Tamara's Cross-Country Interviewing Adventures

One of the capstone experiences for a psychologist pursuing their PhD is to complete an internship. Coming from an APA accredited doctoral program in psychology, I am seeking an APA accredited internship (most likely followed by an APA accredited post-doctorate position). After nearly 6 years of clinical work seeing clients and conducting asssessments in a variety of settings (2 University Counseling Centers, Neuropsychiatry at UIHC, Community Mental Health, and 2 rotations at the Iowa City VA) as well as teaching (Human Relations, Biological Psychology and Post-deployment Issues) in addition to taking classes, I am embarking on the daunting process of internship. And it is, after all, something I have been thinking about and preparing for since my first day of graduate school. Back then though, I was able to bury my head in the sand a little more easily. "I'm just a first year. I don't need to worry about this yet." "Internship? I'm in my second year. I'm seeing clients for the first time, I have other things to think about." "Third year = getting married, not internship, silly!" 
At the end of my 5th year, having successfully passed my dissertation proposal, I ran out of obstacles. The internship was the next logical step. So this past August I began writing. Writing essays, writing cover letters, updating my CV, and cumulating all of the hours I had spent in therapy or assessment with clients. (As it turns out, I was actually doing a fair amount of work the past few years).
Our program has people apply to about 15 internship sites. I chose to only apply to Veteran Affairs Hospitals since I hope to continue working there throughout my professional career. Given the course I recently created and teach (Biological Psychology and Post-deployment Issues), I've pretty much determined the VA and helping veterans reintegrate into post-secondary education is what makes me happiest. Therapy, teaching, research, I love it all.
So, between now and February 1st I will have to fly/drive/phone interview with 14 different sites in 12 different states.  I have one interview in December, and the rest in January. It's going to be an interesting 47 days. The hopeful outcome? An internship. Unfortunately, there are too many applicants, and not enough spots. The great minds from APA did the math and calculated that 25% of applicants this year will not receive an internship. Let me say that again. 25%. One out of four. Devastating. Though generally a "half-glass-full" sort of person, this entire process has made me more of a "where'd-the-rest-of-my-water-go?" type.
For those interested, my schedule is as follows: Salem, Virginia in December and in January: Hampton, Virginia, Chicago, IL, St. Louis, MO, Washington, D.C., Tuskegee, Alabama, Iowa City, Iowa, Baltimore, Maryland, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, New Orleans, Louisiana, Black Hills, South Dakota, Columbia, Missouri, Tacoma, Washington and Honolulu, Hawaii.
Alex has been simply wonderful and supportive, insisting he would make the sacrafice of moving to Hawaii if need be. :)
I'll be updating along the way, not regarding how I'll be ranking each of the sites (that's as confidential as baby names), but of the city, and my experiences traveling across the country during the winter!
If you're up for additional reading, you can check out this press release on the class I teach. It's been in a couple of newspapers and I was on the radio talking about it.
http://news-releases.uiowa.edu/2010/november/110810veteran_new_class.html


Next up: December 16-18: Salem, Virginia!