Post-doc Completion/Licensure/Supervision Question

[modestmousktr]

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Hi All!

Apologies if something like this has been posted before, I was unable to find something while looking through past threads. I have been offered positions to stay on as a psychologist at my post-doc site, which I am hoping to do.

In the state that I am in, a post-doc is not required for licensure. I am completing one so that on the off-chance that I would like to leave this state and apply to a state that requires a post-doc or apply for ABPP boarding I will have an easier time. Some states I have seen that seem to have post-doc requirements appear to be states like California, New York, Michigan, Oregon, etc- it seems like maybe almost any state aside from Washington, Alabama, and Utah?

Here are my questions:

If I become licensed in June, but my post-doc is not over until September, and I stay on as a post-doc with the same salary, title, responsibilities, didactic opportunities, and supervision requirements, will this still count as completing my post-doc? There would be 2-4 months of overlap where I am both licensed and also receiving supervision, but outside of that, nothing would change. Has anyone done this in states where a post-doc is required, and, because you kept your salary/rank/title/supervision/etc was this okay?

Also, I think my site wants to keep me so they are willing to bump my rank/salary up from post-doc to a psychologist on contingency immediately. If I were to keep receiving my 2 hours of supervision, continue in my didactic courses, and have the same responsibilities, would this still count as completing my post-doc as I am still doing the same things/receiving the same supervision, even though my rank/salary has increased? This is obviously the more attractive option but if this will jeopardize my chances of licensure in other states, I do not think it is worth it.

Finally, are both of these options so questionable that I should just stay unlicensed until September and not expose myself to any risk?

I have asked this to the psychologists at my site that were hired internally out of post-doc, but they did not have plans of leaving the state so this did not factor into their decision-making and they were unsure how this might impact me.

Thank you everyone for your time!

 

[WisNeuro]

Hi All!

Apologies if something like this has been posted before, I was unable to find something while looking through past threads. I have been offered positions to stay on as a psychologist at my post-doc site, which I am hoping to do.

In the state that I am in, a post-doc is not required for licensure. I am completing one so that on the off-chance that I would like to leave this state and apply to a state that requires a post-doc or apply for ABPP boarding I will have an easier time. Some states I have seen that seem to have post-doc requirements appear to be states like California, New York, Michigan, Oregon, etc- it seems like maybe almost any state aside from Washington, Alabama, and Utah?

Here are my questions:

If I become licensed in June, but my post-doc is not over until September, and I stay on as a post-doc with the same salary, title, responsibilities, didactic opportunities, and supervision requirements, will this still count as completing my post-doc? There would be 2-4 months of overlap where I am both licensed and also receiving supervision, but outside of that, nothing would change. Has anyone done this in states where a post-doc is required, and, because you kept your salary/rank/title/supervision/etc was this okay?

Also, I think my site wants to keep me so they are willing to bump my rank/salary up from post-doc to a psychologist on contingency immediately. If I were to keep receiving my 2 hours of supervision, continue in my didactic courses, and have the same responsibilities, would this still count as completing my post-doc as I am still doing the same things/receiving the same supervision, even though my rank/salary has increased? This is obviously the more attractive option but if this will jeopardize my chances of licensure in other states, I do not think it is worth it.

Finally, are both of these options so questionable that I should just stay unlicensed until September and not expose myself to any risk?

I have asked this to the psychologists at my site that were hired internally out of post-doc, but they did not have plans of leaving the state so this did not factor into their decision-making and they were unsure how this might impact me.

Thank you everyone for your time!

I would check with some specific state requirements, but it is my understanding that as long as you are receiving supervision for your clinical work during the postdoc, it is still considered postdoctoral hours for state licensing purposes. I was licensed during year 2 of my neuropsych postdoc and this was not an issue for ABPP boarding in any way.

 

[R. Matey]

It's probably more clear cut if you stay in your postdoc role until you've accrued enough hours for licensure in whatever target state you're thinking about, but it certainly isn't a requirement so long as you have folks who are willing to sign the various forms of said state that say they supervised x amount of hours of postdoctoral experience. If we're talking about a couple of months, I don't see the use in rushing though.

 

[modestmousktr]

These are wonderfully helpful, thank you so much!

 

[deleted1129370]

Hi All!

Apologies if something like this has been posted before, I was unable to find something while looking through past threads. I have been offered positions to stay on as a psychologist at my post-doc site, which I am hoping to do.

In the state that I am in, a post-doc is not required for licensure. I am completing one so that on the off-chance that I would like to leave this state and apply to a state that requires a post-doc or apply for ABPP boarding I will have an easier time. Some states I have seen that seem to have post-doc requirements appear to be states like California, New York, Michigan, Oregon, etc- it seems like maybe almost any state aside from Washington, Alabama, and Utah?

Here are my questions:

If I become licensed in June, but my post-doc is not over until September, and I stay on as a post-doc with the same salary, title, responsibilities, didactic opportunities, and supervision requirements, will this still count as completing my post-doc? There would be 2-4 months of overlap where I am both licensed and also receiving supervision, but outside of that, nothing would change. Has anyone done this in states where a post-doc is required, and, because you kept your salary/rank/title/supervision/etc was this okay?

Also, I think my site wants to keep me so they are willing to bump my rank/salary up from post-doc to a psychologist on contingency immediately. If I were to keep receiving my 2 hours of supervision, continue in my didactic courses, and have the same responsibilities, would this still count as completing my post-doc as I am still doing the same things/receiving the same supervision, even though my rank/salary has increased? This is obviously the more attractive option but if this will jeopardize my chances of licensure in other states, I do not think it is worth it.

Finally, are both of these options so questionable that I should just stay unlicensed until September and not expose myself to any risk?

I have asked this to the psychologists at my site that were hired internally out of post-doc, but they did not have plans of leaving the state so this did not factor into their decision-making and they were unsure how this might impact me.

Thank you everyone for your time!

I am in Ohio where a post-doc is not required; I started my job at the VA as a GS-11 Staff Psychologist in August (my degree was conferred in August too), and I got licensed in December. Since the VA requires one to be supervised until one is credentialed and privileged, as a GS-11, I am supervised two hours a week and have my notes co-signed; I worked out an agreement with my supervisors to continue doing this through August 1st of 2022. This will allow me to document 2 hours of supervision for a year, thus allowing me to meet post-doc hour requirements to get licensed in Texas and Florida should I opt to move back to one of those states. This also allows me to quality for ABPP in clinical psychology as I would need one year of supervised post-doctoral experience plus 1 year of post-doctoral practice.

 

[Action_Potential]

All I can say is that in my state/specialty, you cannot claim to have completed a postdoc if you have a change in position within the required 12 or 24 or 36 months (whatever the contract indicated).

 

[R. Matey]

All I can say is that in my state/specialty, you cannot claim to have completed a postdoc if you have a change in position within the required 12 or 24 or 36 months (whatever the contract indicated).

That might depend on the application method (e.g., license by credential vs. reciprocity), but generally I agree that it might be better for the OP to stick it out.