New interns, externs, post-docs - hows it going?

[IT514]

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Just thought I would check in with anyone else who is starting internship, but also curious to hear from anyone starting a new training year. Being mid-July, I imagine that there are quite a few of us starting out in medical settings, VAs, etc.

Mine (VA internship) is starting out slow but well. Busying myself with reviewing old and new instruments, going to interdisciplinary meetings, and getting set up on a research team. I'm a bit bored but I know that will change once I start seeing patients next week, as a lot of the evals are of a different nature than what is typical for me. Should be fun.

Hows everyone else doing? Anyone finally starting a "real" job?

 

[ClinPsychEnthus]

I'm just starting an externship that was highly competitive to get... and its been a really slow start. This week was formalized training in the clinical protocol we're using for over half the population we see, which was truly excellent... but my time in the clinic has been slow...

Does anybody else notice major intimidation coming up for them in certain settings?

I am noticing that, unlike in my last externship, which was competitive, but where I was almost immediately comfortable. I think that, in part, it was a less formal setting (the population had many co-morbidities, so the setting tended to have a flexible vibe in how they approached many aspects of the work, etc...)

...just wondering if anyone else is feeling intimidated in their new settings, too....

 

[erg923]

Mine (VA internship) is starting out slow but well. Busying myself with reviewing old and new instruments, going to interdisciplinary meetings, and getting set up on a research team. I'm a bit bored but I know that will change once I start seeing patients next week, as a lot of the evals are of a different nature than what is typical for me. Should be fun.

Hows everyone else doing? Anyone finally starting a "real" job?

Mine did too. But it sure did get busy quick. It's now slow again though...three weeks before my last day as im wrapping up patients and have completed all my required assessment reports.

Internship is a time of learning and a time to REALLY figure out what you like, what you don't, and what you want your career to be. For me, it reinforced a sneaking suspicion I have had for some time but was never sure about (because I never had a "full-time" clinical job). That is, I simply cannot have a 100% clinical service job. I can't see patients every day. I can't. I'm just not in the mood for it. Fortunately, my "real job" that I start at the end of next month is perfect for me right now. So, overall I am pleased. Pleased with my new job, and very pleased to be done with internship and done being a 30 year-old student.

 

[deleted176373]

I am hoping to start my "real job" sometime in the next few months. Of course, who knows what my "real job" will really look like. I do know that I would never want to repeat the experience called internship ever again. It was a hell of a year.

M

 

[Ya Ya]

I am hoping to start my "real job" sometime in the next few months. Of course, who knows what my "real job" will really look like. I do know that I would never want to repeat the experience called internship ever again. It was a hell of a year.

M

How so, Markp?

 

[IT514]

I'm just starting an externship that was highly competitive to get... and its been a really slow start. This week was formalized training in the clinical protocol we're using for over half the population we see, which was truly excellent... but my time in the clinic has been slow...

Does anybody else notice major intimidation coming up for them in certain settings?

I am noticing that, unlike in my last externship, which was competitive, but where I was almost immediately comfortable. I think that, in part, it was a less formal setting (the population had many co-morbidities, so the setting tended to have a flexible vibe in how they approached many aspects of the work, etc...)

...just wondering if anyone else is feeling intimidated in their new settings, too....

I had a few practica that were very intimidating at the start. These were also very exciting placements so I wonder if part of it was the expectancy and hope that I would fit in (which, eventually I did an got great recommendations). Theres always a unique trajectory of feeling comfortable at each place, but just because you acclimate quicker at one site vs another may not be predictive of how you like the site overall. At my last placement I felt comfortable right off the bat, and gradually became disillusioned to the point where I was disgusted with even driving past the hospital.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

I am hoping to start my "real job" sometime in the next few months. Of course, who knows what my "real job" will really look like. I do know that I would never want to repeat the experience called internship ever again. It was a hell of a year.

M

I have definitely heard this from other people, but I think..in general...most students enjoy their intern year. There will be times when you feel overwhelmed and also times you feel like you are ready to hang your own shingle, but hopefully by the end of the intern year students will feel cautiously optimistic that they can handle themselves in a day to day setting.

I'm an N=1, though I found my intern year to be very helpful because it made me really look at what I do and do not want from a 'real' job. I knew before starting my internship that I still had 2 more years of fellowship to complete before getting a 'real' job, so in some ways that took some pressure off.

 

[Pragma]

I am hoping to start my "real job" sometime in the next few months. Of course, who knows what my "real job" will really look like. I do know that I would never want to repeat the experience called internship ever again. It was a hell of a year.

