Forests, grazing areas, water supplies, and the internship imbalance problem: Redefining the paradigm to implement effective change.

We are frustrated with the internship imbalance. Twenty years ago, those of us involved in academic training programs prepared students in our doctoral programs for the internship application process by meeting with them for an hour and giving them a few pointers. Now, the focus on securing an internship seems to pervade all aspects of doctoral education. We listen to students worry that they don’t have sufficient hours, assessment experience, or diverse practicum placements. As the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC) Match approaches, we meet with students more frequently, helping them to prepare their applications and carefully construct their list of internship sites. We devote time helping students to complete the APPIC Application for Psychology Internship (AAPI), prepare for interviews, and rank sites. Those of us who are involved in internship training programs spend extensive hours reviewing hundreds of applications in Phase I and Phase II of the APPIC Match. We respond to applicant concerns, questions, and anxiety. And all of us try to provide support and consolation, as well as some understanding about “what went wrong” to those students who aren’t matched. When we have a moment, we look beyond the students in front of us and worry about the future of our profession. How is it possible that we’ve gotten ourselves into this mess? Hatcher’s (this issue, pp. 126 –140) article (a manifesto, if you will) has the potential to point us in a new direction. Our hope is that each of you, like us, will view Hatcher’s article as the beginning of a paradigm shift in terms of how we characterize this problem and its potential solutions. His innovative and bold view of how the professional training community can work collaboratively to reorganize has the potential to effectively impact the internship imbalance and the quality of the profession as a whole. By likening the internship imbalance to a resource management issue similar to what has been encountered in regard to other resources such as crops and forests, Hatcher provides us with an opportunity to rise above our own positions to draw upon existing, evidence-based approaches to cooperative solutions that can benefit all involved. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sharing wisdom: Ethnic minority supervisor perspectives.

We offer this special issue in an effort to fill the gap in the literature regarding ethnic minority supervisor processes. We dedicate this issue to the ethnic minority psychologist pioneers who have brought tremendous life experience to their work as supervisors, who can reflect on their strategies, lessons learned, You will find three types of articles in this issue. The narratives speak to the personal journeys of psychologists and how their stories inform the practice of supervision. The theoretical offerings highlight the need to think creatively and with an integrative mind when applying extant literature to supervision involving supervisors of color. Finally, one qualitative research article demonstrates that although there are more people of color supervisors in the field, there is still a need to educate them on cultural competency in supervision. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The internship match: Understanding the problem-seeking solutions.

When 25% (842) of the 3,430 students participating in the 2007 APPIC Match were not placed, the Editorial Team of Training and Education in Professional Psychology (TEPP) expressed considerable concern about the significant barrier that exists for a sizable number of students seeking internships. The numbers of unplaced applicants has increased significantly during the last few APPIC Matches (Keilin et al., this issue). Unfortunately, the TEPP Board does not anticipate that this anxiety-provoking trend will reverse or end. We believe that the profession of psychology should be more than concerned. We believe that they should take action. This internship "supply and demand" problem has existed for at least 10 years and is increasing in severity. The profession must come to an agreement about the components of the problem and then address each one. There are no easy solutions but the TEPP editorial staff believes that there are many creative, thoughtful, collaborative solutions proposed in this special issue. We hope that this special issue will help the profession understand the varied views of this problem. We believe that the profession must come to a consensus about the problem and develop creative, pragmatic steps to provide a streamlined, effective sequence of training and education in professional psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A comment from the editorial team.

Introduces this first edition of Training and Education in Professional Psychology, and presents a brief history of its development. In addition, many of the individuals involved in the Journal's development are recognized. The editorial team of TEPP hopes that the journal will provide a professional forum for psychologists to exchange ideas and contribute thoughtful investigations about the challenges, the discussions, and the future direction of education and training in psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)