PhD/PsyD Post doc & dissertation status

[psydstudent2020]

I’m currently on internship and debating whether I should apply for post doc or wait until the next cycle. Of course I am aiming to defend ASAP, but I also know I can’t predict for sure if it will be done before starting around September of next year. Several people have told me to apply because if you’re not finished they still take you and just let you work and don’t start counting hours until your degree is conferred. However, some of the positions I’m looking at list a requirement that dissertation be finished. I’m not sure if this is a firm requirement or more flexible like the situation I just described. I don’t want to interview at all my dream sites, take an offer, and then burn bridges with all of the above. Hopefully someone can shed some insight on this for me.


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[iliketohelppeople]

I think this will depend on the type of position and/or site. For instance, one of my colleagues is working at a community mental health center, but due to turning his dissertation into the library after our summer conferral date, is getting his degree conferred in December. He is still able to work with this organization, but I doubt they pay him as much. Another student I know stayed at their VA after internship as a graduate psychologist, but they were paid an intern's salary (and title) until the degree was conferred and HR got this information. I think other sites have a definite date that they want you to have the degree by. I also know that some places were cool with a later conferral date as long as all requirements had been met and they had a letter stating that all requirements were met (although I believe these folks were not paid like a post-doc).

So, it depends. I would look how rigid the site is on some of these areas and really work hard towards getting the dissertation done ASAP. I feel like many post-docs tend to have flexible start dates especially due to degree conferral issues. However, I do feel as though most want someone in there before October starts (purely anecdotal).

Keep in mind that the post-doc decision day (if you go through APPIC) is sometime in February/early March, so that may give you more room to know how likely it is that you will finish the beast. I don't know if I would forgo an entire year of income/being closer to licensure just because I was unsure about dissertation. On the other hand, there were quite a few good sites 'left over' last year after universal notification date.

Just my rambling thoughts.

 

[psydstudent2020]

I think this will depend on the type of position and/or site. For instance, one of my colleagues is working at a community mental health center, but due to turning his dissertation into the library after our summer conferral date, is getting his degree conferred in December. He is still able to work with this organization, but I doubt they pay him as much. Another student I know stayed at their VA after internship as a graduate psychologist, but they were paid an intern's salary (and title) until the degree was conferred and HR got this information. I think other sites have a definite date that they want you to have the degree by. I also know that some places were cool with a later conferral date as long as all requirements had been met and they had a letter stating that all requirements were met (although I believe these folks were not paid like a post-doc).

So, it depends. I would look how rigid the site is on some of these areas and really work hard towards getting the dissertation done ASAP. I feel like many post-docs tend to have flexible start dates especially due to degree conferral issues. However, I do feel as though most want someone in there before October starts (purely anecdotal).

Keep in mind that the post-doc decision day (if you go through APPIC) is sometime in February/early March, so that may give you more room to know how likely it is that you will finish the beast. I don't know if I would forgo an entire year of income/being closer to licensure just because I was unsure about dissertation. On the other hand, there were quite a few good sites 'left over' last year after universal notification date.

Just my rambling thoughts.

Thank you that was really helpful. Where would one access the list of “leftover” post docs?

 

[iliketohelppeople]

Thank you that was really helpful. Where would one access the list of “leftover” post docs?

It is a living list, and so sites got taken down as they filled up. So sadly, there is not a list of what it looked like at its busiest (I believe close to 100 sites/fellowships IIRC, maybe more or less).

Go to this website. Click on "Advanced Options" and then under "Unfilled Positions" click "Show any with unfilled positions." Only four there now. Probably was at its fullest in March. Also, I must caution that it was filled with sites that I would be interested in, which were generally more at VAs and medical centers. Cannot speak too much about other areas.