4th Year Externships

[cidanu]

Hey Guys! So I suspect this is kind of a taboo subject, because there are at least a few people on this board who are applying for 4th years and it's very competitive, but I thought I'd open it up to share our experiences for whoever wants to.

I've had two interviews so far. One was a four-hour long interview where staff audiologists came in one by one to meet with me for 30 minute intervals. It was basically a really long oral exam. Here are some of the questions:

What features did Phonak offer that made them good for use with children?
What features did Oticon have that made you recommend them?
What is a possible result of extended bandwidth for Oticon hearing aids?
What age can you implant a BAHA?
What did you do for BAHA evaluation?
How do you think you would do with a fast-paced schedule?
A person reported decreased ability to hear with right ear, hearing his own heart beat loudly, and dizziness induced by sneezing or coughing. You got normal air conduction responses. What other tests would you do?
You got a severe to profound unilateral sensorineural hearing loss with ABR on a 6 month old. How would you counsel the parents? How would you fit a hearing aid? How would you verify the hearing aid fitting? How would you know if it was benefiting the child?
Have you tested children with autism?
What were some of the things you encountered testing children with autism?
How have you modified testing with developmentally delayed children or children with autism?
In your experience doing two-tester VRA or CPA, were you controlling the audiometer or working with the child?
When doing single tester VRA or CPA, how did you deal with a difficult to test child?
What cochlear implant companies have you worked with?
Have you had any problems with Cochlear's new internal device?
If you got what looked like a conductive hearing loss with a child through doing VRA or CPA, but you weren't sure it was conductive, what other tests could you do?
What kind of tympanogram would you get with otitis media?
What drug did your sedated ABR program use at your previous internship?
When you worked on sedated ABR, how did you actually do versus your preceptor?
What would you do if you suspected your patient was malingering?
Are you familiar with TEOAEs?

The other interview I had was a little unusual. Within five minutes of stepping in they had me seeing actual patients so they could observe my skills and bedside manner. I saw four of the patients that were on the schedule that day.

I'd love to hear what other people are going through in applications or interviews or just general thoughts on the subject. It seems like a tough decision which could really impact the future path of our careers.

I want to do educational audiology but am trying to find a 4th year where I can get experience doing everything, just so I don't limit myself in the long term. On the other hand, I think I would really enjoy doing something where I can focus more on educational.

And then there is the question of pay.......

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[cmc271]

Thanks for the insight. I thankfully have another year before starting the search procedure, but I will be filing these away for future use. Best of luck to you! I know most of my 3rd year classmates are in the middle of their interview processes, but we did have one just get an offer from the VA for her 4th year.

 

[ctraud]

Thanks for sharing. I have been wondering where people are in the externship process. I know of my classmates 5 of the 13 of us have been offered positions, though it seems as though the timelines are quite variable for different places. I was asked similar questions in some of my interviews - it seemed to be a mix of "typical" interview questions & topic/audiology-related questions. Some examples of the more personal, open-ended questions:
"Where do you see yourself in 5 years?"
"What got you interested in audiology?"
"What do you want out of an externship experience?"
"What are your strengths/weaknesses?"

 

[Dustbug10]

I wish there were universal guidelines that all potential placements followed. For VA hospitals, many do not even know if they will have funding for a 4th year position yet and likely will not make acceptances until Feb-March.. Meanwhile, there are private practices that have already extended offers and expect a decision fairly quickly. For those of us with spouses and/or children, it is not an easy decision to make. I wouldn't mind getting together with a few of the posters here and making an externship guide to post for students approaching their 4th year. Resources online are few and far between. Registries are outdated and represent a small amount of placement opportunities actually available. I applied to quite a few placements in a variety of settings and have narrowed my choices down to 3-4. I hope to everything ironed out in the next week or two. My interviews thus far, whether by phone or in person, have more closely resembled what the examples that ctraud posted rather than topic specific.

