SchoolPsychStudent
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- Aug 6, 2019
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Hi everyone,
I'm very new here, so I apologize if this question has been posted elsewhere already. (I've looked through many threads and haven't come across an answer to my question.)
My quick question: how important it is for a school psychology doctoral student from an APA accredited program, who plans on becoming licensed, to complete an APA-accredited internship? I'd ultimately like to have a job where I work in or with a school district, but also do therapy with children in a clinic (or a school based mental health clinic).
Why I'm Asking This Question/Long Back Story (feel free to skip):
I'm asking because I've received different answers. My supervisor, who is a clinical child psychologist told me that in her experience in private practice, "no one really cares if your internship was APA accredited." Another former school psychology student from my program told me that although she did not complete an APA accredited internship (she completed a school internship under a licensed supervisor), she had no difficulty at all obtaining licensure or finding a job in a private practice (where she does therapy with children, neuropsych testing, and consultation with local school districts). She did say that she may have been less competitive for jobs in a hospital. However, another former student from my program, who did complete an APA accredited internship (through APPIC), highly recommended that I do the same, telling me that this would make it easier to apply for licensure and make me more competitive for jobs.
For my first three years of graduate school, I completed school practica, as I thought that I wanted to work in a school. I also found a job doing neuropsych testing at a clinic near my university. However, in my fourth year, I worked in a clinic for children with anxiety disorders. I learned to do therapy and I absolutely loved it. I decided that while I still wanted to do "school-related" work, I also wanted to continue to learn/practice therapy. So now, I'm unsure what kind of internship I should be looking for. Should I be looking for an APA accredited internship with both school and clinical components, or should I simply find a non-accredited school internship with a licensed supervisor?
Thank you in advance for your help!
I'm very new here, so I apologize if this question has been posted elsewhere already. (I've looked through many threads and haven't come across an answer to my question.)
My quick question: how important it is for a school psychology doctoral student from an APA accredited program, who plans on becoming licensed, to complete an APA-accredited internship? I'd ultimately like to have a job where I work in or with a school district, but also do therapy with children in a clinic (or a school based mental health clinic).
Why I'm Asking This Question/Long Back Story (feel free to skip):
I'm asking because I've received different answers. My supervisor, who is a clinical child psychologist told me that in her experience in private practice, "no one really cares if your internship was APA accredited." Another former school psychology student from my program told me that although she did not complete an APA accredited internship (she completed a school internship under a licensed supervisor), she had no difficulty at all obtaining licensure or finding a job in a private practice (where she does therapy with children, neuropsych testing, and consultation with local school districts). She did say that she may have been less competitive for jobs in a hospital. However, another former student from my program, who did complete an APA accredited internship (through APPIC), highly recommended that I do the same, telling me that this would make it easier to apply for licensure and make me more competitive for jobs.
For my first three years of graduate school, I completed school practica, as I thought that I wanted to work in a school. I also found a job doing neuropsych testing at a clinic near my university. However, in my fourth year, I worked in a clinic for children with anxiety disorders. I learned to do therapy and I absolutely loved it. I decided that while I still wanted to do "school-related" work, I also wanted to continue to learn/practice therapy. So now, I'm unsure what kind of internship I should be looking for. Should I be looking for an APA accredited internship with both school and clinical components, or should I simply find a non-accredited school internship with a licensed supervisor?
Thank you in advance for your help!