Taking a year break between internship and postdoc

[annel]

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I'd like to do a post-doc in a UCC after internship. However, I'm already pretty burnt out, and I think I could use a break between internship in postdoc to decompress and enjoy myself...I didn't take that much time to go adventuring or anything prior starting my doctorate.

So is this a feasible idea? I know there will never be a good time to take a year off, but I think it might be important to do so before I get carried away by my career path.

 

[songthatneverends]

I don't any any advice exactly, but I know someone who worked in a UCC for internship, then a different one for post-doc. She took almost a decade off in between to focus more on her family/children. She doesn't regret her decision and was able to get back into the field easily. So my n = 1 says it is feasible 🙂

I am not sure what your internship is like, but maybe there is a way to build in more self-care as you go so that you are feeling less burnt out in the mean time? Or could you consider a part-time post-doc (not sure about your state licensure requirements)?

 

[erg923]

I'd like to do a post-doc in a UCC after internship. However, I'm already pretty burnt out, and I think I could use a break between internship in postdoc to decompress and enjoy myself...I didn't take that much time to go adventuring or anything prior starting my doctorate.

So is this a feasible idea? I know there will never be a good time to take a year off, but I think it might be important to do so before I get carried away by my career path.

If you have that luxury, go ahead. I wouldnt make it much more than that, as skill atrophy can start to set in. I would also caution that a year of not earning in your late 20s or early 30s has much more impact than doing so a decade earlier in ones development.

 

[OneNeuroDoctor]

Internship was a high stress year for me. Many long days and late nights while completion of my dissertation. Graduated in August and accepted a doctoral level position beginning in August. I was exhausted and I did not have any time off. It would have been a welcome relief to take some time off. I was planning on going to Disney World but I could not find the time. Some depression and fatigue during the six months after graduation but I somehow became reinvigorated after a four day family reunion as if my brain became resynchronized with refocusing on my purpose. Once I completed the doctoral degree, a epiphany of the person before and afterwards seemed to developed. Family and friends noticed a difference and people treat you different when you have the title Doctor.

Rather than slow down and take time off, once you have completed a long term goal; this is a time to reflect and reevaluate which direction to turn towards. You might need to refocus and have some time off. Rather than take a whole year off, it might be best to narrow it to a week or a month. Work is very important.

We are creatures of habit and we all know of individual situations where some have taken time off and time slips away resulting in never taking or passing the EPPP or becoming licensed.

In retrospect, completion of the doctoral degree is a beginning instead of a ending, similar to the cocoon blossoming into a butterfly..

Take only as much time off to get refocused and than get back to working on your goals, is my suggestion,

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

I had 4 weeks off between internship and fellowship and they were glorious. I took my first week to sleep/relax/golf/etc, a week to move/setup, a week at the beach w. family, and a week to see friends. By the end of those 4 weeks I was ready to jump back into work. I'm not sure taking off more than 2-4 wks is advisable because it would be such a change of pace, but I definitely think not allowing yourself at least 2 wks to decompress will position yourself to burnout partway through post-doc.

*edit to clarify*

 

[CheetahGirl]

... skill atrophy can start to set in.

I like that, "skill atrophy." That is one of my fears whenever taking time off. And because of this fear, I like this advice:

Rather than slow down and take time off, once you have completed a long term goal; this is a time to reflect and reevaluate which direction to turn towards. You might need to refocus and have some time off. Rather than take a whole year off, it might be best to narrow it to a week or a month. Work is very important.

We are creatures of habit and we all know of individual situations where some have taken time off and time slips away resulting in never taking or passing the EPPP or becoming licensed.

In retrospect, completion of the doctoral degree is more of a beginning instead of a ending similar to the cocoon blossoming into a butterfly..

Take only as much time off to get refocused and than get back to working on your goals, is my suggestion,

Europeans rest and recharge after 4-week vacations. This idea sounds best for me, but only because my life gets very complicated if I'm NOT busy.