M

Ouch - I always feel bad when I hear about rough internships. For me, my internship year was the easiest of all 7 years (grad school and postdoc). But that had something to do with a) being done with my dissertation before starting and b) working at a Govn't site.

 

[roubs]

I am hoping to start my "real job" sometime in the next few months. Of course, who knows what my "real job" will really look like. I do know that I would never want to repeat the experience called internship ever again. It was a hell of a year.

M

Uh oh..

 

[SpiceyT]

I am hoping to start my "real job" sometime in the next few months. Of course, who knows what my "real job" will really look like. I do know that I would never want to repeat the experience called internship ever again. It was a hell of a year.

M

Rut Roh. I'd be interested to hear what happened, PM me if you like...I understand the "real job" looks more like SD than anywhere else...hope you're going somewhere you're excited about. Do you know where it will be?

 

[psychrat]

I found this old post and I figured I would check in to see how everyone's first week (for those of us who began internship/externship/practicum on July 1st) went? All of the other interns at my site seem great, as do the supervisors. It is definitely going to be a very busy and enriching year! I am feeling a bit of imposter syndrome and anxiety kick in though. When the director spoke w us he showed up all of the competencies we must fulfill by the end of the training year and shared w us how a few people in the distant past (3 in 50 years) did not make the cut and did not graduate from the program. That seems like a nightmare. I cannot imagine making it this far and not passing internship. I know some people do not belong in the field, but yikes!

 

[erg923]

When the director spoke w us he showed up all of the competencies we must fulfill by the end of the training year and shared w us how a few people in the distant past (3 in 50 years) did not make the cut and did not graduate from the program.

What was the purpose of divulging this statistic. Thats fishy too me...

 

[psychrat]

What was the purpose of divulging this statistic. Thats fishy too me...

I think one of the interns asked how often people do not "pass" and he said not often and then shared that number. I think he was trying to be re-assuring, but the anxiety in the room rose.

 

[cara susanna]

I found this old post and I figured I would check in to see how everyone's first week (for those of us who began internship/externship/practicum on July 1st) went? All of the other interns at my site seem great, as do the supervisors. It is definitely going to be a very busy and enriching year! I am feeling a bit of imposter syndrome and anxiety kick in though. When the director spoke w us he showed up all of the competencies we must fulfill by the end of the training year and shared w us how a few people in the distant past (3 in 50 years) did not make the cut and did not graduate from the program. That seems like a nightmare. I cannot imagine making it this far and not passing internship. I know some people do not belong in the field, but yikes!

From my experience as a recently graduated intern, there's a lot of process that has to happen before they can kick you out short of you committing some egregious act. I'm not sure if it's standardized across APA sites, but for us it was an average evaluation score you needed per competency to "pass." So, you could get a lower number on some objectives and still come out okay if you averaged out to a certain value. If you scored below that number, then you get a remediation plan. They're not just like "oh, you got a 2 on this competency, see ya." And a good supervisor should tell you about it before the evaluation if they're really concerned.

 

[psychrat]

From my experience as a recently graduated intern, there's a lot of process that has to happen before they can kick you out short of you committing some egregious act. I'm not sure if it's standardized across APA sites, but for us it was an average evaluation score you needed per competency to "pass." So, you could get a lower number on some objectives and still come out okay if you averaged out to a certain value. If you scored below that number, then you get a remediation plan. They're not just like "oh, you got a 2 on this competency, see ya." And a good supervisor should tell you about it before the evaluation if they're really concerned.

Thanks. This makes more sense.

 

[bmedclinic]

During my internship year, I was one of four interns at my site. 2 of them were nice. 1 was not competent. Of them, I'd only ever consider hiring one of them. Everyone passed. I think you need to be pretty darn bad, like "how did you even get to this point" bad to even begin that process. JMO though. Also, if you know any completely incompetent psychologists out there (there are a few, I assume we all know 1 or two) just remind yourself that somehow they made it, so it's unlikely to trip you up.

My internship year was a complete waste- in fact, in a way you could argue that it even set me back in terms of professional goals.

Note: I am aware that I have high standards. This may factor into my post.

 

[erg923]

During my internship year, I was one of four interns at my site. 2 of them were nice. 1 was not competent. Of them, I'd only ever consider hiring one of them. Everyone passed. I think you need to be pretty darn bad, like "how did you even get to this point" bad to even begin that process. JMO though. Also, if you know any completely incompetent psychologists out there (there are a few, I assume we all know 1 or two) just remind yourself that somehow they made it, so it's unlikely to trip you up.