 

[EitherWise]

great idea dustbug. I would be happy to join in and offer my time and help.

my externship process was like ctraud and dustbug. sending out applications, invterview with questions that were kind of broad/open-ended regarding my audiology experience thus far, what i and the program expects from this externship placement, strengths and weaknesses of my personality and my clinical persona (not always the same). I found the interview process doubly helpful in that the site gets to know me as a person and I get a feel for the person or people with whom I will be working closely with for the next year. A good fit is just as important as good experience.

as for the money thing, my program told us that externships that paid were few and far between and considered the exception not the rule. I have since found out that this is not entirely true but I would not have traded a great externship site (which is responsible for your true clinical growth and aptitude in addition to a long-lasting connection and referral source) for some tens of thousands of dollars and being treated more as cheap labor than a student and mentee.

 

[Kitska]

Here is a dilemma I had at a recent interview. The setting did not offer anything in cochlear implants (I knew this going in) but also did not do as much with hearing aids as I thought the did. So I began feeling like it was close, but not an exact match for me. It was difficult enough to not admit that I really am interested in cochlear implants, but then I started to feel like I had to not even admit that I am interested in hearing aids. What would others have done in this situation?

 

[Kitska]

Thanks for sharing. I have been wondering where people are in the externship process. I know of my classmates 5 of the 13 of us have been offered positions, though it seems as though the timelines are quite variable for different places. I was asked similar questions in some of my interviews - it seemed to be a mix of "typical" interview questions & topic/audiology-related questions. Some examples of the more personal, open-ended questions:
"Where do you see yourself in 5 years?"
"What got you interested in audiology?"
"What do you want out of an externship experience?"
"What are your strengths/weaknesses?"

Thanks so much, cidanu, for starting this thread! Ctraud -- these are the same kinds of questions I got at my first interview. I am going on another on Monday and I heard the place I am going also asks these types of more open-ended questions.

 

[EitherWise]

Here is a dilemma I had at a recent interview. The setting did not offer anything in cochlear implants (I knew this going in) but also did not do as much with hearing aids as I thought the did. So I began feeling like it was close, but not an exact match for me. It was difficult enough to not admit that I really am interested in cochlear implants, but then I started to feel like I had to not even admit that I am interested in hearing aids. What would others have done in this situation?

talk about a tough position to be put in. if I may inquire, what kind of practice is this? an ENT office where the audiologists primarily do diagnostic testing. while this is not terrible in and of itself, I have a feeling that the audiologist(s) does not have much in the way of autonomy. Being good at diagnostic testing is important but that cant be the only thing you do. and in that situation I would assume that the audiologist does not do much counseling regarding hearing loss and communication strategies. Hearing aids are an important part of what audiologists do, in addition to the diagnostic testing. It is this combination of skills and abilities and professional/clinical understanding that sets an audiologist apart from an aud-tech or a hearing aid dispenser.

did you get an idea of what a typical week at the practice looks like? could you contact a previous student that did his/her externship at this practice? I think these bits of information could help you make a better, more informed decision. best of luck!

 

[cidanu]

hey guys...

i've had a couple more interviews in the past couple of weeks which i guess were more typical. 30-minute interviews with questions similar to "where do you see yourself in 5 years?" etc.

i don't know how it's possible to select among 10 to 20 applicants and i'm sure it must be a difficult choice. i have a couple sites that i really want and i'm crossing my fingers for them too.

also trying to coordinate with my boyfriend's (hoping soon to be fiancé...) career. it's difficult considering it's only a one-year position and do you really want to make a big change and then possibly end up in the same position a year from now.

one classmate has accepted an offer. i received an offer but will likely decline (not a good match for my goals/interests), and i'm still looking. and most of my other classmates are also interviewing and waiting to hear.

a couple of the sites i'm interested in don't even have deadlines until the end of january, and they're interviewing at AAA. oy ve!

