to say "hi" and it's great to see familiar faces. Just wish we had the oppotunity to get to know each other better, as it is very possible we could match at the same site 🙂.

 

[psyched2022]

Does anyone know much about the Children's Institute Inc? The TD there had no information regarding the interview links... seems very odd when she is the one emailing candidates.

What type of information are you interested in? My interview was last Wednesday after the open house. I believe everyone received their interview link last week (I have 2 friends interviewing tomorrow and found that out before open house)

 

[cortisolace]

Have y'all noticed at the QA's when current interns look sad, miserable, exhausted, or annoyed??! Has that significantly impacted your ranking after?

Yes, I’ve been taking note of this! It has definitely affected how I rank a site if the interns look miserable and/or say things that imply they’re overworked.

 

[WisNeuro]

Yes, I’ve been taking note of this! It has definitely affected how I rank a site if the interns look miserable and/or say things that imply they’re overworked.

Definitely see if you can talk to them, they may be tired, but not overworked from an internship perspective. Keep in mind most of them are in the midst of postdoc apps/interviewing, and a good portion may be finishing up their dissertation/prepping defense.

 

[cortisolace]

Definitely see if you can talk to them, they may be tired, but not overworked from an internship perspective. Keep in mind most of them are in the midst of postdoc apps/interviewing, and a good portion may be finishing up their dissertation/prepping defense.

I agree, I’m so appreciative of the q&a! there is one site I was thinking of, in which the interns explicitly said it was site-related things that was contributing to their overworking/burnout

 

[WisNeuro]

I agree, I’m so appreciative of the q&a! there is one site I was thinking of, in which the interns explicitly said it was site-related things that was contributing to their overworking/burnout

Definitely helps to get it from the interns firsthand. If possible, hearing from past interns can be helpful too. It's rare, but occasionally there is simply a toxic batch of interns. Colleague of mine had one year over half the intern class was put on remediation plans, something they'd never had to do in the nearly decade he had been there. So, just make sure it's not an outlier if the site otherwise has a very solid reputation.

 

[KKint]

OUHSC-OKCVA Consortium----"Although you were not on the list to be invited for an interview, we still remain interested in your application, and you are still under consideration for a position here."

I remember a few others received a similar message and I am just wondering whether I should rank them or not?

 

[neuropsycho12]

OUHSC-OKCVA Consortium----"Although you were not on the list to be invited for an interview, we still remain interested in your application, and you are still under consideration for a position here."

I remember a few others received a similar message and I am just wondering whether I should rank them or not?

I received the same and my understanding is that we can if we want to, keeping in mind that if we were to match there (even though it's unlikely), we would be committed to going there. My thought is that it's important to weigh the pros and cons of going to a site without interacting with anyone there versus the possibility of going through phase II (among several other decision points to consider).

 

[WisNeuro]

I received the same and my understanding is that we can if we want to, keeping in mind that if we were to match there (even though it's unlikely), we would be committed to going there. My thought is that it's important to weigh the pros and cons of going to a site without interacting with anyone there versus the possibility of going through phase II (among several other decision points to consider).

If the choice was Oklahoma vs the uncertainty of Phase II, I would strongly recommend ranking Oklahoma. It's a top site, particularly for neuro.

 

[psych_nerd22]

This might be a bit of a pretentious question, but how can one figure out how well-regarded or prestigious a particular internship site's reputation is? Estimate based on number of applicants or interview offer rate? Is there some kind of ranked list somewhere I can look at? Obviously this is not going to be the most important factor in making my decision (it's all about fit!) but when considering long-term career impact I'm curious about how different sites are perceived.

I was wondering about this too, but specifically in regard to forensic sites. Just curious!

 

[healthpsychenthusiast]

Would someone be able to post the url/link for the thread for post-interview chat in this forum? I can't seem to find it. Thank you 🙂

 

[healthpsychenthusiast]

There is a thread for post-interview chat in this forum. It’s on the front page for me (mobile view).

Great! I can't seem to find it. Where on the front page? Thank you 🙂

 

[healthpsychenthusiast]

Interview Experiences & Support Thread (APPIC 2021)

Not to be confused with the invite thread. Creating this as a place for questions, support & encouragement..... AND hopefully visits from our beloved @AuntSue

forums.studentdoctor.net

 

[pleaseletmematch]

Any BOP folks still waiting to schedule their CVA....lol

 

[tryingtostaypositivepsych]

Has anyone heard anything about UPenn's reputation for internship? Wondering what past interns, TD's, or other professionals and students have heard about the site and even what interns do after they complete their internship program.

 

[WisNeuro]

Has anyone heard anything about UPenn's reputation for internship? Wondering what past interns, TD's, or other professionals and students have heard about the site and even what interns do after they complete their internship program.

As to what they interns are doing, most sites collect data in initial job placement following internship in their brochures or internship webpage.

