Neuropsychology Central

dmlevy · Joined: 08 Jan 2005 Posts: 7

I was just wondering what a precotoral internship was. Is this an internship before you enter graduate school, or it is an internship you complete while you are in graduate school but before you obtain your Ph.D or Psy.D degree? If it is the latter, can you do an internship at a different graduate school than the one you attend? Thanks.

-David

phil480 · Joined: 07 Dec 2004 Posts: 10

A predoctoral internship is done during your last year of graduate school before you earn your degree. At his point you have completed all classroom requirements and if your one of the lucky few, you may have already completed your discertation by that time. Essentially, you are hired by an APA approved clinic, mental health center, or similiar employer, and basically work as a supervised psychologist for approx. one year. I don't understand what you mean by being able to do your internship at another university.

dmlevy · Joined: 08 Jan 2005 Posts: 7

Thanks for the reply. I saw that a few universities offer predoctoral internships at their campus (like the University of Chicago). I was wondering, if you went to Argosy or Adler, for example, if you could still do your internship at UC.

-David

phil480 · Joined: 07 Dec 2004 Posts: 10

Those universites generally have training or research hospitals on campus. In light of how competitive doctoral internship positions are, I would assume those universites generally reserve intership slots for their own students. However, I don't see why, if accepted, you couldn't do an internship at one of those teaching hospitals.

Paendrag · Joined: 18 Jan 2005 Posts: 32

Actually, I did my internship at the University of Chicago. Great place, btw. UC doesn't have an applied training program so there is no incestual feeder system setup there. Most major university medical schools are similar. Internship programs have their own emphases and biases. Some go after research oriented students, meaning they are unlikely to accept Psy.Ds (like UC), others go after applied folks. Be careful that the graduate school you pick is consistent with what you want to do with your career.

danyounghan · Joined: 08 Dec 2004 Posts: 10 Location: Chicago, IL

Paendrag is right. Most major university medical schools with clinical programs have feeding systems, meaning the competitiveness of other applicants increases accordingly. Overall, it's no hidden fact that PhD programs will have more of the edge you need in any clinical psych training as the PsyD stigma still exists. However, some practice oriented sites will actually appreciate the PsyD applicants as long as there are considerable amounts of practica hours; if PsyD focus is in clinical application, then they might as well show it. Consistency between your goals and the focus of the program is the key like Paendrag said. I was rather misinformed when I began and currently I'm paying that price (initially I was more focused on psychobiology rat chasing but thought I would like clinical settings/working with people). There are ways however, ways to work around it. Get a few good research ideas running and network, of couse accompanied by ton of extra work outside of school works.

As for UC, it is a fantastic place. I'm doing one of my practica there currently. As a PsyD student, I still have to work extra hard to overcome the stigma in the neuropsych settings in universtiy hospitals overall. VA hospitals however have different preferences depending on the site, i.e. some APA VA and community hospitals have PsyD neuropsychologists as training directors, so.... EVERYTHING just DEPENDS...

So, in sum, if you want to be a neuropsychologist from the getgo, you wouldn't want to sway away from research (pick a PhD prog). If you want to go the applied route (i.e. private practice in the future), PsyD would be fine. Bottom line is, it is possible to change routes to a certain degree mid-study, but be ready to work extra hard. So, choose wisely from the beginning and don't jump into neuropsych just because you think it's what you want to do. Contact neuropsychologists in the area and ask for some feedback as to what their actual day is like (whether they reply or not is another subject, but it doesn't hurt to email).

That's my two cents, and hope it doesn't make it more confusing.
_________________
"Brains 'R Us!"

Paendrag · Joined: 18 Jan 2005 Posts: 32

I don't think the Psy.D. is a stigma in general. It is what it is. I think you may feel it more strongly at a place like UC, that traditionally does not accept Psy.D's in their internship program, but does in their practica. Other university medical school settings are different. For example, Dartmouth often takes Psy.D students in their neuropsychology program. So does the University of Miami in Florida. The military is also a good example. I know a girl who is on her internship in the Army. They are paying her loans, which are substantial, and they pay twice as much as a normal internship.