 

[cidanu]

Here is a dilemma I had at a recent interview. The setting did not offer anything in cochlear implants (I knew this going in) but also did not do as much with hearing aids as I thought the did. So I began feeling like it was close, but not an exact match for me. It was difficult enough to not admit that I really am interested in cochlear implants, but then I started to feel like I had to not even admit that I am interested in hearing aids. What would others have done in this situation?

hey kitska!

i think the interview is really important. not just for them to learn about you but also for you to learn about them.

i got an offer for one of the places i interviewed, and i know it's not right for me. i felt like i was sort of in a dilemma because you don't want to be without an externship. we are sort of encouraged to take our first offer. but at the same time you have to be critical and make sure you're putting yourself in a position where you can learn what you need to learn for your own future. i talked it out with my advisor and she agreed with me.

i have heard that with CI's, it is difficult to get training on them after you're no longer a student. if you can get the experience as a 4th year you're going to give yourself an advantage. once you enter the workforce, you'll be competing with coworkers who have seniority over you, who also may be interested in learning how to work with CIs. if you know you want to work with CIs then you should find a 4th year that includes it. it's not impossible to get the training after graduation, but there just becomes more obstacles.

 

[Kitska]

Thanks, Cidanu -- I have heard exactly the same thing about it being important to try and get that experience in the 4th year. I have applied to 3 places that do CIs and some of them have multiple externships spots, so I hope that my chances are pretty good.

I guess the dilemma I felt was not so much of what if I was offered the spot, but just being in a position during the interview of having to sound somewhat noncommittal about what I wanted to do in the future. I did not feel very genuine in my (noncommittal) answers, and worry I came off sounding vague, but I thought it was better than admitting what I really wanted to do and having them think it was not the right place for me because they could not offer that training. Like you said, what if this was the only offer?

 

[Kitska]

talk about a tough position to be put in. if I may inquire, what kind of practice is this?
did you get an idea of what a typical week at the practice looks like? could you contact a previous student that did his/her externship at this practice? I think these bits of information could help you make a better, more informed decision. best of luck!

It is a busy hospital. I like and want that kind of setting. I did get a chance to speak with a current extern, which was very helpful. If it was the only offer I got, I would take it, but...

I guess I learned I should be prepared for anything and have substitute answers ready in case things are not the way they seem. On the website, it definitely sounded like they dispensed hearing aids, but I just got the impression they did more than they actually did, and some of this difference between reality and impression was due to a recent staffing change.

 

[EitherWise]

It is a busy hospital. I like and want that kind of setting. I did get a chance to speak with a current extern, which was very helpful. If it was the only offer I got, I would take it, but...

I guess I learned I should be prepared for anything and have substitute answers ready in case things are not the way they seem. On the website, it definitely sounded like they dispensed hearing aids, but I just got the impression they did more than they actually did, and some of this difference between reality and impression was due to a recent staffing change.

yikes... substitute answers?? I would encourage you to look at the externship as the culmination of everything that you have learned in school and also as your first real job in what will/should be your career. with that being said, you hopefully learned and figured out what you like and dont like about audiology. i know for me i really liked hearing aids and stuff about tinnitus, i was ambivalent toward ephys and had little to no education with peds, CI or vestibular. i wanted my externship to be well rounded so that i could give myself a fair shot at all the aspects of audiology to make sure i wasnt missing out on anything and sell myself short. this of course led to some tough times while i learned what was necessary but im sure glad i went through the process. i dont really have any ifs in my mind thanks to that.

make sure to ask yourself what you want to get out of the externship and make sure that it fulfills those goals. yes it should meet the requirements for you to get your Au.D. but i strongly encourage you to look beyond just graduating. this externship will be your training and battle grounds for your future success, both professionally and personally. hope you take this as a pep talk and not me talking down. cant really express tone too well with words. id be more than happy to chat over the phone or something like that if youre interested. just PM me with your phone number.

the thought and concerns youre going through are very real. keep working through it!!

