How many internship sites?

[eralex89]

I've already submitted 12 applications to the sites with 11/1 deadlines. My DCT wants us all to apply to 22-25 sites to maximize our matching odds. When I shared this with the interns at my current externship, their jaws dropped; they said there's no need to apply to more than 15. I think I'm going to aim for 18/19 and drop the ones for which gushing over their rotation offerings or didactics or whatever in the cover letter would feel like absolute disingenuous bull****. Just curious to get a sense of what kind of guidance other programs/DCTs are providing.

Also, hi. 👋 I'm new here. 4th year adult PsyD student at Ferkauf.

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[summerbabe]

What are your stats (assessment hours, individual therapy hours, group therapy hours, supervision hours and # of integrated reports)?

And what is your program’s recent match success? All in phase 1? Some in phase 2? Mostly phase 2 and potentially non-APA?

If your stats are on the lower side or your program doesn’t historically match well, then yes, applying to more should be considered.

 

[PsyNeuro37]

20+ sites seems excessive. There are stats out there that show success rate of matching drops off after around ~18 applications or something. Could be less competitive applicants apply to more sites, the quality of your individual application/interviewing skills take a hit because you’re stretched too thin/burned out, or both. It was mid-pandemic when I applied and I definitely let the anxiety about hours get the best of me, and I applied to way too many sites. It ended up being totally unnecessary. If I could go back, I would saved myself the hassle/money limited myself to 18 sites max. Even less if you’re not thinking neuro or another competitive specialty area.

 

[jdawg2017]

15 is enough, IMO, unless your program has poor match rates. At some point you have diminishing returns on how much effort you can exert to personalizing cover letters to sites.

 

[JustNoticing]

I went to a decent phd program where most matched to their top 2 sites, applied to 12+ sites and then deeply regretted applying to that many. Get a sense about how competitive the people in your program and don't let anxiety do all the action for you. There's definitely a point of diminishing returns on apps.

 

[eralex89]

What are your stats (assessment hours, individual therapy hours, group therapy hours, supervision hours and # of integrated reports)?

And what is your program’s recent match success? All in phase 1? Some in phase 2? Mostly phase 2 and potentially non-APA?

If your stats are on the lower side or your program doesn’t historically match well, then yes, applying to more should be considered.

Match rate for past few years has been 100% or very close to it. My stats are 520 intervention, 25 assessments w/ 3 integrated reports, 400 supervision. I acknowledge my relatively low assessment hours by saying I'm at an assessment-heavy site this year in my cover letters.

Our DCT very much prides our program on high match rates, which is probably why she's urging so many sites.

 

[psych.meout]

Match rate for past few years has been 100% or very close to it. My stats are 520 intervention, 25 assessments w/ 3 integrated reports, 400 supervision. I acknowledge my relatively low assessment hours by saying I'm at an assessment-heavy site this year in my cover letters.

Our DCT very much prides our program on high match rates, which is probably why she's urging so many sites.

Are you saying that's 25 assessment hours?

 

[WisNeuro]

Match rate for past few years has been 100% or very close to it. My stats are 520 intervention, 25 assessments w/ 3 integrated reports, 400 supervision. I acknowledge my relatively low assessment hours by saying I'm at an assessment-heavy site this year in my cover letters.

Our DCT very much prides our program on high match rates, which is probably why she's urging so many sites.

89%, 95%, and 86% to be exact. Those 80's are a little problematic, not terrible, not great, kind of in the middle. I would also want to know if that 25 is assessment hours, or numbers of assessment. If it's assessment hours, that's a problem.

 

[summerbabe]

Match rate for past few years has been 100% or very close to it. My stats are 520 intervention, 25 assessments w/ 3 integrated reports, 400 supervision. I acknowledge my relatively low assessment hours by saying I'm at an assessment-heavy site this year in my cover letters.

Our DCT very much prides our program on high match rates, which is probably why she's urging so many sites.

Agree with others that the assessment hours are on the low side. Most of your peers will have 50+ and many will have 100+.

If your 3 integrated reports are super complex and can show a combo of Weschler & MMPI type comprehensive reports, that would be better for 25 hours. But if your 3 integrated reports are more like more formal intakes, that's won't play well with assessment heavy sites like AMCs (but glad you are getting that experience now).

Based on your program rates and your hours, if I were you, my total # would depend on types of sites I'm applying to (AMC vs college counseling for example.

If you want 'flagship' AMCs/VAs/brand name sites like Mayo Clinic, your stats likely fall in the lower half of the applicant pool depending on how competitive that site is so I would apply to more and increase your odds of getting interviews.

If you're primarily applying to regional/rural AMCs/VAs that typically go into Phase 2, 15 should be enough, especially if you've selected well for fit.

I don't have much insight into community, prison and college counseling center placements but I would think that same logic could apply.

And if you're primarily looking at matching somewhere and are open to a variety of spots, 15 should be enough as Phase 2 has lots of great programs last year and I would imagine you'd do fine and maybe even have more competitive choices if you ended up in that spot. Good luck!

 

[eralex89]

Agree with others that the assessment hours are on the low side. Most of your peers will have 50+ and many will have 100+.

If your 3 integrated reports are super complex and can show a combo of Weschler & MMPI type comprehensive reports, that would be better for 25 hours. But if your 3 integrated reports are more like more formal intakes, that's won't play well with assessment heavy sites like AMCs (but glad you are getting that experience now).

Based on your program rates and your hours, if I were you, my total # would depend on types of sites I'm applying to (AMC vs college counseling for example.

If you want 'flagship' AMCs/VAs/brand name sites like Mayo Clinic, your stats likely fall in the lower half of the applicant pool depending on how competitive that site is so I would apply to more and increase your odds of getting interviews.

If you're primarily applying to regional/rural AMCs/VAs that typically go into Phase 2, 15 should be enough, especially if you've selected well for fit.

I don't have much insight into community, prison and college counseling center placements but I would think that same logic could apply.

And if you're primarily looking at matching somewhere and are open to a variety of spots, 15 should be enough as Phase 2 has lots of great programs last year and I would imagine you'd do fine and maybe even have more competitive choices if you ended up in that spot. Good luck!

All 3 reports integrate WAIS, MMPI, Rorschach, plus other tests unique to each patient.