POI contacting current PI after interview

[eesther]

Hi Everyone,

I currently work full-time in a research lab, and I recently had an on-campus interview for a Developmental Psychology Ph.D. program. The PI that I work for (who wrote me a letter of rec) told me that my POI at that school contacted her and asked to Skype her this week. My PI said she wrote in the letter the standard "Please don't hesitate to contact me", etc. at the end, so it wasn't surprising to her. They also work in the same exact area of research. She said this is a really good sign, but i'm really worried about it and am hoping my POI isn't going to ask about my negative attributes to find a reason to reject me or something like that. Do most Psych Ph.D. programs do this post-interview, and why? Is it actually good or is it a post-interview hurdle I have to worry about for future interviews?

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[WisNeuro]

This will happen throughout training. If someone is applying for an internship or postdoc at my site, and they've worked with someone I know, I call that person up and ask them about the person. It's how the field works. As long as you're a solid applicant, it's more of a help than a hindrance.

 

[gypsyflemming]

I cant really reflect on this in the scope of admittance into a PhD program, however, when I've transitioned from one lab that has heavy overlap with another, the PIs' communication has only helped me! I would look at this as a good sign.

 

[MCParent]

I wouldn't invest extra time scheduling with another busy professor with only the goal of finding a reason not to take someone. Waste of time. It's probably a good sign. POI might just want to network/talk about collaboration with old PI, even.