My internship year was a complete waste- in fact, in a way you could argue that it even set me back in terms of professional goals.

Note: I am aware that I have high standards. This may factor into my post.

It would be helpful to others to articulate why you thought your internship was a "waste."

 

[psychforlife0402]

I started my internship last week at a really competitive site. I've been pretty overwhelmed so far. My schedule is gearing up to be really intense. Most of the intensity is due to the incredible amount of supervision, didactics and seminars, which is great, but I don't know how I'm going to fit in seeing clients! I think the biggest thing for me so far (in addition to impostor syndrome, I still can't believe I got in!) is the change in the way I am perceived and treated by others. Just a few weeks ago I was a practicum student who was given little credibility. Now, I am running a group supervision and am given much more responsibility. For most of the past week I have gotten by just acting like I feel confident, but inside I'm freaking out a little. Overall, I am hoping that once I get into a groove, and figure out how to have time for lunch in my schedule, I will feel much better. For now I am just trying to take it one day at a time.

 

[bmedclinic]

It would be helpful to others to articulate why you thought your internship was a "waste."

sure. I matched to my 7th internship spot, and as such, it was not ideal for me. I didnt have many new experiences, saw largely similar clients as I saw as a grad student, and didnt really feel I was pushed to grow.

 

[LETSGONYR]

It would be helpful to others to articulate why you thought your internship was a "waste."

I was not the original poster, but I wasn't a fan of my internship site either. I did get some good experiences there and learned more about what I do and do not want for a career, but I just don't feel it was worth the stressful match process, moving across the country, the terrible salary, being so far from my partner and loved ones, etc.

It wasn't a "waste" imo, but it was certainly not worth it... I feel I could have learned similar lessons and grown professionally without so much unnecessary sacrifice.

 

[Ollie123]

Just finished internship June 30 - not starting my next position til mid-August due to a combination of a slow hiring process and some previously planned travel. Guess I qualify as "starting a real job" since I'm technically taking a non-rank faculty position vs. post-doc. Pays like a post-doc til I pull in funding though, so who knows.

Otherwise, feels good to finally be done with everything though it has been a rather chaotic ending. Way too much taking place at one time, so looking forward to getting settled and having a life again.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

Enjoy your travels!!

Make sure to take at least a week to ten days to get to your new city and settle in. Living out of boxes when you start would not be fun.

 

[SmithPsy24]

My post-doc doesn't start until September, and I'm so glad about that. I am going to visit the area where I'll be living to hunt for apartments next week, though.

 

[psychrat]

Weird experience today with a "psychoanalyst" (as he likes to be referred) who is not one of my supervisors. I was telling him how I worked with several international students when I externed at the college counseling center where I went to school and he seemed surprised and said, "why would an international student want to study in a small city in the northwest?" I was a bit taken aback by this. The way he said it was quite condescending. Later that day was team meeting and when I walked in I said to one of the psychologists (who is a former intern) "is this anyone's seat? I do not want to take it if it is." She then said "I usually sit there but that is fine." I then sat in the chair next to it. I tried to make small talk w her when waiting for everyone else to come in, but she seemed very uninterested. It looks like it is going to be a year of getting used to strong personalities!

 

[smalltownpsych]

Weird experience today with a "psychoanalyst" (as he likes to be referred) who is not one of my supervisors. I was telling him how I worked with several international students when I externed at the college counseling center where I went to school and he seemed surprised and said, "why would an international student want to study in a small city in the northwest?" I was a bit taken aback by this. The way he said it was quite condescending. Later that day was team meeting and when I walked in I said to one of the psychologists (who is a former intern) "is this anyone's seat? I do not want to take it if it is." She then said "I usually sit there but that is fine." I then sat in the chair next to it. I tried to make small talk w her when waiting for everyone else to come in, but she seemed very uninterested. It looks like it is going to be a year of getting used to strong personalities!

A self-described psychoanalyst would be red flag number one. Be thankful they are not your supervisor. My first warning sign was when I had supervision first thing on a Monday morning (which is not very good scheduling IMO) and I was having difficulty remembering the details from the past week and made the observation that sometimes it takes my mind a bit of time to get going and my supervisor told me to stop making excuses and that patients didn't have time to wait for me to "get it together". I knew it was going to be a long year after that exchange. The irony is that my verbal memory has always been one of my greatest strengths and I can recall exceptionally accurately what was said in sessions with a little bit of cuing. Thus began a year of feeling like I had stepped through the looking glass.