However, annel, if you didn't take off time before starting the doctorate, you've had your head in the books (and clinic) for more than 5-years. Perhaps you can (financially) plan for a much-deserved break and travel, especially if it would make you better at your job. After all, there's nothing like a stable, content, self-satisfied therapist, right?! 😉

 

[AcronymAllergy]

I'm going to agree with the above--taking a year off may actually be more than you "need" to recharge. Maybe aim for setting aside a month or two between the end of internship and start of postdoc. Heck, even two weeks could make a huge difference. Some of the advantages of applying for these spots while you're still on internship are that 1) you don't need to "justify" or explain what you've been doing during the break in service, 2) you're still highly plugged in to a professional network and have those resources available to you, and 3) related to the previous point, your supervisors are all physically nearby, which makes it much easier to get in touch with them for things like rec letters, verification of internship completion, etc. (all of which will be needed for postdoc and job hunting).

 

[KillerDiller]

Most UCC post-docs start in August and don't give you the luxury of starting later. They need you to be up and running in the university system by the time the students return. So, if that doesn't equate to the OP having 2-4 weeks off, it may not be an option. I suppose someone could ask to spend the 2 weeks* of vacation that is granted right away, but that seems like you'd be risking burn out later in the year.

*Other states may be more flexible. In my state, licensure laws are such that when university holidays taken into consideration, there are only 10 days' worth of vacation left.

 

[HomeworkHelper]

Given KillerDiller's point, I thought I would offer an alternative in case you can't set up a couple week break between internship and postdoc. I also agree that taking more than a couple weeks to a month off would not be good. If you're like many of the hard-working folks in psychology, we get used to being somewhat busy and like being productive. I bet if you decided to take a year off you would regret it after the first month and then be in a harder position to connect back in and get a position quickly.

So, if don't take a year off but you can't swing a break in between (given the UCC schedule), I might recommend saving up your vacation leave and then using it toward the end. I saved up leave thinking I would need more days than I did for interviewing for postdocs and had a surplus by the end I needed to use. In the last month, I took a day off here and there, left an hour or two early from work multiple days (it's amazing how great leaving a bit early can feel), and then took 2 days at the very end. Winding down in that way was quite refreshing. That might be an alternative to consider.

 

[erg923]

Late last summer, which was actually after my post-doc year and after my EPPP, wife and I took all inclusive trip to Mexico. After drinking and lounging non-stop for one week and then being productive and touristy for another, I was quite ready to come back and do something. I am not sure what you would do for a year with no job...unless you plan on doing some spiritual retreat or back-pack across Europe? The latter requires a beard, a bottle of pechuli, and a superficial notion of "finding yourself," when everyone knows its just code for wanting to go to some legal opium den in the Netherlands.

 

[OneNeuroDoctor]

I had several offers from UCC for postdoctoral year. There was some conflicts with the ending time of my internship as they were wanting me to begin in July. One caveat you may not know about is the summer schedule workweek for UCC has Fridays off. Additionally, there seemed to be some flexibility with work week schedule that was attractive rather than work 9-5 every day. Furthermore, there are perks as when students are on break...Fall, Christmas, Spring, and between semesters you may also have time off for vacations.

The downside was that UCC postdoctoral training was $35,000 per year or lower, so I opted for a private psychiatric outpatient, inpatient, and residential program with a higher salary. Irony is that I now work with many college students since my job is in a city with a large University. The UCC refers students to our agency.

 

[psypsypsy]

I'm going to agree with the above--taking a year off may actually be more than you "need" to recharge. Maybe aim for setting aside a month or two between the end of internship and start of postdoc. Heck, even two weeks could make a huge difference. Some of the advantages of applying for these spots while you're still on internship are that 1) you don't need to "justify" or explain what you've been doing during the break in service, 2) you're still highly plugged in to a professional network and have those resources available to you, and 3) related to the previous point, your supervisors are all physically nearby, which makes it much easier to get in touch with them for things like rec letters, verification of internship completion, etc. (all of which will be needed for postdoc and job hunting).

I took off 2 months between the end of internship and the start of postdoc, and I was so happy I took off the time. Although I had an internship that ended June 30, and then a postdoc that started September 1, so that was much easier than if you have an internship that ends in August, or you're on a UCC deadline where postdocs all start at a specific time. Also, because if you have to move (which I did), the two weeks to a month everyone is talking about doesn't feel so relaxing if you're spending it packing, moving, and unpacking! But I was ready to start work again after the 2 months off, and I didn't feel like I was out of practice or anything.

If you feel like you need a year off, I think it's doable to do that and get back into a postdoc a year later. Lots of people have a gap year when they're finishing their dissertation, having a child, etc, and I don't think it hurts them too much. It will be harder to get letters and network, but definitely not the end of the world.