How is the Psychology match and post-doc system work?

[jadedphysiotherapist]

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Just curious,

How do the match systems work for this field? Are applications sent out in the final year? Is it mandatory to complete intern year or post-docs following school to practice and bill or is that primarily to get into a certain niche field or increase ability to do slightly different services for reimbursement? Are state requirements ever driven by psychiatrist/psychologist politics? Is it also market driven for supply and demand to conform to local entrylevel/retiree or field change dynamics?

Finally, when did the match develop within this field historically?

Any info. would be cool. Just really curious and comparing professional pathways.

 

[deleted343839]

Are applications sent out in the final year?

Most programs don't have a lock-step training sequence, but usually by the 5th year or so most students have sufficient clinical practicum exposure, and have completed or made sufficient progress on their dissertations, to apply for the internship year. Some apply in 4th year, some apply in 6th year or even later. But applying in year 5 or 6 is typical. Different programs have different norms for when students are "ready."

Is it mandatory to complete intern year or post-docs following school to practice and bill or is that primarily to get into a certain niche field or increase ability to do slightly different services for reimbursement?

Finally, when did the match develop within this field historically?

The internship is a requirement for all degrees leading to licensure as a professional psychologist (clinical, counseling, and school psychology). The internship system has existed since the 1940s, though the match system was not adopted until 1998.

Is it also market driven for supply and demand to conform to local entrylevel/retiree or field change dynamics?

There is no systematic process for capping the total number of internships or limiting the number of new professionals into the field, though some would argue that the profession should have more of a stake in controlling the market. Right now, there is pressure to increase the number of internships available now since there are more trainees than internship positions.

 

[jadedphysiotherapist]

Most programs don't have a lock-step training sequence, but usually by the 5th year or so most students have sufficient clinical practicum exposure, and have completed or made sufficient progress on their dissertations, to apply for the internship year. Some apply in 4th year, some apply in 6th year or even later. But applying in year 5 or 6 is typical. Different programs have different norms for when students are "ready."





The internship is a requirement for all degrees leading to licensure as a professional psychologist (clinical, counseling, and school psychology). The internship system has existed since the 1940s, though the match system was not adopted until 1998.



There is no systematic process for capping the total number of internships or limiting the number of new professionals into the field, though some would argue that the profession should have more of a stake in controlling the market. Right now, there is pressure to increase the number of internships available now since there are more trainees than internship positions.

Thank you