Applying for APPIC internship and taking the EPPP early

[PavlovianRude]

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I'm finishing up my third year at a fully funded R1 and am applying for internship in the fall. I'm also planning on taking the EPPP in November or December 2015 (the state I'm in allows you to sit for the exam if you've got your TLLP). I've passed my qualifying exam and have proposed my dissertation. While my advisor supports me, many of the faculty have pushed back against this plan (mostly in regard to taking the EPPP). I'd like to get everyones opinion on (1) applying to internship during the fourth year of training and (2) taking the EPPP while still a doctoral student.

Some background: When I apply for internship I will have ~200 hours of face to face assessment hours, ~ 500 therapy hours, and ~220 supervision hours from licensed psychologists. I've accrued those hours from a university clinic (~25%), an inpatient psychiatric hospital (~45%), and an outpatient methadone clinic (~30%). The three departmental annual reviews that I've gotten have been stellar. I've done well in all of my classes and my annual reviews indicate that I've developed well both as a researcher (I have several posters at international conferences and one first author publication in a decent journal) and a clinician (I've worked with a diverse group of individuals and practiced with several ESTs).

My goal is to become a board certified forensic psychologist (the focus of all of my research and most of my clinical work). Naturally, I'm trying to obtain an internship at a forensically focused site in the hopes of matching and completing it, and subsequently obtaining a forensic post doc.

So, back to my original question, is this too much? Why would some faculty take issue with this?

 

[futureapppsy2]

I'm finishing up my third year at a fully funded R1 and am applying for internship in the fall. I'm also planning on taking the EPPP in November or December 2015 (the state I'm in allows you to sit for the exam if you've got your TLLP). I've passed my qualifying exam and have proposed my dissertation. While my advisor supports me, many of the faculty have pushed back against this plan (mostly in regard to taking the EPPP). I'd like to get everyones opinion on (1) applying to internship during the fourth year of training and (2) taking the EPPP while still a doctoral student.

Some background: When I apply for internship I will have ~200 hours of face to face assessment hours, ~ 500 therapy hours, and ~220 supervision hours from licensed psychologists. I've accrued those hours from a university clinic (~25%), an inpatient psychiatric hospital (~45%), and an outpatient methadone clinic (~30%). The three departmental annual reviews that I've gotten have been stellar. I've done well in all of my classes and my annual reviews indicate that I've developed well both as a researcher (I have several posters at international conferences and one first author publication in a decent journal) and a clinician (I've worked with a diverse group of individuals and practiced with several ESTs).

My goal is to become a board certified forensic psychologist (the focus of all of my research and most of my clinical work). Naturally, I'm trying to obtain an internship at a forensically focused site in the hopes of matching and completing it, and subsequently obtaining a forensic post doc.

So, back to my original question, is this too much? Why would some faculty take issue with this?

What kind of sites are you planning on applying to, in terms of type of site and ballpark competitiveness?

 

[PavlovianRude]

I'm looking to apply to the 10 APA accredited BOP sites, 6 or 7 inpatient psychiatric hospitals, and a few placements (mostly VAs) my lab typically matches at.

 

[PhDToBe]

Did you acquire forensic experiences during the inpatient hospital prac? And do people from your lab/program and with similar prac experiences tend to match at the BOPs and the psych hospitals to which you are applying?

I would just make sure you prioritize internship apps in the fall before the EPPP, since you can take the EPPP later. You should begin your internship apps now (if you haven't already).

 

[EmotRegulation]

My question is...why take the EPPP this year? I mean, when you will be busy with internship applications and interviews, when working on your dissertation and/or other writing projects is probably more valuable...what's the function? In my view, there's nothing wrong with taking the EPPP as a doctoral student. Hell, if you have the money, taking it without studying is only 4 hours of your life and the material is probably fresher as a graduate student, so maybe you could pass without much effort (note: study the I/O section at least, as most of us get zero training in that). But the real question is if taking the EPPP is the best use of your time this year. If it is? Go for it. If not? No harm in waiting.

