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I matched at my #1 choice, and most of my classmates got one of their top choices as well! (Coming from a research-oriented clinical PhD program). 
2010-2011 Internship Thread
- Thread starter cmuhooligan
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Matched at my #1
I was curious and took a look at some of the sites that are in the clearing house. There are some really good programs (2 slots at UIC, Duke, and U of Florida).
I was curious and took a look at some of the sites that are in the clearing house. There are some really good programs (2 slots at UIC, Duke, and U of Florida).
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Some other excellent ones:
Dartmouth Med (neuro)
Henry Ford (Ped neuro)
Tulane Health Sci Ctr (Forensic)
U of New Mexico Health Ctr (Clinical Child)
Baylor College of Med (neuro)
WVU Med (neuro)
And 3 CPA-acred in Canada
I guess it isn't surprising that there are a bunch of neuro. The stats said the average number of ranked spots was 8, so it seems like some solid programs got squeezed out.
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Typically the site will call you. I believe there is a "window" that APPIC recommends, so I would advise against calling unless you don't hear back by mid-afternoon. There are time zone issues too, so CA sites may call later in the afternoon because of the time difference.
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Matched at my #1
I was curious and took a look at some of the sites that are in the clearing house. There are some really good programs (2 slots at UIC, Duke, and U of Florida).
Congrats!! It was definitely worth the wait, huh?
I did not get my top choice, but the one that I got is excellent as well. It would have probably been my top choice if it had a postdoc program.
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Congrats!! It was definitely worth the wait, huh?
I did not get my top choice, but the one that I got is excellent as well. It would have probably been my top choice if it had a postdoc program.
Thanks, and congrats to you too! Yes, it was totally worth the wait!
I matched at Henry Ford also (neuro track)! It was my first choice, so I'm super excited!
I got my number 1 choice! Lincoln Medical and Mental Health in New York. I am so excited! One of my closest friends who did not match just secured an internship today so now we can really celebrate. Good luck to those still searching the CH!!!
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Wow, PSYdMHC, that was fast! Congratulations to both!!!
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Just curious..........
If someone were interested in re-locating to Canada, is the transition between APA and CPA difficult?
Would it be recommended to apply for internship to CPA sites?
i personally grew up in Buffalo, want to move back closer to my family, love the culture and other activities of bigger cities and do not necessarily want to live in Buffalo itself again (hence, the allure of nearby Toronto).
Any feedback is appreciated. Thank you!
If someone were interested in re-locating to Canada, is the transition between APA and CPA difficult?
Would it be recommended to apply for internship to CPA sites?
i personally grew up in Buffalo, want to move back closer to my family, love the culture and other activities of bigger cities and do not necessarily want to live in Buffalo itself again (hence, the allure of nearby Toronto).
Any feedback is appreciated. Thank you!
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Yes, sensitive topic for the Canadians today...Anyway, took a look at the CH list. There are a couple of good VA sites on there, but it looks like one is already filled. I'm surprised those programs ended up on the CH, but I guess whether or not a site ends up there can also depend on the unique combination of interviewees and their ranks each year.
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Oh no you didn't just say that!!!
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Does the nat match website with the CH list update as the positions are filled?
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No - you must continually check the Lyris Listmanager. The Natmatch list is static.
I interviewed at Togus VA and thought it was a good program (it wasn't the best match for me in terms of my interests/goals, so I didn't rank it as highly as the program I matched at). If there's something specific you're wondering about, feel free to message me (or ask here). It is an APA approved program that looked like it had a wide variety of training options and good faculty support.
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Matched at Philhaven Hospital in PA
ended up placed at UFlorida during the Clearinghouse 
The CH was absolute chaos, I wish all those still navigating it the best of luck.
Funny lesson learned through the heartache and humility of not matching...if I had placed at UF on Match Day (it's a fantastic site in my interest area), I probably would have felt at least a bit smug. Now, not one bit.
Best wishes, all. And congrats to everyone who like me feels the sweet relief of being placed (and maybe even of getting a site you're super happy about).
The CH was absolute chaos, I wish all those still navigating it the best of luck.
Funny lesson learned through the heartache and humility of not matching...if I had placed at UF on Match Day (it's a fantastic site in my interest area), I probably would have felt at least a bit smug. Now, not one bit.
Best wishes, all. And congrats to everyone who like me feels the sweet relief of being placed (and maybe even of getting a site you're super happy about
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ended up placed at UFlorida during the Clearinghouse
I assume it was the neuro spot? If so...that is a great site!
