Three months of downtime in NYC before I start internship...what are my options?

[Parabolas]

So I matched for an internship at a college counseling center in NYC that will begin at the end of August, and I'll be arriving from another city on June 1st. This will give me three months of downtime...what should I do?

I certainly want to spend a lot of that time getting to know the city and enjoying the last "summer vacation" of my life, but I'd also like to be doing something part-time. What are my options? Research isn't my thing, so I'd like to be doing clinical work. I'm open to pretty much anything, but my passion is inpatient/residential. I have a lot of experience doing outpatient therapy, some experience doing assessment, and a lot of experience with inpatient work.

I'd obviously like to make money, but I'd be willing to prioritize the quality of the experience over the pay if it's the right balance. Any ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks!!!

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[erg923]

So I matched for an internship at a college counseling center in NYC that will begin at the end of August, and I'll be arriving from another city on June 1st. This will give me three months of downtime...what should I do?

I certainly want to spend a lot of that time getting to know the city and enjoying the last "summer vacation" of my life, but I'd also like to be doing something part-time. What are my options? Research isn't my thing, so I'd like to be doing clinical work. I'm open to pretty much anything, but my passion is inpatient/residential. I have a lot of experience doing outpatient therapy, some experience doing assessment, and a lot of experience with inpatient work.

I'd obviously like to make money, but I'd be willing to prioritize the quality of the experience over the pay if it's the right balance. Any ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks!!!

In NYC? Geez. Onesy animal costum parties? Silent Discos? Unground comedy "rooms?" Seems about right.

 

[Kadhir]

Have you ever lived in the City? It is an adjustment, larger than any other. It won't be just about getting to know the place, but getting used to it. Helps to have a friend to orient you (rekindle those FB connections!).

I don't know of any short-term gigs, especially when you're still predoctoral status, but you could e-mail local externship sites. http://psychpracticum.fdu.edu/index.php/All_Sites

 

[Parabolas]

I have never lived in NYC, although I've visited many times and my mother is from there. I'm from Boston, so I'm familiar with what cities are like (I know what you're going to say), but this will obviously be an entirely new experience, hence my desire to spend most of that three month period adjusting. I do have friends there so I'll have some great guides, and I'll be going with my SO so at least I won't be lonely.

Anyway, I do want to find some kind of gig so I can get some good experience/improve my CV and make a little money. In Boston, I'm fairly certain that master's level people who are enrolled in doctoral programs can do fee-for-service work even if they're not yet licensed. Is that not true in NYC? I also have friends who work for crisis organizations that do emergency evaluations. I know that there are mental health tech/worker positions in inpatient and residential programs that one can get with only a bachelor's degree, but I'm looking for something more involved than that.

Kadhir: Do you think that those externship sites would be open to offering something for three months only? It seems like all of their programs are ~12 month commitments.

 

[Kadhir]

That's great. Sounds like you are supported from all angles.

My recommendation would still be to contact sites/agencies where you'd like to work. Others on here may offer more specific recs- I'm in the neuropsych world. For example, I know a neuropsych private practice in Manhattan where trainees have worked (outside of their externships) and made a fair amount of money. If the credentials aren't an issue, the time-frame might be. Look for things you can jump right into- if they have to do any substantial training with you that's likely not worth it for ~3 mos.

Edit: Saw your addendum. I don't know. Even with externships, only a handful offer something exclusively for the summer. Worth contacting, though, if you really want to pursue this.

 

[LETSGONYR]

Anyway, I do want to find some kind of gig so I can get some good experience/improve my CV and make a little money. In Boston, I'm fairly certain that master's level people who are enrolled in doctoral programs can do fee-for-service work even if they're not yet licensed. Is that not true in NYC? I also have friends who work for crisis organizations that do emergency evaluations. I know that there are mental health tech/worker positions in inpatient and residential programs that one can get with only a bachelor's degree, but I'm looking for something more involves than that.

I am not sure about therapeutic or structured interview type evals, but NYS had long forbade the use of technicians for testing purposes. NYSAN got the law changed (last year, I believe), but I'm not sure if that means places are actually able to hire/use technicians at this point.

I wouldn't count on being a psych tech in NYS, unfortunately.

