VA Trainee Recruitment Event

[Seven_Costanza]

Hi there - I just got an email invitation to the VA Trainee Recruitment Event. Is this something that current interns can apply to? If so, are there any pros and cons to skipping postdoc and jumping right into employment that I should be considering? I don’t really know anything about this.

Any tips would be much appreciated!

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[erg923]

Hi there - I just got an email invitation to the VA Trainee Recruitment Event. Is this something that current interns can apply to? If so, are there any pros and cons to skipping postdoc and jumping right into employment that I should be considering? I don’t really know anything about this.

Any tips would be much appreciated!

So long as you get supervision long enough to accrue the hours needed to qualify for licensure in most states, I don't think taking a staff position rather than a formal post-doc training position has much downside. You cant do this for neuropsych, obviously. Plus, dont have to worry about searching for a job again after the post-doc year (so long as you get licensed within 2 years).

 

[cara susanna]

My only thing is that VA fellowships are pretty cushy (like, appropriately so) and VA clinical positions are pretty rigorous. So going to full time clinical work may be hard right out of internship if you haven't been in that type of environment before.

 

[iliketohelppeople]

In addition to above, keep in mind that there is a pretty significant pay difference between VA Fellowship and what you would make as an entering psychologist (GS-11) right after internship depending upon your location. As Cara mentions, this may or may not be worth it to you depending on what you want right after internship (more training or more $$ in short term). This is someone who is starting one of the cushy fellowships (much time to do research, flexible, advanced training in specialty that will make me more marketable).

 

[erg923]

I have been out of the VA system for a couple year now, but I do see/hear that they have increased there formal recruiting efforts for psychologists...at least somewhat.

There were some big hiring booms in the past due to increased need from OEF/OIF and other issues (scandals?). 2008, 2011-2012 particularly I think? The VA MH system was woefully under prepared/understaffed in the early and mid 2000s to deal with the needs of the 9/11 generation of soldiers. Although I had other interests, and I had a pretty hard time with the bureaucracy and some of the clinical work itself, it is surprising that they would need much formal recruiting efforts for psychologists. I mean, its a very secure gig, a 40 hour week, above average pay for the first 5 years or so out of graduate school, and is PSLF eligible. Some positions can be pretty cushy. If I lived in the sticks (and didn't have my current job), a staff psych position at a VA CBOC would likely be preferably to pretty much any other psychology position in the area. However, as @cara susanna mentioned, some staff positions are pretty grueling (e.g., (PTSD clinic doing CPT and PE all day, every day? No thank you.). I have low tolerance for BS, administrative mandates, and authority in general... so I'm not sure I was a great fit?

Just for some perspective, I came on in 2013 (left in late 2017). A guy on our staff who had been there since early 2005 told me he was 1 of 4 psychologists in the MH service in 2004-2005. And this is fairly large, academically affiliated VA in a midwestern city. They now have 24 staff psychologists. And that number does not include the C&P psychologists and the psychologists in program manager/leadership roles.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

Yes, current trainees can participate.

My understanding: the idea isn't about recruiting any psychologists, but specifically about recruiting and retaining VA-trained psychologists, most of whom leave for non-VA jobs.

Edit: Regarding whether to accept a VA job or pursue a (VA or non-VA) postdoc after internship, there are pros and cons to each, many of which have been noted above. I'd also encourage you to talk with training faculty members at your internship, who should have some experience with this discussion.

 

[Seven_Costanza]

Thanks everybody for sharing your thoughts. Since they are targeting trainees, is there some leeway in how prepared they expect current interns to be? I’d love to participate, but I don’t think I’m quite at the level of someone who completed an internship and postdoc. I’m only a couple months into my internships, and while I think I am doing a good job (according to feedback from supervisors), I still feel like I am a little wet behind the ears. Do they take that into account when considering hiring interns?

 

[iliketohelppeople]

Thanks everybody for sharing your thoughts. Since they are targeting trainees, is there some leeway in how prepared they expect current interns to be? I’d love to participate, but I don’t think I’m quite at the level of someone who completed an internship and postdoc. I’m only a couple months into my internships, and while I think I am doing a good job (according to feedback from supervisors), I still feel like I am a little wet behind the ears. Do they take that into account when considering hiring interns?