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Congrats!! It's great that you were able to secure a spot! A former colleague really wanted to go there for the neuropsych training, but opted to go elsewhere in the end. Really great site!ended up placed at UFlorida during the Clearinghouse
The CH was absolute chaos, I wish all those still navigating it the best of luck.
Funny lesson learned through the heartache and humility of not matching...if I had placed at UF on Match Day (it's a fantastic site in my interest area), I probably would have felt at least a bit smug. Now, not one bit.
Best wishes, all. And congrats to everyone who like me feels the sweet relief of being placed (and maybe even of getting a site you're super happy about
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ended up placed at UFlorida during the Clearinghouse
The CH was absolute chaos, I wish all those still navigating it the best of luck.
Funny lesson learned through the heartache and humility of not matching...if I had placed at UF on Match Day (it's a fantastic site in my interest area), I probably would have felt at least a bit smug. Now, not one bit.
Best wishes, all. And congrats to everyone who like me feels the sweet relief of being placed (and maybe even of getting a site you're super happy about
Congrats! That's awesome!
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I found the experience of the clearing house supremely not awesome. No one bothered responding to my e-mails (sent at 11:00 exactly) and I've just been hitting refresh for hours. I think I felt way better about not matching until I had to not match all over again today. Meanwhile everyone else in my program got their first choices. Sad trombone.
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I am also very frustrated with this process. It is very discouraging to just get e-mails from the listserv that sites are filled when you were never even contacted to get more information or do a phone interview. Especially when some of these were sites I was more than well qualified for and disappointed to even apply to. It seems more about who you know than your credentials, since they don't have time to review them all. Did anyone doing Clearinghouse get any phone interviews or any type of follow-up today? Any idea how long this will go on before all the good accredited sites are filled?
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I found the experience of the clearing house supremely not awesome. No one bothered responding to my e-mails (sent at 11:00 exactly) and I've just been hitting refresh for hours. I think I felt way better about not matching until I had to not match all over again today. Meanwhile everyone else in my program got their first choices. Sad trombone.
I am so sorry you've had to go through this. I would like to say that "sad trombone" highlights an awesome sense of humor that will get you through this!
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It cracked me up.
Just some words of support for those who are still unmatched......it may feel horrid right now (I was there 2 years ago), but that doesn't mean you have failed. Other sites can trickle through in the coming months (possibly APA-acred, but obviously it varies year to year), and there is also the option to re-apply next year.
I know the thought of re-applying can be unnerving, and it isn't something most people want to do, but a year in between can give you the time/experience you need to strengthen your app and land a good site the following year. I used my gap year to teach, research, and present....and it made a difference. I obtained more quality interviews, and landed at a solid placement. The world does not end for those left unmatched. The internship process has some problems, but good things can still happen next year. Not matching my first time was one of the hardest things I had to deal with in grad school, but ultimately I landed on my path, and it is far better then it would have been otherwise. It was a very humbling experience, and it made me not only appreciate my training afterwards, but it made me work that much harder.
Thanks, this is helpful, knowing exactly what you did work on in your gap year.
I did not receive one phone call for an interview yesterday. I didn't even hear from my DCT or my doctoral program that I sent messages out to on Friday for support and guidance. I echo the sentiments of not getting matched twice in a matter of days. My fiance was very supportive rationalizing things happen when they're supposed to. A sentiment I truely believe. However, not knowing what was wrong with my application to begin with, never receiving true feedback of why I was not even choosen for interviews makes me feel like the gap year is just full of "I hope this works" actions that I will think are strategic moves, when in reality they're just random acts with hope attached to it.
I know I will eventually match, maybe not this year, but I will match. What is completely aggrevating about this is that I have a life and I want to get on with it. Pending internship for a year or more is a long time. After spending thousands upons thousands of dollars for my degree I am very angry. This is unacceptable.
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I completely feel the same way right now. I wasted thousands of dollars that I had to take out a loan for and several months of my life when I could have been doing more productive things, like working on my dissertation or getting more clinical hours. Staying another year wouldn't be so bad except for having to through that process all over again, and the possibility of not matching a 2nd time -- then I would feel like I'm out of options. At this point there are only about 8 months left until we have to start submitting apps again, so we don't even get a full year to prepare. Any additional practicums or externships I could do likely wouldn't be able to start until the Fall or at least a few months from now. I had already started to decrease my clinical load assuming I would match and needing to be out of town for interviews, etc.
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ended up placed at UFlorida during the Clearinghouse
The CH was absolute chaos, I wish all those still navigating it the best of luck.