 

[Kitska]

yikes... substitute answers?? I would encourage you to look at the externship as the culmination of everything that you have learned in school and also as your first real job in what will/should be your career. with that being said, you hopefully learned and figured out what you like and dont like about audiology. i know for me i really liked hearing aids and stuff about tinnitus, i was ambivalent toward ephys and had little to no education with peds, CI or vestibular. i wanted my externship to be well rounded so that i could give myself a fair shot at all the aspects of audiology to make sure i wasnt missing out on anything and sell myself short. this of course led to some tough times while i learned what was necessary but im sure glad i went through the process. i dont really have any ifs in my mind thanks to that.

make sure to ask yourself what you want to get out of the externship and make sure that it fulfills those goals. yes it should meet the requirements for you to get your Au.D. but i strongly encourage you to look beyond just graduating. this externship will be your training and battle grounds for your future success, both professionally and personally. hope you take this as a pep talk and not me talking down. cant really express tone too well with words. id be more than happy to chat over the phone or something like that if youre interested. just PM me with your phone number.

the thought and concerns youre going through are very real. keep working through it!!

Oh dear. See, this is the trouble with the internet. I am positive if we knew each other in person and were having this conversation face to face, the conversation would be very different. Admittedly, I am hurt by your tone and your assumptions that my goal is to just graduate. I know you mean well, but your words come across as a little pedantic.

Let's pretend we are in your shoes. You love hearing aids and are passionate about tinnitus treatment. You apply for several externships. There is one at a hospital clinic that looks good in many ways, including being known for treating tinnitus. It is in a city you would like to be in for family reasons. It seems perfect in every way except for the fact that they do not do hearing aids. You are OK with this, since it has a lot of other things to offer, and has the tinnitus expertise you seek. You are unable to find out a whole lot about the externship because no former students from your program or anyone you ask from your placement sites has ever worked there. You arrive at your interview and you find out that just this week, their internationally known expert on tinnitus has just given notice and is moving to another city. You are disappointed. OK, so now how do you approach the interview on the spot? This is what I meant by having alternate answers.

 

[EitherWise]

Oh dear. See, this is the trouble with the internet. I am positive if we knew each other in person and were having this conversation face to face, the conversation would be very different. Admittedly, I am hurt by your tone and your assumptions that my goal is to just graduate. I know you mean well, but your words come across as a little pedantic.

Let's pretend we are in your shoes. You love hearing aids and are passionate about tinnitus treatment. You apply for several externships. There is one at a hospital clinic that looks good in many ways, including being known for treating tinnitus. It is in a city you would like to be in for family reasons. It seems perfect in every way except for the fact that they do not do hearing aids. You are OK with this, since it has a lot of other things to offer, and has the tinnitus expertise you seek. You are unable to find out a whole lot about the externship because no former students from your program or anyone you ask from your placement sites has ever worked there. You arrive at your interview and you find out that just this week, their internationally known expert on tinnitus has just given notice and is moving to another city. You are disappointed. OK, so now how do you approach the interview on the spot? This is what I meant by having alternate answers.

sorry for coming across that way. i absolutely agree with the difficulty of conveying tone and extra meaning through the internet. i was aiming to be overall encouraging that you were in it for the right reasons. I guess I put too much emphasis on the word "substitute" and went off running thinking you were being disingenuous.

i can see the predicament. i think i would let them know that the reason i was initially interested in the site is because of the tinnitus expert/program. and then would proceed to see if the site has any plans of helping continue it. i think that could help you answer some of those "what if" questions. Then I probably would proceed with the interview through some of the more standard questions.

I hope the rest of your interview process goes smoothly and that we can get to know each other better and trust each other to have each other's best interest in mind.

 

[spring88]

I'm only a first year but many of the third years at my program are interviewing and hearing back at this time. It's oddly reminiscent of the process I just went through... It never ends does it?

