APPIC of the Litter

By Katharine Thomson, Summer 2010

The Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC) is a non-profit organization that coordinates the national match for internships and postdocs. A subset of internships overseen by APPIC are APA-approved. Other states also use a statewide matching system similar to the California Psychology Internship Council (CAPIC). Students may apply to internships administered by both of these organizations. Read on for a brief overview of the APPIC process.

Typically, APPIC application deadlines fall between November and December, interviews are held in December and January, and the match date is in February. In preparation for the APPIC application process, it is recommended that students keep a detailed account of their clinical experiences, beginning with the first practicum. The APPIC Application for Psychology Internships (AAPI) requires applicants to report experiences in specific areas such as:

1) All CSPP–sanctioned and supervised training practica are counted. Note that the hours must not exceed the number of hours listed in one’s practicum contract. Additional experiences, such as other graduate level work or job experience are captured in a separate section of the AAPI. Work experience can be put in one’s vitae. To maintain a detailed account of practicum hours, try using appointment books, spreadsheets, or even websites such as time2track.com (for a special discounted price, enter coupon code "alliantprice”). One practicum hour is equal to a 45-50 minute client hour, and each hour is counted in only one category. Be sure to keep track of (a) direct intervention hours in individual, group, family, or milieu therapy; (b) assessment hours, tests administered, and integrated reports written (this does not include practice test administrations and course work with volunteers); (c) individual and group supervision; (d) training support activities such as didactic training; (e) teaching; and (f) other clinical experiences.

2) Reporting the population and demographic of clients is also required. As such, it is important to keep a detailed account of clients: gender(s), age, ethnicities, sexual orientation(s), and disability status.

Now, take a deep breath—support is out there. A meeting will be held by the OPT at the end of the spring semester to answer questions, provide handouts, and suggest timelines. Student’s who want to get a jump-start on the application process can also identify referees, research internship sites, and complete their dissertation proposal before the fall. Additionally, the OPT holds weekly support seminars in the fall to guide students through the process. A list of internship sites can also be found at www.APPIC.org, as well as a sample of last year’s AAPI, FAQs, matching statistics, and more. The Canadian equivalent, www.ccppp.ca, also provides additional resources, tips, and guidelines. Lastly, books, such as “APAGS Internships in Psychology: The APAGS Workbook for Writing Successful Applications and Finding the Right Fit”, are also useful resources.

This article is NOT intended to replace the valuable information provided by OPT- please be aware that changes may arise for the 2010/2011 APPIC application process.