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[Parabolas]

I was actually referring to the sort of position in which a person works on an inpatient unit or in a residential program providing direct care to patients (usually as part of the nursing staff). I did such a job before grad school, and I was responsible for things like directly monitoring suicidal patients on 1:1's, doing safety "checks," running groups, doing patient "check-ins"/1:1 assessments with progress notes, etc. Here we usually call them mental health workers, mental health specialists, or mental health techs. In the past they've been called orderlies, although back then they did far less clinical work as they were less educated.

I'd love to do a position like that in a setting where I would be doing a higher level of clinical work, as I already have several years working as an outpatient therapist and also as a therapist/clinician on inpatient units.

 

[psychstudent5]

I have never lived in NYC, although I've visited many times and my mother is from there. I'm from Boston, so I'm familiar with what cities are like (I know what you're going to say), but this will obviously be an entirely new experience, hence my desire to spend most of that three month period adjusting. I do have friends there so I'll have some great guides, and I'll be going with my SO so at least I won't be lonely.

Anyway, I do want to find some kind of gig so I can get some good experience/improve my CV and make a little money. In Boston, I'm fairly certain that master's level people who are enrolled in doctoral programs can do fee-for-service work even if they're not yet licensed. Is that not true in NYC? I also have friends who work for crisis organizations that do emergency evaluations. I know that there are mental health tech/worker positions in inpatient and residential programs that one can get with only a bachelor's degree, but I'm looking for something more involved than that.

Kadhir: Do you think that those externship sites would be open to offering something for three months only? It seems like all of their programs are ~12 month commitments.

you can look at NY professional listservs or craigslist to see if anyone needs someone to evals in the summer at schools or for other needs. Also, you can look for research positions at the universities in NYC (there's a lot) or at the think tanks. Another thought, some of the think tanks in NYC do paid internships. You can look at the think tanks or community orgs looking for summer interns.

 

[rerope]

If you're from boston it won't be too much of a transition. Though my one warning is I would avoid the east side for housing if you want to get your security deposit back. its difficult all over the city but the worst landlord battles I've seen were in the upper east side. I'll second professional listservs and certain organizations in NYC that I'm blanking on but will come back and edit if I can remember

 

[cupoftea2]

I have never lived in NYC, although I've visited many times and my mother is from there. I'm from Boston, so I'm familiar with what cities are like (I know what you're going to say), but this will obviously be an entirely new experience, hence my desire to spend most of that three month period adjusting. I do have friends there so I'll have some great guides, and I'll be going with my SO so at least I won't be lonely.

Anyway, I do want to find some kind of gig so I can get some good experience/improve my CV and make a little money. In Boston, I'm fairly certain that master's level people who are enrolled in doctoral programs can do fee-for-service work even if they're not yet licensed. Is that not true in NYC? I also have friends who work for crisis organizations that do emergency evaluations. I know that there are mental health tech/worker positions in inpatient and residential programs that one can get with only a bachelor's degree, but I'm looking for something more involved than that.

Kadhir: Do you think that those externship sites would be open to offering something for three months only? It seems like all of their programs are ~12 month commitments.

Congrats on matching! Some of the externship sites here have done summer externship positions in the past, but it's more rare now I think. I tried to get one a few summers ago focused on assessment and couldn't find anything, let alone anything paid. The doctoral students I know here who do paid work have relationships with the site that they developed as externs, and then returned later to do paid work. It's not easy to get positions like that here unless you have those relationships, in my experience. If you want to email some of those sites and give it a shot, go for it, but don't take it personally if you can't find anyone who will take you, you know? Honestly I think you may be better off just enjoying the summer, since internship is no small task.

 

[PsyDr]

Learn to accept that the Red Sox suck.

 

[Parabolas]

you can look at NY professional listservs or craigslist to see if anyone needs someone to evals in the summer at schools or for other needs. Also, you can look for research positions at the universities in NYC (there's a lot) or at the think tanks. Another thought, some of the think tanks in NYC do paid internships. You can look at the think tanks or community orgs looking for summer interns.

I've never actually done a listserv before..how does one go about finding one? And what do you mean by "think tanks"? Thanks!

 

[deleted343839]

If a clinical externship doesn't pan out, you might also look for summer teaching opportunities.

 

[Parabolas]

If a clinical externship doesn't pan out, you might also look for summer teaching opportunities.

I'm in a PsyD program and have no teaching experience, so this likely wouldn't pan out. Thanks for the tip, though!