Funny lesson learned through the heartache and humility of not matching...if I had placed at UF on Match Day (it's a fantastic site in my interest area), I probably would have felt at least a bit smug. Now, not one bit.
Best wishes, all. And congrats to everyone who like me feels the sweet relief of being placed (and maybe even of getting a site you're super happy about
Very Nice job positive reframing the situation!! Congrats - I've got family all over Florida and it is wonderful there!!
DITTO! I hear you my friend. That is exactly the problem. Which is why I am so angry. Another year here another year there...and more money down the drain.
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Sounds like your DCT totally dropped the ball too. Not having frequent contact from your DCT this weekend (at least over phone or email, if not in person) is ridiculous. Sorry for what you have to go through. You may have thought about this already, but in lieu of unreliable mentors/faculty, should you choose to re-enter match next year, it could be useful to get a peer or someone who will be at internship next year to help you look over your CV & app materials, and perhaps even role play mock interviews with you. It is unfortunate you cannot receive direct feedback from sites, but perhaps any fresh pair of eyes would be helpful. It is very possible though you've done all you can, and received the short end of the stick because of the match imbalance.
I wish I could give you who are going through this horrible CH process all hugs (or at least pats on the back)!
I wish I could give you who are going through this horrible CH process all hugs (or at least pats on the back)!
Thanks. I did actually think of finding a mentor that can be a fresh set of eyes. I will do my part in making sure this is a home run next year.
One of the things that makes me sad in the stories of disappointment is the evidence that some schools are not very actively supporting their students who are not matched. Something is wrong if the school is not helping you all organize on Clearinghouse day and providing active support. At least on an individual level, I'd seek out a mentor from your school to be your coach for the next year so you don't feel like you have to go it alone. It is also perfectly acceptable to ask sites for feedback; they may or may not be willing to give it but it never hurts to ask and you might get some very useful informaton.
I think schools are also remiss if they let students go out into the Match prematurely (eg: proposal not approved, hours insufficient, etc.) Unfortunately, some schools seem to suggest/promise you can get a doctorate in 4 years. Traditionally a doctorate was always a 6-8 year proposition realistically and I think it has been a mistake to create the idea that a PsyD is more like a JD and one can "finish" it off and get into practice.
I think schools are also remiss if they let students go out into the Match prematurely (eg: proposal not approved, hours insufficient, etc.) Unfortunately, some schools seem to suggest/promise you can get a doctorate in 4 years. Traditionally a doctorate was always a 6-8 year proposition realistically and I think it has been a mistake to create the idea that a PsyD is more like a JD and one can "finish" it off and get into practice.
Yes you are right. My school sells the PsyD program as a 3 year program. However, I figured this was nonsense prior to starting the program.
Having completed practicum at sites that other students from other institutions also attend, I have discovered that my program is dropping the ball on a collosal scale. However, I only realized to what extent when I began the application for internship. There has been a lot of faculty turn over in the last year. The new hired faculty seem very eager to turn things around for us. I accept my application is not to the caliber it could have been. I have identified faculty that are willing to help and I will work with them to make next year a different experience. There are still a trickle of sites coming available, so I still hold out some hope.
To all of those who didn't match or get anything in the clearinghouse, I understand. I went through that last year. I would suggest contacting sites where you interviewed and asking for feedback. I did this and received some helpful and some practical feedback. Overall, I was pretty much told that I had less hours than individuals who did match at sites even though I was well over the "required" number of hours. I was also told by the sites that responded to me that they did rank me which made me feel slightly better. At least I hadn't been excluded totally.
I would also do the same as others have suggested and use your next year as well as possible. I ended up doing another hours heavy practicum with a population I had not seen before (adolescents) and did as much testing (Rorschachs especially) as possible prior to reapplying.
And just think, you have your application already started! With drafts of essays and many of your hours already calculated.
I would also do the same as others have suggested and use your next year as well as possible. I ended up doing another hours heavy practicum with a population I had not seen before (adolescents) and did as much testing (Rorschachs especially) as possible prior to reapplying.
And just think, you have your application already started! With drafts of essays and many of your hours already calculated.
It doesn't look like anybody really answered your question, so here is what I know: I noticed that there are cites in Canada that are both CPA and APA approved. In CH, the UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA is accredited by both. Don't know if they filled their spot yet though, or if they're what you would want. As far as the transition goes, just from hear-say, I have gotten the impression that Canadian programs have no qualms with accepting students from U.S., APA approved programs. I say, go for it! The worst that can happen is they won't accept you (and we're all prob getting used to that at this point...).
Good luck!
I have had one site ask for more info, and heard nothing since. I applied to 20 sites yesterday, and only 9 are still available. Hope is dwindling...
