Licensure and EPPP

[child_psych123]

I am finishing up internship this year and I am eager to take the EPPP as soon as possible. The state that I will be completing my postdoc in requires that I complete all of my postdoc hours before being eligible to sit for the exam. The surrounding states, however, allows for the EPPP to be taken without the postdoc hour requirement. Is it worth it to apply for licensure in a different state in order to take the EPPP sooner and then transfer the score over to the state in which I will be practicing (once postdoc is completed)? Or is that just unnecessarily complicated and I should wait 1 year and take the EPPP once I am eligible in my practicing state? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

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[szymk1sm]

Whatever you decide, just be aware that you pay an extra fee (I think $85) to have your EPPP score transferred to another state.

I was not aware of this and may have waited to take the EPPP until I knew the state I was going to practice in.

 

[ClinicalABA]

I am finishing up internship this year and I am eager to take the EPPP as soon as possible. The state that I will be completing my postdoc in requires that I complete all of my postdoc hours before being eligible to sit for the exam. The surrounding states, however, allows for the EPPP to be taken without the postdoc hour requirement. Is it worth it to apply for licensure in a different state in order to take the EPPP sooner and then transfer the score over to the state in which I will be practicing (once postdoc is completed)? Or is that just unnecessarily complicated and I should wait 1 year and take the EPPP once I am eligible in my practicing state? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

You wouldn’t be licenseable in your state of choice any earlier, so that’s a wash. If you live close to the other state and could see any advantage of licensure there, it might be worth it, but it’s going to cost you the fees in both states. If not, what’s the advantage of taking it sooner? You’re probably a year or more removed from any coursework on the stuff you’re not practicing, so study time will not be much different if you wait up another year.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

I had some cohort-mates from internship sit for the EPPP right after internship. It was smart bc they studied for it while everything was fresh. We were on the border of a state that allowed to sit after internship. That said, a lot is going on during that time period, so it could just add to the stress.

 

[foreverbull]

I would consider whether licensure in the other state(s) would be practical for you in your career or not. If you don’t practice in the other state(s), it would be a waste of time and a lot of money to get licensed there, but an advantage if you live really close to state borders and want job flexibility in the future.

 

[student til 30]

I did this during post-doc, and now I pay to renew two licenses. It makes sense for me to have the flexibility, but the reoccurring cost is something to consider.

 

[WisNeuro]

I did this during post-doc, and now I pay to renew two licenses. It makes sense for me to have the flexibility, but the reoccurring cost is something to consider.

Do you ever intend to practice in the other state? If so, why don't you let it lapse, or follow whatever steps you need to not renew it officially?

 

[student til 30]

Both are places I'm interested in living and working in, with good job prospects for my spouse and psychologists in general. My program was in one, internship/post-doc in the other. Right now it makes sense for us to have the flexibility to move.

 

[WisNeuro]

Fair enough, may be good to keep it. Though, some states will let you "pause" your license, or something similar.

 

[psychRA]

Right now all of the testing centers in my state are closed. It's probably going to be a longer wait for EPPP testing slots once they do reopen because there's now a backlog of people waiting to take it. No one knows what the COVID situation will look like in the future, but there's some speculation that it may return in more waves in the future. If that's the case, I could see an argument for taking it in a neighboring state rather than waiting until a year down the road, when we may or may not face restrictions again. I'm not organized enough to do that myself, but I could see some folks doing so.