Summers?

[ladysky61]

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This is a random question, but are grad school programs year round? Do you have summers off? Or does it vary a lot. I am specifically referring to clinically-focused programs.

It would be really nice to have summers off to work and go on vacation.

 

[futureapppsy2]

Most programs require/expect you take classes during Summers 1 and 2 and do clinical practica/externships and/or research in the following summers,

 

[cara susanna]

The program I'll be attending has summers off the first year, unless you're doing a track that requires more coursework. Most people stick around to work on research though.

 

[ClinicalPsycPhD]

We have most summers off at my clinically focused phd program. Most people try to get an RA or job to make some money though

 

[Ollie123]

Never heard of anyone getting summers "off", especially since once you start clinical work you can't exactly dump all your clients because its summertime.

However, summers are often more flexible and generally have fewer class obligations and things of that nature than the school year.

Taking a vacation over the summer is perfectly reasonable and I think almost everyone does. Expect to be around the majority of the time though. Its not like an undergrad summer.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

I know some people who took off either the 1st or 2nd summer session of their first year, but not both. Practicum often dictates when a person "had" to be around, though most people were already involved in their research and couldn't take off large chunks of time.

 

[KillerDiller]

Never heard of anyone getting summers "off", especially since once you start clinical work you can't exactly dump all your clients because its summertime.

Ah, but you can if your practicum is in a school setting.......Excuse me, I have to go kick myself for not choosing to do my prac at a school.

To the OP: In all seriousness, whether you have summers off will depend on your program and year. Sometimes you will have clients, research, and other duties. For example, my program has us take our comprehensive exams in the summer. As others have said, there is usually something going on, but you can also often take time off as well.

 

[combinedphd]

This seems to vary from program to program. Where I am, 1st/2nd year students take a class or two and work on research and more advanced students are working on research or and/or seeing clients. One the whole, there is a lighter workload, though, and some people split town for a week or two.

 

[psybee]

This seems to vary from program to program. Where I am, 1st/2nd year students take a class or two and work on research and more advanced students are working on research or and/or seeing clients. One the whole, there is a lighter workload, though, and some people split town for a week or two.

it all depends--i think we're all (i'm a 1st yr, PhD) stickng around to do research, although most of us are also taking a week or two off. many of us are starting our externships this summer, others arranged for summer-long externships, we still have clients, and for some of us, our professors, knowing we don't have classes, have given us more work (like me) so it'll still be full time, but i'm hoping more for a straight up 9-5 or 6 type situation, instead of the 9-10 madness during the school year.

 

[disabledNeurops]

I am not yet a grad student It is my understand grad student on up
to Professer do resach in the summber becouse of the light worklond.

I will be doing reseach this year as a undergrad to try to do pep work,
so maybe I can cut a year off of grad school. My case is not your every
day case. Been in school so lonng and sill have a long way to go.,
I know what I am doing my phd about so I can go reseach what I can.

I will be take a week off late summber

 

[Thrak]

The clinical students I know are working on things over the summer. Quite a few are teaching summer courses to earn a few extra bucks and pad the CV. Most of them have some research plans as well.

I'm in Social... I know for us, people can take a summer off during one of the years if they have something more pressing. One person I know got married and had her honeymoon in another country during one summer. Beats spending it in the lab

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

I'm in Social... I know for us, people can take a summer off during one of the years if they have something more pressing. One person I know got married and had her honeymoon in another country during one summer. Beats spending it in the lab

I'm not sure about that.....you can always get married (try, try, try again!), but sometimes you only get one shot at a really good research project!

 

[futureapppsy2]

The clinical students I know are working on things over the summer. Quite a few are teaching summer courses to earn a few extra bucks and pad the CV. Most of them have some research plans as well.

That's what the clinical students here seem to do... Also, most clinical assistantships seem to go July to July. But I do know someone who's ABD and has gone on vacation most every weekend this year... I've lost touch with her, but I can only predict she'll be going on more vacations!