Here are some questions for you guys:

What do externship sites look for in prospective externs?

Does "where" you went matter (in helping or being detrimental in obtaining a placement)?

Where are the best places to extern? For CIs, adults, pediatrics, educational setting, VA etc.

As a first year, what can I do besides do well in clinic and get good grades to improve my chances to be a competitive applicant when the time comes?

 

[ctraud]

Here is a dilemma I had at a recent interview. The setting did not offer anything in cochlear implants (I knew this going in) but also did not do as much with hearing aids as I thought the did. So I began feeling like it was close, but not an exact match for me. It was difficult enough to not admit that I really am interested in cochlear implants, but then I started to feel like I had to not even admit that I am interested in hearing aids. What would others have done in this situation?

This is a tough situation to be in, so I understand what you're asking. I think it would be best, at that point, for you to start asking some questions. I'm not sure exactly what you were asked, but if they asked you something along the lines of "What are your main interests?", I think you could turn the question around on them a bit (not in a negative way, but just to get some more information). In this scenario, I would say something like "Well, I have several interests..." and be honest. Tell them that CIs and hearing aids are your interests, but also include something that they do at the placement so that it doesn't look like you applied there for no reason (as that could seem like a waste of time for everyone). Hearing aids (as this was a bit of a surprise to you that they don't do much) is where I would start asking some questions. "Hearing aids are another one of my interests. How often do you select & fit hearing aids/see hearing aids patients/what types of hearing aids do you work with, etc." This will give you a better idea of how much they're actually doing with hearing aids and if you will get the proper experience.

I know we're still students, but the externship experience is for us to learn! Shop around for the best possible experience. If the site doesn't offer what you want, then maybe it isn't for you. It doesn't mean it isn't a great site, but I think you really need to be thinking about what your best fit will be. After your externship you will graduate and will be expected to be competent/proficient in all of these areas. If you want to work with CIs in the future, you should definitely get experience with this during your externship (or make sure you have had plenty of experience in your clinic placements prior to leaving for your externship). I don't think its wrong to apply somewhere, find out they don't have what you want during the interview, and then rescind your application -- particularly in the case where there have been staffing changes and things may have changed a bit. I think it would be better to call or email before they extend offers to say "I really thank you for considering me and your placement seems like a great experience, but after some thought I am realizing how interested I am in CIs/HAs, and its very important for me to have that experience during my externship..." If you wait for them to offer, and they give it to you, you're faced with the dilemma you're in now. I think it would look bad to then tell them no at that point, as you've clearly had alot of time to think about it and, again, its almost a waste of their time. I guess my point is that you shouldn't settle. I'm not saying everyone will get a perfect, #1 choice placement, but if CIs/hearing aids are really that important to you, then you should pursue another place that offers that.

 

[ctraud]

I'm only a first year but many of the third years at my program are interviewing and hearing back at this time. It's oddly reminiscent of the process I just went through... It never ends does it?

Here are some questions for you guys:

What do externship sites look for in prospective externs?

Does "where" you went matter (in helping or being detrimental in obtaining a placement)?

Where are the best places to extern? For CIs, adults, pediatrics, educational setting, VA etc.

As a first year, what can I do besides do well in clinic and get good grades to improve my chances to be a competitive applicant when the time comes?

No, it never ends. Some of your questions are interesting and difficult to answer, mostly because I would say it depends.

1. In terms of what sites are looking for, I think that (and of course, I could be wrong, as I have no idea) they are looking for well-rounded students that would fit well within their practice. Clinical experience is important, but again, we are still students, so its not everything. I think a key part, when its all said in done, is your personality. You're going to be there everyday, 8+ hours a day -- do you fit in? Would it be a good match? Do they want to work with you? In terms of the application, I honestly think what sets students apart from others is letters of recommendation. Anyone can make their resume look good, but having strong recommendations is key. Connect with your professors/clinical preceptors and ask people that you will know will write you strong recommendation letters.

