Examining the balance of internship supply and demand: 1999 Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers' match implications.

Over the past several years, students, academic program faculty, and internship training directors have become increasingly concerned about the inequity between the demand for predoctoral internship slots and the limited supply of those placements. This article presents data from the 1999 Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers' (APPIC) Match, along with the results of 2 studies conducted by the authors. Results indicate that the number of internship positions available in the U.S. and Canada may be nearly balanced with the number of first-time internship applicants and that the current imbalance may result, in large part, from a carryover of unplaced applicants from previous selection processes. Furthermore, approximately ? of unmatched applicants are able to find internship positions subsequent to the conclusion of the matching process, although many of these positions are in non-American Psychological Association-accredited and non-APPIC-member programs. Implications of these findings for the profession and for student applicants are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Applying for the predoctoral internship: Training program strategies to help students prepare.

The predoctoral internship signifies the culmination of applied training in professional psychology. With the increasing supply and demand gap, securing an internship has become competitive and has resulted in many students employing a wide variety of steps in an attempt to ensure a successful internship application. However, little is known about how academic training programs assist students in applying for an internship. The purpose of this study was to describe what activities training programs engage in to prepare their students for the internship application process, and to better understand students' perception of their preparedness to apply as well as to understand their experience applying. The results suggested that training programs prepared students well for general aspects of the process but did not adequately prepare them for the more specific tasks related to the application process. Results also suggested that while the students didn't find the application process confusing or difficult they found it stressful and anxiety provoking. Suggestions for programs to inform and assist their students in preparing for applying are presented as well as recommendations for future research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A growing bottleneck: The internship supply-demand imbalance in 2007 and its impact on psychology training.

This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the growing imbalance between the supply of predoctoral internship positions in psychology and the demand for such positions by graduate students. Data from the 2007 Match sponsored by the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC) are provided along with the results from several surveys of applicants from that year. An overview of applicant and program participation for the nine APPIC Matches that occurred between 1999 and 2007 is also provided. Implications of the increasing supply-demand imbalance for applicants, graduate and internship programs, and the profession are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Where have students' rights gone?

Discusses the belief that the rights of candidates for admission to graduate psychology programs are not being honored. The author explores 3 areas, letters of recommendation and the option of waiving the rights to view the recommendation letters, application questions requiring disclosure of other programs to which the student intends on applying, and internship application questions which ask whether their site is the applicant's "first choice." The author believes that these items create unnecessary dilemmas for applicants and concludes that such practices are not in the best interest of the profession. Candidates may enter the field with aggrieved feelings, possibly adopting a cynical stance to deal with the perceived callousness of organized psychology, thus giving candidates' professional mores an undesirable spin. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychology training related to AIDS: Survey of doctoral graduate programs and predoctoral internship programs.

Surveyed all APA-approved graduate programs in clinical and counseling psychology and predoctoral internship programs to assess the extent of student training in areas related to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). The survey found that 75% of graduate programs do not cover AIDS at any point in their curricula and that less than half train students in human sexuality. Other foundation topics pertinent to AIDS prevention and clinical service provision receive little attention in most graduate and internship programs. The authors discuss reasons why greatly increased prevalence of AIDS and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) conditions will require more substantial training and research among psychologists, and they outline some possible mechanisms to provide this training. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Nonwhite Students in Counseling Psychology: A Closer Look.

Thirty-three doctoral programs responded to a survey assessing the racial/ethnic composition of doctoral students and student applicants. Different conclusions were drawn from four methods that were used to calculate the representation of the racial/ethnic groups in the applicant pools and enrollments in American Psychological Association (APA) and non-APA-approved counseling psychology programs. The data suggest that underrepresentation of nonwhites in our graduate programs is not due to the differential utilization of admissions standards for nonwhites, as opposed to other applicants, but rather to the small number of nonwhite students who apply. Although most programs design activities to recruit nonwhite applicants, few programs do as much as possible. Suggestions are presented for making psychology in general, and counseling psychology in particular, more attractive to undergraduate blacks. More nonwhites must view psychology as an appropriate major if the potential pool of graduate school applicants is to increase. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Internships in psychology: The APAGS workbook for writing successful applications and finding the right match.

Reviews the book, Internships in psychology: The APAGS workbook for writing successful applications and finding the right match edited by Carol Williams-Nickelson and Mitchell J. Prinstein (see record 2003-06355-000). The purpose of this book is to provide up-and-coming psychology interns with the resources needed to help guide them through the internship application process. Given the daunting and meticulous nature of the application process, this is by no means an easy task. As such, a navigation tool, such as this book, could be very useful for graduate students applying for internship. The book is well written and is presented in an encouraging manner to help ease the stressful nature of the application process. The book is well laid out and should prove useful for burgeoning psychologists applying for internship. Though primarily intended for senior graduate students, the book's contents are relevant to all graduate students who will be applying for internship. As a result, this book would be a valuable addition to the library of any such graduate student in clinical psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Full disclosure data on clinical psychology doctorate programs.

