University-based graduate training of community agency workers: A pilot collaboration project.

The 1996 Welfare to Work Mandate has had a significant impact on the lives of families that use public assistance. What role can university counseling and psychology training programs play in the facilitation of this mandate that is intended to return welfare recipients to work? The Welfare Reform Act is discussed in relation to an innovative program that provides graduate-level training for bachelor's-level social service workers to meet the challenges of new service-delivery mandates. Relevance of this collaborative effort to professional psychology is explored, and implications for training master's-level graduate students are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Graduate training in clinical psychology: Student perspectives on selecting a program.

Although graduate programs in clinical psychology spend considerable energy and resources selecting students, there is limited information regarding the factors students consider important when they choose a training program. A review of recent literature found one study that looked at how first-year graduate students rated the importance of a number of factors in their decision-making process when selecting a clinical psychology training program (Walfish, Stenmark, Shealy, & Shealy, 1989). The current study extends this research by comparing reports from first-year graduate students enrolled in traditional “Boulder model” programs with those enrolled in professional “Vail model” programs. As part of a larger survey project, students answered questions about factors they considered important when they made decisions about applying to and selecting a graduate program to attend. Responses from students enrolled in traditional programs were compared with students attending professional programs. These differences are discussed, as well as their implications for program directors engaged in student recruitment and selection. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Graduate training for managed care: A national survey of psychology and social work programs.

Although there is much discussion within the professional literature about the training needs of graduate students in response to managed care, little empirical research exists that assesses the extent to which graduate programs provide training opportunities in this field. The present study surveyed graduate program training directors in clinical psychology, counseling psychology, and social work about the training opportunities available for their graduate students. Almost 60% of the respondents indicated that they provide some type of training related to managed care. Implications and applications of these results are addressed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Doctoral internship training opportunities in clinical geropsychology.

What types of internship training opportunities are there for psychology graduate students interested in working with older adults? The authors summarize characteristics of 65 doctoral psychology internships self-identified as offering training opportunities in clinical geropsychology. The internships appear to have the resources, staff, training placements, and training experiences that are at least adequate, and in most programs, much more than adequate, for generalist training in aging. Internship programs at facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs compose a major resource in clinical geropsychology training. Practical suggestions are offered to graduate students interested in obtaining geropsychology training during internship and to internship program directors who may want to offer such training. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Training teachers in the anatomical sciences

A number of medical schools have initiated workshops to improve faculty teaching skills. Little effort, however, has been directed toward the pedagogical training of graduate students who are destined to become future medical science teachers. To help solve this problem, the faculty of the Department of Anatomy in the University of Nebraska College of Medicine recently developed a prototype teacher training program for graduate students in anatomy. Through formal course work and practical classroom experience, students are developing the skills requisite for effective teaching of the anatomical sciences. Student and faculty response to the training program has been enthusiastic, and the objectives and structure of the program can be applied to the production of competent and skilled teachers in other areas of the basic and clinical sciences.     

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)     

Doctoral Programs in Psychology, 1957-1958.

Each fall the APA Education and Training Board sends to every graduate department with an approved program in clinical or in counseling psychology a detailed questionnaire. This questionnaire asks for information about the number of faculty members in the graduate training program, the number of full-time and part-time graduate students, the number of persons admitted to candidacy for the PhD, the number of PhDs granted the preceding year, and the number of graduate students admitted. This article presents a summary of the data obtained via these questionnaires. The authors suggest that for more precise information, a more complete questionnaire with carefully defined categories of training areas or subject matter would need to be answered by graduate departments, including both those with approved programs and those without them. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The impact of geropsychology training.

What effect does a geropsychology practicum placement have on graduate students' knowledge of and attitudes toward older adults? Ninety psychology externs and interns were surveyed at the beginning of the training year and then 9 months later. About half of the trainees provided services in settings that served older adults, whereas the remainder did not. At the end of training, those with a geropsychology placement maintained higher interest in geropsychology, had lower negative attitudes toward older people, and had greater knowledge of mental health and aging than trainees without a geropsychology placement. There were no differences between the two placement groups in knowledge of general facts on aging and positive attitudes toward the aged. The implications of the findings for graduate program directors, training psychologists, and graduate students are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychology graduate student training in developmental disability: A Canadian survey.