2. Does where you went matter? Again, I think that depends on the site. There are sites that I know think very highly of our program and I think that gives us a leg-up in the application process. There are other sites that don't know much about us (and we're a 3-year program, so that sometimes has the opposite effect). Its just like any job. Some really give weight to the university you attend, and others don't.

3. Again, this is going to depend. What do you want out of an externship experience? What are your interests? I personally wanted exposure to a wide range of experiences -- CIs, vestib, electrophys, hearing aids, diagnostics, etc. The placement I have committed to for next year has all of this. Our program encourages us to go to "well-rounded" placements. However, some people in my program know that they would one day like to open a private practice. They're more interested in that, and as a result, ended up applying to more private practice-type settings. Others are interested in pediatrics and applied to pediatric placements (Children's, etc.)

There are definitely externships that are more "prestigious", I think. But if they don't have what you're interested in, or you don't like the working atmosphere/wouldn't fit in, then its not necessarily a good placement.

Another thing to keep in mind is who will be supervising you and what sort of supervision they are going to give you. Some placements are known for their autonomy -- students do ALOT by themselves. I know some of my classmates were very excited about that, whereas others were hesitant to apply to places like that because they want more guidance. One of our students who is currently on her externship thought she was going to the perfect place -- it had everything she wanted. Then she got there and they had her observe for a week, and then she was expected to do everything on her own. She isn't very happy at the moment, to say the least (and our program was considering pulling her from the placement -- I think they have resolved some things, however). Some places treat externs like cheap labor instead of students, which also isn't right.

4. I may have touched on this in other parts of this long response, but I guess its hard to say. Letters of rec, in my opinion, are very important. I think grades are really less important. We were actually told that our GPA didn't necessarily need to go on our resume. If it was good, then obviously it doesn't hurt, but some places don't care. Other places asked for transcripts. Being a well-rounded person, in general, is always good for any sort of application (involvement in extracurricular activities such as SAA/NSSLHA, sports, volunteering; work experience; research experience).

Hopefully that helps a little!

 

[Kitska]

...Shop around for the best possible experience. If the site doesn't offer what you want, then maybe it isn't for you. It doesn't mean it isn't a great site, but I think you really need to be thinking about what your best fit will be. ...

Thanks, ctraud -- I do have some other interviews coming up, but that was my first. Hopefully I will have some choices, and the ball will be in my court.

How many externships have people applied for? I've applied for 5 and might submit a 6th application.

 

[cidanu]

How many externships have people applied for? I've applied for 5 and might submit a 6th application.

i've applied to 5 and will be submitting a few more for sites with later deadlines if i don't get an offer from one of these. i also applied to a program that finds placements for health students in Alaska, but it turns out that there's really only one place in Alaska that would be appropriate and they weren't able to take a student.

 

[ctraud]

I applied to 4 places. I already accepted a position or would've considered applying another place had I been turned down. Our program suggests that we apply to 3-5 positions (and we are highly encouraged NOT to apply to many more than that until we hear back).. the reason being that we are also strongly encouraged to accept the first position offered to us, and we shouldn't apply anywhere we wouldn't want to go.

I've been curious as to what other programs tell their students regarding the externship process.. how many do people apply, when do people typically hear back, what types of placements are students from other schools going to?

 

[audinwa]

That's really interesting that other programs seem to encourage you to take your first offer. My program advisor has been pretty good about not pushing us to take an offer that we are hesitant about, but she is in general pretty vague in her advice so I'm not sure how much that means.

Like everyone else, I would also encourage you all to look at what doors this site will open for you in the long run. I have only heard back from one place so far, but it's a 6 month placement which means I would need to apply to more placements for the remaining 6 months. So I'm waiting from the other sites I already applied to first. (I applied to a total of 6; although I rejected one offer already because it ended up not aligning completely with my goals).

