Internship Woes

[eliteone]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hi, All,

I was looking for a fresh perspective on my situation, and I was wondering what all of you think. I am a 5th year phd student in a really, really strong program. This year I applied to internship with 3 very strong letters (I saw all 3), 5 publications (2 in psychological assessment), etc., etc. However, my major professor (also the clinical director of the program) really had a strong hand in screwing everything up. He strongly discourages the gradaute students from submitting more than 5 applications. None of the students listen to him -- but they don't have to because he does not write letters of rec for them. However, he of course writes me a letter of rec. Anyway, he basically told me to apply to no more than 3 sites because he had an inside deal with one particular internship and, whether I like it or not, I was going there. Well, although it is a top notch internship, I did not want to go there. However, I couldn't argue because he would think I was being insubordinate and then write me a bad letter. Anyway, the internship suddenly lost its accrediation on 12/06 -- it was too late to submit any more apps to other sites. Out of the other 2 apps I sent out, I got 2 interviews (University of Illinois - Chicago and Chicago Medical School). Bother were very, very, very competitive sites and of course I didn't match.

I wasn't too stressed out about only having 2 interviews because no one told me the inside pocked site lost its accreditation till one 3 days before match day. So now, I did not match and my professor is saying that he didn't know that site x lost its accrediatation, I should have been able to match at the other sites I applied to... He's nuts; the odds of matching with 2 interviews, esp at competitive sites, is very low.

Although I am not happy at all about this, I have several options. Using the criterion of WANTING TO MAXIMIZE THE CHANCE OF GETTING AN INTERNSHIP NEXT YEAR which would you choose:

1 - One site is allowing me volunteer 3 days/week. There is no word of their giving me an internship the year after. I didn't even tell them I applied for internship and did not match. ALl they know is I want to volunteer there. However, if I do a good job I cannot imagine why they wouldn't. The negatives: I will have to live almost completely on loans for one year. Also, I would have to move 300 miles away : (
2 - Stay where I am and apply to all non-competitive sites next year -- however, my school requires an APA accredited internship
3 - Can you think of anything else?
What would you do?

 

[psychanon]

Wow, that is really, really messed up. I haven't applied for internship yet, so I don't know if I'm in the best position to give you advice, but it strikes me that if your advisor is the DCT, he should know that applying to 3 sites is ridiculous. I would think that even applying to 3 non-competitive sites would be a gamble, since they might not see you as a good match. DCTs should also have a vested interest in making sure everyone matches, since it reflects poorly on the program if they don't. Also, his forcing you into applying for one particular program is completely unethnical. If you are so inclined, you could probably report it to the APA accreditation people. Are there any other professors in your program that you could talk to about this? Could you get letters from anyone else, at least to apply for programs above the three?

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

....his forcing you into applying for one particular program is completely unethnical. If you are so inclined, you could probably report it to the APA accreditation people.

It is DEFINITELY in violation of the APPIC rules, and most likely the APA would have something to say about it. I'd be filing legal action against him/school (representing the school), and I'd file an ethics complaint.

-t

 

[eliteone]

Yeah, I know it's a violation of APPIC rules and whatever but I still have to let him chair my good ol' dissertation. What I really need is some advice on what to do now.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

Yeah, I know it's a violation of APPIC rules and whatever but I still have to let him chair my good ol' dissertation. What I really need is some advice on what to do now.

Ahh...ok.

It is DEFINITELY in violation of the APPIC rules, and most likely the APA would have something to say about it. I'd be filing legal action against him/school (representing the school), and I'd file an ethics complaint.

-t

😉

But really....he just screwed you for a year.

-t

 

[psypsypsy]

That's incredibly screwed up! Between the ethics violations and the complete lack of understanding of how internships work today...I just don't know what to say.

That said, I think you have a terrific chance of getting in next year, regardless of what you do in the next year. You applied to 2 places and got 2 interviews at competitive schools...that means you're probably a pretty competitive candidate already. Another year will help that, as will applying to more schools. Everyone at my school applied to a minimum of about 12 places. If you applied to that many, and a combo of competitive and less competitive sites, I'd guess you'd be fine. It sounds like the reason you didn't get in was due to the small number of applications (and your advisor, of course!)

 

[paramour]

Ahh...ok.



😉

But really....he just screwed you for a year.

-t

Nicely put.

 

[Lunabin]

You don't seem to have that many options. I agree with other posters, perhaps reporting his unethical behavior is in order - he's probably going to do the same thing to some other student(s) down the line.

If you go that route, you may need to consider that it will burn that bridge, and you may need to start shopping for a new diss. chair.

If you don't report this, then I would make it very clear to him the impact his "advice and guidance" had on your current unmatched situation, and next year you expect his full support in applying to numerous APA sites to ensure a match.

However, your not matching does reflect on the overall match rate of your program, and I'm sure you can find other faculty who will support you and your situation.

Others will appreciate your reporting this incident, though, only you can weigh the consequences.

Good luck!