 

[psychicago]

As we're winding down the interview process, I'm curious. What has been the most unexpected experience you've had during this process?

 

[matryoshka_brain]

Any BOP folks still waiting to schedule their CVA....lol

Yes 🙄

 

[Indiana_Jane]

As we're winding down the interview process, I'm curious. What has been the most unexpected experience you've had during this process?

Trying to figure out how a site can rank an applicant with a 30 minute interview lol! I get that it’s probably based more on materials but it was strange to me!

 

[DietCokeSoda]

As we're winding down the interview process, I'm curious. What has been the most unexpected experience you've had during this process?

I'm struck by how vastly different each site is approaching virtual interviews. This ranges from schedules (e.g., sending individual links, full schedules, schedules including every applicant so you have to decipher what your schedule is), to platforms, to length (ranging from one 45 minute interview to 7 hours! on zoom), to the information provided/clarified in the interview, to warmth/lack of warmth during the interviews, etc.

I also do not care for the group interview format via virtual platforms. It is awkward and some platforms have audio preferences so it favors some applicants over others and causes a lot of anxiety.

Other than that, I think the overall experience has been surprisingly pleasant. Everyone was supportive and flexible, with several TDs and faculty reaching out to clarify questions or follow-up with anything that was unclear.

 

[PsyD-2022]

As we're winding down the interview process, I'm curious. What has been the most unexpected experience you've had during this process?

I think the same as another person mentioned of how a 25 minute interview can determine if the applicant is a good fit. Especially if the interview is one where you ask them questions and not have questions asked to you...

...or when you interview with supervisors who in the overview meeting seem like real people and then in the individual interviews become stone-faced. Like where’d your personality go?!

 

[electricopal]

Regarding warmth/lack of warmth via virtual interviews.....How much weight are you putting on that? For example, there was a site that I thought I would rank top 2, but they were cold and now I am not sure what to make of it.

 

[missplum]

Regarding warmth/lack of warmth via virtual interviews.....How much weight are you putting on that? For example, there was a site that I thought I would rank top 2, but they were cold and now I am not sure what to make of it.

I would take into account two things
1) the reported intern experiences at the prac site (whether they seemed less or more enthusiastic about the level of support they had and their general experiences with their supervisors)
2) the amount of importance I place in interpersonal relationships and the impact it has on my well being.

Personally, I'm someone who places a lot of importance on my workplace relationships, and know that it would effect me negatively if I didn't feel that warmth from a supervisor. But I also know people who don't care all that much and who would place more importance on the quality of training even if their supervisor is considered less than socially competent. I've heard of supervisors you wouldn't want to get coffee with, but because of their level of prestige in the field, people tolerate them. It's up to you what you think is more important and what you think you can tolerate. Personality differences also play a role. What you consider cold, might be socially typical at that site or even in that region of the country. That kind of clash might lead to a period of adjustment on your part. So I might ask myself "How flexible am I with people who express warmth and support differently than I do? Am I willing or able to adjust my expectations and social needs?" If the answer is no, it's important to be honest with yourself about that.

It's hard to figure out how much the vibes you get off one zoom call reflect people's typical predispositions, but I tend to err on the side of caution if something doesn't feel right to me. If I wasn't super sure, I might follow up with a current intern if possible and ask questions like 1) How did your site support you throughout your internship process? 2) What does your supervisor value in their supervision style 3) Does the site prioritize self care? If so, how? 4) When you faced challenges in your site, how did supervisors react? 5) How would you describe the workplace culture? etc.

 

[foreverbull]

Regarding warmth/lack of warmth via virtual interviews.....How much weight are you putting on that? For example, there was a site that I thought I would rank top 2, but they were cold and now I am not sure what to make of it.

That threw me off, but in the end, the "warm" interviewers I liked ended up being really harsh in terms of supervision when I landed there for internship. It's honestly a crap shoot. Some folks come across cold because it's one staff member interviewing you who isn't going to be interacting with you regularly, etc. so that's hard to judge or they're just tired of interviewing so they sound mechanical, but would be more interpersonal if they got to know you on internship. Something to keep in mind. I don't know that putting a lot of energy into that aspect is honestly that helpful or indicative of the environment there. In my case, it definitely wasn't.

I also interviewed at some of the exact same places that my peers did and warmth varied widely by interviewer. I had a different psychologist interviewing me and it was a very different experience than my peers depending on who you got that day for the interview.

 

[clinpsychperson2016]

Regarding warmth/lack of warmth via virtual interviews.....How much weight are you putting on that? For example, there was a site that I thought I would rank top 2, but they were cold and now I am not sure what to make of it.

