But I worry about having to discuss being on probation and needing a remediation plan.
Leaving pracs early happens, including for reasons that students can't control so that in itself is not a disqualifier. However, circumstances matter.
Are you officially on probation/have a formal remediation plan via your program (which includes consequences such as termination from your grad program is you don't successfully remediate)? Or was it specific to that prac site?
If it's via your program, your Training Director will likely/needs to speak to this in their required statement for each applicant. I don't have a copy of a completed AAPI in front of me to see the exact wording for their prompt but even if not mandated by APPIC, IMO it is good practice for a TD to identify what caused the student to be placed on probation/remediation, what corrective steps have been taken as a result and current status/progress made.
As somebody who reviews internship applications, leaving this prac site might have some of these following effects:
- As Wisneuro said, you may be asked about this during interviews.
- Hopefully you have solid letters from other sources since you won't be able to use anybody from this site.
- If you went/are going into another prac experience shortly after this one ended, a reviewer may or may not notice the gap or chalk it up to transition timing.
- Letter writers from your program (if they are aware of this and/or have concerns about how things unfolded) might write about this in their req, in addition to the required TD statement.
- Each letter writer is asked to state their degree of recommendation for each candidate. Many letter writers will candidly address continued growth edges but still enthusiastically or highly recommend the applicant. However, if a letter writer only selects "recommend" instead of highly or enthusiastically recommend, this may be a red flag (especially the more competitive a site is).