 

[psychstudent5]

I've never actually done a listserv before..how does one go about finding one? And what do you mean by "think tanks"? Thanks!

I'm talking about the APA listservs. They often post jobs. Most of the jobs are for those with a PhD, but sometimes there are some looking for master's level and graduate students. You can go through the different divisions and sign up for them here http://lists.apa.org/cgi-bin/wa.exe?HOME . There are a lot. So scroll through and Google the different divisions. By "think tanks," I mean non-profit policy organizations like American Progress and the like who hire undergrad and grad students in the summer. It will likely not be clinical work, but more along the research side. It's still great for a CV. You can check out non-profit organizations that deal with mental health in NYC (like the metropolitan center for mental health) to see if they have any summer positions available.

 

[FadedC]

There are a lot of opportunities for fee for service psychological testing in NYC, and some places will hire pre-doctoral people and provide them with supervision in their report writing. It's not a bad way to kill time, make extra money, and get some extra experience in testing and report writing at the same time. People often work for these places to make money in addition to their existing jobs as well.

Some places which I have been known to hire people in the past are AHRC, YAI, and Prep for Prep. It can take a few months to go through background checks, interviews, fingerprinting, and a variety of other redtape when you work for one of these places, so if that was something you were considering, I'd start looking now, and not wait until June.

 

[brain hugger]

I have never lived in NYC, although I've visited many times and my mother is from there. I'm from Boston, so I'm familiar with what cities are like (I know what you're going to say), but this will obviously be an entirely new experience, hence my desire to spend most of that three month period adjusting. I do have friends there so I'll have some great guides, and I'll be going with my SO so at least I won't be lonely.

Anyway, I do want to find some kind of gig so I can get some good experience/improve my CV and make a little money. In Boston, I'm fairly certain that master's level people who are enrolled in doctoral programs can do fee-for-service work even if they're not yet licensed. Is that not true in NYC? I also have friends who work for crisis organizations that do emergency evaluations. I know that there are mental health tech/worker positions in inpatient and residential programs that one can get with only a bachelor's degree, but I'm looking for something more involved than that.

Kadhir: Do you think that those externship sites would be open to offering something for three months only? It seems like all of their programs are ~12 month commitments.

Hi Parabolas! I'm in a similar situation (but in Boston!). Would you be open to sharing the crisis organizations that may be hiring grad students to conduct emergency evals or maybe where one can find fee-for-services in the Boston area?

Also, it's been a few years since I've been in the NYC area but I remember that there were summer externships in the Addiction Institute of NY/Mt. Sinai Roosevelt, Roberto Clemente Center, Queens Hospital Center, and Weill Cornell (Department of Neurology, for a neuropsych externship). The contact info for all these sites are listed on the site that Kadhir gave: http://psychpracticum.fdu.edu/index.php/All_Sites

Good luck! And congrats on matching!

 

[T120]

I'm in a PsyD program and have no teaching experience, so this likely wouldn't pan out. Thanks for the tip, though!

Congrats on matching in the best city in the world !!
I am also in a Psy.D. program... I have teaching experience through a GSA but my school also has online teaching opportunities for graduate students with master's degrees. Maybe look and see if your school has the same opportunities? Also, I know some community colleges have either summer or online teaching opportunities for those with master's degrees with no teaching experience (in the suburbs). Lastly, I am from NY and my old job at a private psychiatric hospital had per diem positions in admissions, so that could be another avenue! Good luck!

 

[Parabolas]

Congrats on matching in the best city in the world !!
I am also in a Psy.D. program... I have teaching experience through a GSA but my school also has online teaching opportunities for graduate students with master's degrees. Maybe look and see if your school has the same opportunities? Also, I know some community colleges have either summer or online teaching opportunities for those with master's degrees with no teaching experience (in the suburbs). Lastly, I am from NY and my old job at a private psychiatric hospital had per diem positions in admissions, so that could be another avenue! Good luck!

Thanks! Unfortunately my school doesn't have any such teaching opportunities. We receive absolutely zero training in teaching, with the exception of maybe 5% of our cohort who TA's as work study. Anyway, I'm really looking to do something that's clinically related. I'd love to hear about your old job! That sounds like what I'm looking for.

 

[jade1234]

Hi, native NYC-er here. Perhaps look into summer time teaching positions now.