And just think, you have your application already started! With drafts of essays and many of your hours already calculated.
This is the one point that makes doing this again next year seem at all bearable!
I just need to vent my frustration. I have applied to 20 CH sites. Of those, 8 are still viable. Only one sent a personal rejection. Naturally, it was from my top choice so it had added sting, but I like to think the personalized e-mail means they at least considered me (unlike the places we never hear from who quite possibly never even looked at our materials). But my real frustration is with my DCT. From what I have heard, it is common place for DCTs to call sites for their students participating in CH to advocate for them. I go to a larger program, so I can kind of understand why this isn't common place. However, being that it is day 2 of CH and most sites are already filled, I thought he might take the time to make a call or two for me. His response was that they don't usually call sites until after an interview or if they have sent students to that site before. I am applying all over the U.S. so it is fairly unlikely we have sent students to the programs I have left. So, essentially, he won't call until AFTER I've had a phone interview, while other applicants are getting help securing those interviews from their DCTs. I am not trying to blame my DCT for my lack of interviews - I know there are a LOT of very well qualified candidates I am competing with. I am just really, really annoyed and disappointed in the lack of support my program is providing compared to others.
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It was hard for me to think of what to do next year (after failing miserably with the CH) because I'm ahead on my dissertation compared to my peers (I defend in June), I have a thousand clinical hours, and have worked with very diverse populations. So i just sucked it up and applied for an externship in the city where I want to live. I figure I'll just do clinical work and publish stuff from my dissertation and apply again. I think this is all so much worse when we compare ourselves to others. It really is a crap shoot. I just have to remember that maybe I will have more fun next year than people on internship because I won't feel all grown up quite yet. So there.
So there.Is it Over, I empathize with your experience. I did not match, had a lousy experience with the clearing house, and have a DCT that needs a fire lit under his you-know-what. About 1/2 hour prior to the start of the clearing house chaos, he e-mailed me to tell me not to get my hopes up! How's that for encouragement? Unreal.
I just have to remember that maybe I will have more fun next year than people on internship because I won't feel all grown up quite yet.
KitKa, that is redic! I guess at least my guy isn't giving me the "heads up" that I'll probably fail.
Miss Maybe - that is the BEST reframe I have heard thus far!!!! You are awesome! lol
Only 4 posts have gone out via the clearinghouse today, and I am still waiting to hear ANYTHING from five sites! I know they may never even publicize when their spots are full, but I hope they do so I can uncross my fingers and move on w/ planning the next yr of my life...
I wish you the best of luck in your planning IsItOver! There is still hope that an internship can turn up this year but I hope you you make the best decisions based on your future goals!
Thank you PSYdMHC!!!
This is very, very true. As a matter of fact even getting more experience, presenting more at major conferences, or getting major publications is no guarantee of matching next year or even getting more interviews. I met these milestones myself this year and yet even though I matched I still received less interviews than the previous years. This is an unforgivably scandalous way to confer the doctorate.
On the converse, for those who matched, one can never be sure why they matched.
Some even match at sites that they are over qualified for, but are just happy to be allowed to secure their degree.
I hope this process eventually works for you. With hard work (and plenty of good fortune) you will be able to get the degree to which you are entitled.
So here's the thing... I went through the match process a second time this year and did not match. Had 7 interviews, all APA-accredited, 5 at VA sites and one at another prestigious hospital in NYC this time. Last year I had a total of 8 interviews, 6 at APA-sites. In the year in-between I all but finished my dissertation and gained more neuro experience (what I defnitely want to be doing). I am so taking the process personally, not so much the first time around, but this time I'm finding it almost impossible not to do so.
Let me add that my doctoral program has a 7 year max and I need to graduate next year so I can't reapply for the Match next year. Now I need to accept (if I can get one that is!) a non-APA internship. I'm so angry and disappointed. It totally sucks. My career goal was to work in a VA and now that's shot. It's unlikely that I will get a half decent post-doc now too. Is anyone else in the same boat maybe? Do any of you guys have any advice or suggestions for me? Anything anyone might be able to offer would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks in advance...
Let me add that my doctoral program has a 7 year max and I need to graduate next year so I can't reapply for the Match next year. Now I need to accept (if I can get one that is!) a non-APA internship. I'm so angry and disappointed. It totally sucks. My career goal was to work in a VA and now that's shot. It's unlikely that I will get a half decent post-doc now too. Is anyone else in the same boat maybe? Do any of you guys have any advice or suggestions for me? Anything anyone might be able to offer would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks in advance...
