GradPSYCH - March 2012 - (Page 42)
avoid programs with low match rates, APA’s Commission on Accreditation began in 2010 to require doctoral programs to start publishing data on the number and percentage of students obtaining internships over the last seven years. Cons: Programs may not report data accurately. Not-yetpublished research by Parent reveals that there’s often a mismatch between the data APPIC reports and what schools publish on their websites. Additionally, students may not understand what match percentages mean, or they may just think they will buck a school’s bad trend. Students currently flock to schools with 60 percent or lower match rates, Parent points out.
solution: abolish internships
Pros: “One of the most interesting proposals that’s drumming
up a lot of attention is the idea that we should just abolish internships entirely,” says Parent, adding that in psychology’s early days, internship was typically the first time students actually saw patients. “Now people begin their internships with more clinical experience than people used to have when they finished their internships.” Cons: Eliminating the internship requirement — or moving the internship year to after students earn their doctoral degrees rather than before — could lead to several unintended consequences, says McCutcheon. These include reducing doctoral programs’ accountability for student learning outcomes and decreasing the quality of students’ preparation for practice, he says. n Rebecca A. Clay is a writer in Washington, D.C.
professional matchmakers: scam or service?
Not everybody is unhappy about psychology’s internship match imbalance. For some enterprising entrepreneurs, the mismatch means one thing: more business. a growing number of businesses now promise to help applicants obtain internships, charging as much as $100 an hour for individual consultations. But some of these businesses are scams, warns the association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (aPPIC) board. Students should be “vigilant as they look at potential resources to help them through the match process and to carefully evaluate the support behind claims of success,” says aPPIC Chair Eugene D’angelo, PhD. “I would certainly be very hesitant to pursue anything requiring a substantial outlay of money,” adds greg keilin, PhD, aPPIC match coordinator. “Students should make sure they investigate carefully and make sure what they’re getting is really worth the money they’re paying.” Better yet, he says, students should take advantage of low- or no-cost assistance. Start by asking faculty in your program for advice, he suggests. “These days, doctoral programs are quite invested in getting students placed in internships, both because they care about their students and because aPa accreditation pays attention to it,” he says. Fellow students are another great resource, says keilin. Develop a support group with others in your program, he suggests. review each other’s applications. Do mock internship interviews. “Internships in Psychology: The aPagS Workbook for Writing Successful applications and Finding the right Fit“ is another source of solid advice. also check the free information available on the aPPIC and National Matching Services websites and the discussion lists sponsored by aPPIC, aPagS and others. according to Stephen r. McCutcheon, PhD, who chaired aPPIC from 2005 to 2009, the for-profit consulting businesses are a new phenomenon. “I totally understand why students who are scared about matching would do whatever they can to improve their chances,” he says. “But I’m very concerned that people are being taken advantage of and that their fear and anxiety are being preyed upon in order for someone to make a buck.” —R.a. ClaY
42 • gradPSYCH • March 2012
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of GradPSYCH - March 2012
GradPSYCH - March 2012
Contents
Psychology practicums reflect the field’s growth
How evidencebased is your trauma treatment?
Media Picks
Chair’s Corner
Odd Jobs
Research Roundup
Chart your own adventure
Matters to a Degree
Killer apps
The oil spill’s reverberations
A student of synchrony
Literature reviews made easy
Absentee advisers
What’s behind the internship match crisis?
Potential solutions
Steps to the match
Bulletin Board
Jobs, internships, postdocs and other opportunities
The Back Page
GradPSYCH - March 2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/apa/gradpsych_201203
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/apa/gradpsych_201201
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/apa/gradpsych_201111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/apa/gradpsych_201109
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com