The purposes of this article was to examine the rates at which Council of University Directors of Clinical Psychology (CUDCP) doctoral programs provided full disclosure information on their respective Web sites. Additionally, consistency of full disclosure data was examined using internship match rates, and summary statistics are provided for a normative basis. Of 153 programs, at least some data were located for 111 programs. Large discrepancies were found when comparing internship match statistics reported by programs with match statistics listed by Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC). The mean profile of a CUDCP program includes about 160 applicants per year, of which the program admits eight new graduate students. These eight new graduate students have a GRE verbal score of 590, a quantitative GRE score of 650, an undergraduate GPA of 3.63, and take 6.5 years to complete their doctoral degree (including internship). These programs reported an average match rate of 93%. Given the Committee on Accreditation's (CoA's) new mandate for reporting program disclosure variables, the article concludes with recommendations for how best to report these data. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The internship marketplace: The new depression?

Conducted a survey to provide data on past and future estimates of supply and demand in the internship marketplace and on current and anticipated financial support for clinical psychology graduate students and interns. A questionnaire sent to training directors of the 149 listed clinical psychology graduate programs and 242 listed predoctoral clinical internship facilities, yielded returns of 67% and 81% respectively. Results show a greater increase in demand than in supply of internship positions for the past 5 yrs, with a 14% nonplacement rate predicted within 3 yrs. Financial support data predict shifting of sources of funding from current levels such that a nonsupport rate of 12% for graduate students and 9% for interns is expected. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Preparing for internship: Tips for the prospective applicant.

This article's major objective is to effectively prepare the graduate student in psychology for the internship application process by providing critical and relevant information. Preparation begins early on in one's graduate career and usually involves the following steps: (a) establishing mentoring relationships, (b) preparing an application portfolio, (c) collecting information, (d) applying, (e) interviewing, (f ) ranking the selected agencies, and (g) responding on selection day. Information is also provided on how to use the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral Internship Centers (APPIC) Clearinghouse. Finally, a brief section is devoted to the process of choosing a non-APPIC site. Advance preparation can make this entire process easier and increase a student's chance of finding a suitable predoctoral internship in psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Post-notification day perceptions of unplaced internship applicants and their academic training directors: Recommendations for improving future selection processes.

The demand for predoctoral internships has risen in recent years, possibly contributing to some students' difficulty in securing a slot. The present study examined the experiences of unplaced applicants and their academic training directors after the 1995-1996 internship selection process. Respondents provided their perceptions about (a) why some students did not obtain an internship placement, (b) how prospective applicants may wish to conduct themselves in future selection processes, and (c) how the American Psychological Association, the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers, and academic and internship training programs might respond to the perceived shortage of internship positions. Recommendations for addressing the hypothesized applicant-to-slot imbalance are also presented. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Internships in Psychology: The APAGS Workbook for Writing Successful Applications and Finding the Right Match.

The aim of the text is to help internship applicants navigate the application process "in a careful, systematic manner" in the hopes that they focus less on the cumbersome aspects of the experience and more on finding the "right match" in an internship placement. It was intended to be "practically oriented" in order to provide some "direction, comfort, and a little humor" to the beleaguered student applicant. Throughout this review, the current author would like to underscore her appreciation to the editors and contributors for meeting that goal. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reconsidering assumptions: Half-time internships in their historical context.

The historical assumptions that have influenced internships in professional psychology need to be reconsidered to articulate what actually happens in current training programs and what the graduate students gain. Beginning with the historical and intellectual context, the authors discuss internship models and pedagogies along with competencies and the cultures of programs. The differing emphases on the production of science are seen as less important than stated in current regulations. Internship politics, prejudices, and economics are critically evaluated from various perspectives. The 5 current types of internships are described. Conclusions, implications, and practical next steps are offered with an emphasis on the development of innovative internship models, including half-time internships, which may better suit the needs of many current graduate students. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Pre-operative core biopsy of soft-tissue tumours facilitates their surgical management

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Since the mid-1980s, the number of osteopathic graduates has increased, and the number of osteopathic hospitals has decreased. This has led to an increasing number of osteopathic students seeking training in Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) family practice residency programs. In response to these developments and to a declining pool of allopathic applicants in the early 1990s, at least 35 ACGME programs have completed the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) accreditation process as approved internship sites. This article describes 1) the rationale for becoming accredited, 2) the AOA accreditation process, 3) a model osteopathic curriculum, 4) potential difficulties, 5) issues to consider in approaching a decision to become AOA accredited, and 6) future trends in osteopathic graduate medical education.     