With performance based interviewing (at sites like VAs, for example), interviewers may be trying to be unemotional and “standardized” with how they ask questions. So it may not be reflective of their actual interpersonal style. I met a number of people who I knew were super supportive of interns and very invested in training that came off coldish in an interview. But it was part of the process for them. In a way, I appreciated the less biased approach because it can unduly influence outcomes if applicants they favor (for whatever reason) get a more friendly interview than others. But I also see how it is so hard to gauge how they might be in supervision, for example, based on that. I learned a lot from how they talked about their past experiences (one TD described in detail the exciting things a former intern from a couple years ago had done and that showed me that she truly cared about the person and cherished what they accomplished in their time at the site).

 

[PsyD-2022]

With performance based interviewing (at sites like VAs, for example), interviewers may be trying to be unemotional and “standardized” with how they ask questions. So it may not be reflective of their actual interpersonal style. I met a number of people who I knew were super supportive of interns and very invested in training that came off coldish in an interview. But it was part of the process for them. In a way, I appreciated the less biased approach because it can unduly influence outcomes if applicants they favor (for whatever reason) get a more friendly interview than others. But I also see how it is so hard to gauge how they might be in supervision, for example, based on that. I learned a lot from how they talked about their past experiences (one TD described in detail the exciting things a former intern from a couple years ago had done and that showed me that she truly cared about the person and cherished what they accomplished in their time at the site).

That’s what is throwing me off so hard about a site I love but the interview made me feel not good. The lack of expression as well as the amount of questions being thrown at you sucks. I don’t know if I should even factor that into my decision making.

 

[WisNeuro]

That’s what is throwing me off so hard about a site I love but the interview made me feel not good. The lack of expression as well as the amount of questions being thrown at you sucks. I don’t know if I should even factor that into my decision making.

Depends on what you find important. Personally, I look at the internship/postdoc training years as a way to get the best training you can, giving you the best flexibility you can have for your job search. It's a relatively short period of time compared to the entirety of your career. I'd personally go somewhere with a great reputation for training, with supervisors I didn't interpersonally like, rather than a mediocre site with people I really liked. I've had many kinds of supervisors (warm, cold and clinical, etc) and I haven't found much difference in quality of clinical supervision based on warmth of supervisor. But, YMMV, figure out what's important for you.

 

[summerbabe]

That’s what is throwing me off so hard about a site I love but the interview made me feel not good.

I had a similar experience when I applied at one site. The interview day was structured oddly and some of the interviewers were interpersonally off-putting. Multiple other interviewees that day and some others I met during later interviews also appeared to have similar reactions.

I ended up reaching out to 2 of the interns on the 'track' that I was applying for and they were able to provide a more balanced impression of what the year would look like, who I would be supervised by, and other organizational details which helped me to regain confidence in that site, which I ended up ranking as my #1. I matched there and had a very good experience (as did the rest of my cohort) and my actual supervisors were excellent.

However, I also wouldn't dismiss gut intuition but I think gathering some more data points could be helpful for your decision making.

 

[Neurogeek91]

Do you guys think every site gives positive feedback to interviewees as a way to "butter them up"? For example, a supervisor I interviewed with at a site I am ranking highly was very complimentary and I am wondering if this is just part of the recruitment process.....i have heard from peers on internship that sites intentionally make applicants "feel special" because they too need to be ranked highly to match

 

[WisNeuro]

Do you guys think every site gives positive feedback to interviewees as a way to "butter them up"? For example, a supervisor I interviewed with at a site I am ranking highly was very complimentary and I am wondering if this is just part of the recruitment process.....i have heard from peers on internship that sites intentionally make applicants "feel special" because they too need to be ranked highly to match

I wouldn't read to much into this. Most sites don't need much to match, my old site rarely ranked out of our top 10, my old VA sites went to 12 once, otherwise were always in top 10. Like applicants, most will match with their upper tier or ranks for the most part.

 

[intern21]

Trying to figure out how a site can rank an applicant with a 30 minute interview lol! I get that it’s probably based more on materials but it was strange to me!

I had one that was 20 minutes long... I’m pretty sure they had already decided who they were ranking prior to the interview.

 

[intern21]

I'm struck by how vastly different each site is approaching virtual interviews. This ranges from schedules (e.g., sending individual links, full schedules, schedules including every applicant so you have to decipher what your schedule is), to platforms, to length (ranging from one 45 minute interview to 7 hours! on zoom), to the information provided/clarified in the interview, to warmth/lack of warmth during the interviews, etc.

I also do not care for the group interview format via virtual platforms. It is awkward and some platforms have audio preferences so it favors some applicants over others and causes a lot of anxiety.

Other than that, I think the overall experience has been surprisingly pleasant. Everyone was supportive and flexible, with several TDs and faculty reaching out to clarify questions or follow-up with anything that was unclear.

Group interviews were the worst! “Why should we choose you instead of them?” Asked in a group format was not a good experience. I did not enjoy being interviewed by interns at one site prior to my interview with the faculty.
i agree with you that the whole thing has been more positive than I expected.