Psychology graduate student training in developmental disability has received very little attention in North America, and no study has examined the state of training for clinical and counselling psychologists in Canada, despite their involvement in the controlled act of diagnosis and their use of standardised instruments used regularly with this population. This study sought to examine psychology graduate student training in the area of developmental disability across Canada. We invited students from every Canadian Psychological Association accredited Clinical Psychology, Clinical Neuropsychology, and Counselling Psychology program to participate in an online survey, distributed through university email lists. Three hundred and three students reported on the developmental disability content within their training and coursework, their perception of the adequacy of that content, and their ideas for program improvement. Results indicated that the majority of students believed it important to have training in developmental disability, yet struggled to obtain adequate didactic and experiential opportunities. The lack of sufficient training was most pronounced for students whose training was adult-focused, but was also high for students with a life span or child focus. We discuss different possibilities for increasing developmental disability training opportunities, including integrating its content within courses on assessment and diagnosis, psychotherapy, and ethics, and providing students with supervision from psychologists who work with this population. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sport psychology training within a clinical psychology program and a department of intercollegiate athletics.

Many applicants to clinical and counseling psychology programs are interested in receiving the training needed to practice competently in the professional specialty area of sport psychology. In this article, the authors describe a collaborative training and service relationship between an APA-accredited clinical psychology program and an intercollegiate athletics department. Sport Psychology Services provides performance enhancement, program evaluation, and mental health services to the athletic department. In return, graduate students receive applied training, financial support, and opportunities to conduct research. The authors present program evaluation data and offer practical guidelines to graduate programs wishing to establish similar training opportunities. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Selected outcomes of accredited programs.

For a representative sample of 149 accredited doctoral programs, 3 types of outcomes are reported: activities of students, time to degree, and employment settings of graduates. Comparisons of activities on the basis of program specialty area yielded a difference only for the activity of providing professional services (with clinical?>?counseling?>?school). Comparisons on the basis of degree type (PhD, PsyD) yielded differences for all activities except providing professional services, with PhD students and faculty reporting higher median levels of involvement. Students in PhD programs require significantly longer (approximately 1.5 years) to complete their degrees than do PsyD program students. Graduates' employment settings tend to be consistent with the specialty area of their doctoral programs with interesting shifts from initial to subsequent employment. Recommendations are made for expanding outcome assessment of graduate education and training in professional psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Current status of graduate education in psychology.

Surveyed chairmen of psychology departments in 32 state universities and 9 private universities offering doctoral-level programs in basic and applied psychology, to determine the extent to which education and training is available for graduate students in the applied areas of psychology, specifically clinical psychology. Results indicate the following: (a) For all practical purposes, the PhD degree is the only doctoral degree being awarded in both basic and applied psychology. (b) The majority of the departments offering advanced graduate work in psychology insist on a variable core of required courses. (c) The comprehensive examinations taken by students in these programs are largely broad and integrative and are more likely to be administered by either a departmental examining committee or the student's own program committee. (d) For those departments in which a core of courses is not required of all doctoral students, there are substitute requirements, including demonstration of competencies and knowledge in content areas through examinations, or in the successful completion of a minor academic area. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A training plan for first year graduate psychology students in a Veterans Administration hospital.

The geographical proximity and working relationship of the University of Utah and the Salt Lake City VA Hospital have facilitated integration of academic and practician phases of the cooperative training program in psychology. Consultants from the university have a just-across-the-street contact with the students practicum work, and VA staff psychologists are used by the university in planning curricula and in teaching. The training plan described here represents an attempt to use the close working relationship of university and hospital in planning and carrying out a meaningful training experience for first year graduate students. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Parentline: A demonstration program for graduate practicum training and community service in clinical child psychology.