Also, most of my interview questions have been pretty much fluff. Haven't gotten to any really grilling questions yet, although I have my last phone interview next Tuesday and by reputation I know this particular site will be drilling me.

Also, just a side note, but I was wondering why it is so taboo to talk about externships? Is it frowned upon to be so public about it and where you are applying?

Good luck everyone!!

 

[ctraud]

That is interesting. I wouldn't say that we are forced into any position we don't want to be in. However, it starts from the beginning -- they tell us that we shouldn't apply anywhere we didn't want to go. If it came down to it and we went to interview and found out we completely disliked the atmosphere, etc. then we certainly wouldn't be pushed to say "yes" by our program if we were later offered that position. I think its more so that we don't apply to 20 places that we don't really want to go to -- they make us do our homework and check into the places that we're really interested in.

I don't know what is with the taboo of externships, either. Within our program, we are all very open about where we're applying. Several of our classmates applied to the same places and in some cases, one classmate was offered a position and another wasn't. Everyone has been very good and not overly competitive about it, at least, but my class has a good dynamic. Do other students at other schools not talk about it much to one another? I do feel like there is pressure to not discuss placements with people from other schools, however. Everything seems very hush-hush.
I've actually heard that some schools only let one student from their program apply to a place. So, for instance, if 3 students want to apply to a hospital in Georgia, then their program decides who can send their application. Does anyone have experience with that?

 

[Kitska]

...
I've actually heard that some schools only let one student from their program apply to a place. So, for instance, if 3 students want to apply to a hospital in Georgia, then their program decides who can send their application. Does anyone have experience with that?

Whacky! Doesn't that mean they might not get the best applicant pool? What if there is more than 1 really good applicant from the same program?

 

[cidanu]

yeah i'm not really sure it's taboo, but i do think it's a little uncomfortable discussing it when you know that another student is competing for the same site. you try to find the balance of being interested and caring without trying to size up your competition. there's just a lot at stake.

in my program we're encouraged to identify 8 to 10 sites we want to apply to. we're required to apply outside the area to guarantee a better chance of placement, since this area is somewhat competitive. because they all have different deadlines, i don't think anybody has actually applied to that many schools already. but if needed i have my list.

we're not forced to accept the first offer either, but they have this clause in a statement that we sign, saying that if we don't accept the first offer, then our applications will not be considered priority for our advisor. basically i think it's just meant to get us to listen to our advisor and take her advice.

they have a list of externships they give us, some are on the AAA registry, some are not. they encourage us to apply to those sites first because A-they know they are good placements, and B-they want to continue building relationships with those sites. so if we get an offer from one of the sites on the list, they know it's good and they would strongly encourage us to accept. in my case, i got an offer from a different place they don't have previous experience with, so they supported my decision to decline based on my impression of the placement.

 

[Kitska]

I don't find it at all awkward discussing the subject with other students from around the country, but it did occur to me that what if supervisors from the sites themselves are reading the forum? This paranoia prevents me from going into too much detail on my interview experience until maybe a little bit of time has gone by.

 

[ctraud]

Whacky! Doesn't that mean they might not get the best applicant pool? What if there is more than 1 really good applicant from the same program?

Yeah! I don't know.. it doesn't make sense to me. That seems like it would make things ultra-competitive

 

[ctraud]

I don't find it at all awkward discussing the subject with other students from around the country, but it did occur to me that what if supervisors from the sites themselves are reading the forum? This paranoia prevents me from going into too much detail on my interview experience until maybe a little bit of time has gone by.

I've thought of that too. I'm sure its unlikely that supervisors are trolling these forums but I guess you never know! Nothing negative has been said (I don't know that I really have any negative things to say!) and I don't think there is anything wrong about talking about externships, especially when there are basically no specifics/details discussed.

 

[audio21]

how much does GPA play into getting a good externship?