I did it last year during post-doc process. From how they did it then, they attempted to match you based upon specialty and geography. I ended up getting a call from someone interested after I secured a post-doc, and they seemed quite interested, even though I was only half-way done with internship at that point.

The VA puts a LOT of time and money into training with the expectation that they will get out of it what they put into it. However, as mentioned before, many trainees leave the system. The general vibe that I got is that the VA is very interested in retaining people (especially when they have the basics down and could be up and running quickly).

The downside is that the places where I got matched to where geographically less desirable and not my target locations (e.g., think rural CBOCs and the like doing generalist work), especially without the specialist types of training that may be more desirable for larger/more popular VAs.

Part of me thinks that it can always be helpful to have more interviewing experience, and to try it out to see what it is like. However, make sure that if you do choose to go into it that you go into it 'authentically' or being able to say yes to the right opportunity. Also, other thought with this is that it may take longer for them to get you onboard as a staff psychologist than as a post-doc, which may leave time in for a break of sorts before you are hired, which could be good or bad depending on your situation. Just another thing to think about it. Others here may be able to speak to that themselves. I know I have heard of a wait time (as much as 6 months) while others moved in right after internship/post-doc without an issue.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

The wait time to onboard is a good point. I think one of the ideas behind the event (besides VA attempting to keep its own trainees) is to expedite that process. Hiring timelines can vary pretty substantially from one VA to the next, but in my experience, I'd want to have at least 3 months of lead time.

The flip side is that it's not unusual for entry-level VA positions to interview folks who are still 6 months from finishing training. So don't let that discourage you from applying.

 

[Seven_Costanza]

I did it last year during post-doc process. From how they did it then, they attempted to match you based upon specialty and geography. I ended up getting a call from someone interested after I secured a post-doc, and they seemed quite interested, even though I was only half-way done with internship at that point.

The VA puts a LOT of time and money into training with the expectation that they will get out of it what they put into it. However, as mentioned before, many trainees leave the system. The general vibe that I got is that the VA is very interested in retaining people (especially when they have the basics down and could be up and running quickly).

The downside is that the places where I got matched to where geographically less desirable and not my target locations (e.g., think rural CBOCs and the like doing generalist work), especially without the specialist types of training that may be more desirable for larger/more popular VAs.

Part of me thinks that it can always be helpful to have more interviewing experience, and to try it out to see what it is like. However, make sure that if you do choose to go into it that you go into it 'authentically' or being able to say yes to the right opportunity. Also, other thought with this is that it may take longer for them to get you onboard as a staff psychologist than as a post-doc, which may leave time in for a break of sorts before you are hired, which could be good or bad depending on your situation. Just another thing to think about it. Others here may be able to speak to that themselves. I know I have heard of a wait time (as much as 6 months) while others moved in right after internship/post-doc without an issue.

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond in detail. Super helpful. And my apologies for not responding right away but I’m the dum dum who decided to teach stats while on internship (huge mistake!).

I’m pretty location limited at the moment, so I’ll check out what’s available and go from there. Thanks again!

 

[iliketohelppeople]

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond in detail. Super helpful. And my apologies for not responding right away but I’m the dum dum who decided to teach stats while on internship (huge mistake!).

I’m pretty location limited at the moment, so I’ll check out what’s available and go from there. Thanks again!

Happy to help. Feel free to reach out in the future with any other questions.

 

[psychfi]

This is great, I was going to ask the same questions. I am thinking about giving it a shot just to see if I could secure my ideal job location in this “first round” I am hoping it works out especially because my ideal job location is a less desirable CBOC spot.

 

[iliketohelppeople]

Also, I should mention I defended my dissertation before internship, so that was settled. I imagine that dissertation progress may affect it one way or the other.

Best wishes! Let me know if there is any other way I can help.

 

[psychfi]

Does anyone know the timeline of this process? They gave us the beginning and the end, but that’s it really.

 

[WisNeuro]

Does anyone know the timeline of this process? They gave us the beginning and the end, but that’s it really.

From offer to hire date? Anywhere from 6 weeks to 9 months. Good luck.

 

[psychfi]

Thank you. I have submitted my application. Curious to know how many other people submitted their applications too.

 

[Seven_Costanza]

Thank you. I have submitted my application. Curious to know how many other people submitted their applications too.

I didn’t end up submitting an application because I am currently location restricted which is a total bummer. There were some cool sites! Good luck to you!