Describes a telephone consultation service for parents with questions about their children's developmental, behavioral, and learning problems. First-year graduate students participate as staff after having completed an intensive 10-wk training program that provides a knowledge and skill base in assessment, empathic responding, child development, parenting techniques, and change theory. Staff members learn to propose interventions that include providing information, developing individualized management programs, or offering referral assistance. Community utilization of the program as well as the impact of this practicum training experience on graduate students' professional development are discussed. (6 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Encouraging Academic Careers: One of Many Desirable Career Options for Doctoral School Psychologists.

The training environment of a graduate program can impact students' decisions about pursuing an academic position. This article describes the training environment at The University of Texas at Austin. Results of a survey of current students and graduates who have pursued academic careers are presented. Outcomes of the survey suggest that students are attracted to academia because of the variety of job responsibilities. Students who choose applied practice do so because they want to work directly with children, adolescents, and families. Students who choose either career path do so because of the desirable aspects of that career rather than because they are trying to avoid the undesirable aspects of the other career. Implications for training doctoral students who are interested in academic positions are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Program evaluation as applied to the goals of a psychology department clinic.

A comprehensive evaluation of a psychology department clinic in relation to its goals, in which goal definition was based on observations of clinical faculty members and students, demonstrated that, overall, clinic goals were determined by departmental priorities that put training before both research and service. An evaluation instrument composed of 5 segments to measure goal attainment is discussed in terms of its assessment of graduate students' evaluation of training through the clinic, faculty members' views of the effects of the training program, adequacy of the training program as reflected in postdoctoral accomplishments of former students, community awareness and attitudes regarding the clinic, and clients' satisfaction with services. (8 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Training practices in consultation: A national survey of clinical, counseling, industrial/organizational, and school psychology faculty.

Faculty who educate and train psychology students in consulting from clinical, counseling, school, and industrial/organizational graduate programs were identified via mail from department chairs and program directors. Of 197 faculty members identified, 89 (46.9% response rate) completed a detailed survey questionnaire about demographics and professional consulting activities, including teaching practices in consulting in their graduate program. Results were somewhat encouraging within industrial/organizational and school psychology programs and least positive in counseling/clinical programs, especially clinical programs. Detailed results are presented along with some implications for future graduate training in consulting psychology. A call is made for convening a national conference on educational standards in consulting psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Learning to administrate, administrating to learn.

This article describes a director of clinical training (DCT) mentorship program aimed at teaching administrative skills to graduate students. Toward this end, the administrative knowledge and skills targeted in the program are described, followed by a discussion of the implications of this training experience, including the potential applicability to other disciplines within psychology. Although the DCT mentorship experience that is presented seems to be a promising model for administrative training, future efforts are needed to evaluate the relative merits of this type of program over the long term. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Research training in counseling psychology: Some preliminary data.

Surveyed 35 current students (aged 21–40 yrs) and 34 PhD graduates (aged 28–52 yrs) from a graduate program in counseling psychology to assess (a) whether attitudes toward research changed during and after graduate school and (b) what activities/factors within graduate training affect research skill and interest. Using a combination of current and retrospective reports, it was found that although Ss at all levels perceived their training program's expectations for research as greater than students' own wants, students' interest in research (doing and valuing) increased as they progressed through training and afterwards. Three factors within graduate training that facilitate interest and skill in research are hypothesized: (1) social/interpersonal interaction; (2) training in applied, practical, and less traditional approaches to research; and (3) early, active involvement in research. (11 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Snapshot of Graduate Student Seminar Practices

Civil engineering departments in the United States were surveyed to ascertain the range of practices for conducting seminars for graduate students. Two separate internet-based survey instruments were developed and utilized. One survey targeted department heads to determine if the responding program had a seminar for graduate students and, if so, details about the program. In the instance where a program did not have a graduate student seminar, the survey solicited reasons for the program choosing to cancel or not have one. A second survey was disseminated to graduate students. It was intended to gather opinions of students regarding their experience with the graduate student seminar. Forty eight civil engineering department heads and 231 graduate students responded. The consensus among respondents is that a graduate seminar can be a valuable part of the student experience.