Issues of internship supply and demand: A survey of academic counseling and clinical programs.

This article reviews internship placement rates since 1992 and provides comparative data from a survey of academic training directors in the Council of University Directors of Clinical Training Programs, their student applicants, and academic training director members in the Council of Counseling Psychology Training Programs. Data from the 1997–1998 internship year suggest that although internship placement rates have remained relatively stable since 1992, larger members of students have been unsuccessful in securing an internship. Implications of current market trends in conjunction with recommendations regarding possible solutions are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Insider's Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology 2004/2005 Edition.

This article reviews the "Insider's Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology 2004/2005 Edition." The purpose of this book is to help students prepare for admission into clinical or counseling psychology graduate programs and to assist with the corresponding application process. Including several web resources, updated profiles and contact information for North American programs, data outlining admissions criteria, and sample letters, CVs and a personal statement, this book is designed to help both current and future applicants prepare for and apply strategically to graduate school. Well written and using straightforward language and information presented in text, table, and list formats, the authors draw on research data and personal anecdotes to outline the application process and its various considerations. The book covers all steps of the process from the initial decision to pursue graduate work in clinical or counseling psychology to the final decision one makes upon offers of admission. Moreover, one of its greatest features is a timeline for preparing for graduate work in these fields. The timeline breaks the application process into manageable steps and could, for many readers, decrease the stresses that arise from preparing for and applying to graduate school. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Profile of the graduate student population in U.S. medical schools

The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) sponsored surveys of accredited U.S. medical schools in 1994-95 and in 1995-96 to gather enough data to determine an accurate profile of the population of students enrolled in and/or graduated from biomedical PhD and MD-PhD programs at these institutions. Previously collected data on the graduate student population at medical schools often did not distinguish between PhD students at the medical school and graduate students in other parts of the university. The AAMC surveys defined a medical school PhD- or MD-PhD-trained student as one whose major professor holds his or her primary appointment in a department of the medical school. The data were the result of census-taking by the responding schools on October 1, 1994, and October 1, 1995. There were 81 responses to each of the two surveys. Overall, 104 medical schools supplied data in either one or both of the survey years. When the data are extrapolated from the sample to the total population of 122 medical schools that award graduate degrees, a number of interesting estimates emerge. (1) When compared with the 1995 data for 18 biomedically-related biological science disciplines from the National Research Council's Survey of Earned Doctorates, the AAMC survey indicates that approximately 60% of the 4,000 PhDs awarded were earned by students studying at U.S. medical schools. (2) The total enrollment of PhD students in U.S. medical schools is approximately 18,600, a number that is about 25-30% of the number of medical students currently enrolled at all accredited U.S. medical schools. In some institutions, the number of graduate students rivals the number of medical students. (3) PhD students are enrolled in a wide variety of programs bearing titles reflective of a trend toward "interdisciplinary" rather than "departmental" degrees. (4) At a given time, the number of students supported by National Institutes of Health (NIH) research grants is nearly twice that provided for by NIH traineeships. In addition, all forms of institutional support provide for more than one-third of the PhD students in U.S. medical schools. (5) Approximately 24% of enrolled students are international students on temporary or permanent visas. (6) The data obtained from the two surveys of graduate programs within medical schools are relatively consistent, enabling more confidence in the reliability and accuracy of findings presented in this report.     

The questionable value of a master's degree for a PhD-pursuing student.

Results of a survey of 153 institutions with graduate programs in psychology indicates the majority of schools with PhD programs do not offer a separate master's degree. Few colleges, and none of the top-ranking universities, expressed great interest in PhD applicants with master's degrees from other institutions. Most respondents stated these transfer students would be credited with a limited amount of course work or treated as if they had a BA degree. It is concluded that the master's degree may slow the progress of students seriously considering a PhD in psychology, and may actually be a limiting factor for acceptance in doctoral programs, particularly in prestigious schools. Universities should deemphasize the master's degree as part of doctoral training and provide terminal master's programs which prepare students for immediate professional or subprofessional employment. (19 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Future funding for clinical students.

Surveyed clinical psychology training programs and internships to estimate the impact of federal budget cutbacks. For the 1973–1974 academic year, there were 20 graduate school applicants and 9 internship applicants for each funded position. Funded positions decreased 9–22% compared with the previous year. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)