 

[bmedclinic]

OP-
Part of my work is in a forensic setting, and I'm relatively fresh out (finished internship last year). I wish I could have sat for the EPPP two years ago. So much stuff I had forgotten. So I understand where you're coming from. I sat for it in March and passed.

However, the other side of things (and my guess is this is where your fac are coming from) is that you gotta finish your diss for the EPPP to really matter, and that between that and internship apps, your time is already spread pretty thin. Some people have other obligations (family) that require more time on top of that. People study differently for the EPPP, but it's quite a commitment for most.

Were I to go back and do it again, I'd try my best to finish the diss asap, match and then study when all you have left is dissertation and waiting to start internship. IMO, internship was actually pretty darn easy. But I'd still try to get the dissertation done as early as possible. You can study wherever you match, but it's not always as easy to track down that PITA fac member when you're a few states away.. ya know, the one that doesnt answer emails...The one that's too busy publishing to bother with actively being on your committee. I dont know if you had one like that on your committee, but I did. Good luck.

 

[PavlovianRude]

Thanks for all the responses!

Did you acquire forensic experiences during the inpatient hospital prac? And do people from your lab/program and with similar prac experiences tend to match at the BOPs and the psych hospitals to which you are applying?

My entire year at the inpatient hospital was forensically focused. I worked on the admissions unit of a hospital that strictly deals with forensic cases doing baseline cognitive/personality assessment and group therapy. And while people in my lab (and my program for that matter) don't typically go the forensic route, I networked with several forensic psychologists who did their internships at sites I'm interested in.

My question is...why take the EPPP this year?

Basically, I want to get it out of the way while the quals material is still fresh and I'm still used to heavy studying. I know it's not an equal comparison, but I took time off from undergrad before studying for the GRE and remember what a nightmare it was to start studying again. I don't want to have that same experience. As for taking part in other projects, I would probably sacrifice that. At this point, though, I would value getting the EPPP completed over a 3rd or 4th author publication.

However, the other side of things (and my guess is this is where your fac are coming from) is that you gotta finish your diss for the EPPP to really matter, and that between that and internship apps, your time is already spread pretty thin.

That makes sense. I don't feel like it will be too much of a time crunch though. My dissertation is proposed and will be up and running by August. My project is feasible and, based on a pilot study my lab has done, recruitment shouldn't be too cumbersome. Also, I have pretty good relationships with all of my committee members.

 

[bmedclinic]

Thanks for all the responses!

That makes sense. I don't feel like it will be too much of a time crunch though. My dissertation is proposed and will be up and running by August. My project is feasible and, based on a pilot study my lab has done, recruitment shouldn't be too cumbersome. Also, I have pretty good relationships with all of my committee members.

I can only go off my experiences. My thesis was kinda a wham-bam kinda situation where I proposed it, great committee members, I did it, was done, wrote it, defended it. Pretty seamlessly.

My diss was NOT. It was at another university. One of my committee members left, another was ridiculous, one was difficult, and one of my necessary people (psychologist in integrated primary care) left his position and was replaced by a complete ***** psych who had no interest in my dissertation. So I had quite a few roadblocks.

Might I recommend that for the time being, you start studying with a small investment ($30 flashcard app) as opposed to the $600 books, just to see how your time management goes. Sometimes, things out of your control (as you very well know) can eat all your time.

 

[LPPSYD]

Thanks for all the responses!



My entire year at the inpatient hospital was forensically focused. I worked on the admissions unit of a hospital that strictly deals with forensic cases doing baseline cognitive/personality assessment and group therapy. And while people in my lab (and my program for that matter) don't typically go the forensic route, I networked with several forensic psychologists who did their internships at sites I'm interested in.

Something to keep in mind is that forensic work is very different from the correctional work/setting at a BOP internship. There are forensic rotations at many BOP sites, but the overall work you will be doing is correctional, and it's an important distinction, in the environment alone. Might be something to consider when deciding whether to apply this year or next. At the very least, it's something to prepare you for those cover letters and interviews. 😉

 

[Shooter]

Took the EPPP early (before internship) last year. Such an advantage and relief. License will be coming in the mail soon 🙂