After the Match Results: Planning for your Future
Jae Yeon Jeong, Ph.D.
Former APAGS Member-at-Large, Education (2007-2009)
At this time of the year, many graduate students in clinical, counseling, and school psychology programs experience a mixture of trepidation, anxiety, and excitement as they await the results of the Match. Despite all of the hard work and time invested into the internship application process, the reality is that there are an inadequate number of APA-accredited internship slots as compared to the large number of applicants. The Match imbalance is a multi-faceted problem that is being addressed by a number of doctoral training councils, APAGS, APPIC, and the APA. In the fall of 2008, representatives from each of the five doctoral training councils, APPIC, APA, and APAGS convened to discuss steps to ameliorate the situation. For the full consensus report, please see APPIC.
For graduate students who do not match to an internship site, they have the option to apply to sites listed in the Round 2 Match (formerly the Clearinghouse); however, there are a limited number of APA-accredited programs, which might be an important factor to consider. At this particular stage in the process, the news of not being matched can be a devastating blow to one’s sense of competence, intelligence, and self-esteem. This emotional state may override some important factors to consider during this pivotal point in time. First, one must decide whether to seek an internship outside of the APPIC Match or to apply once more in the next Match process. Either decision can be a difficult one to make. With the former, some students have elected to work without being financially compensated. Others have completed non-APA or non-APPIC member internships. In making the decision to apply for the next Round 2 Match or next academic year's internship match, one must decide whether this is financially and emotionally feasible. Before you make a final decision on what to do next, here are some immediate and long-term factors to consider:
Graduation requirements for the doctoral degree: Does the graduate program require completion of an APA-accredited internship? Speak with your Director of Clinical Training (DCT) and consult the program handbook.
What are your career goals and in what type of setting do you want to work? Do you plan to engage in practice, research, or pursue an academic career? Some career options may or may not require completion of an APA-accredited program (e.g., working in a VA requires an APA-accredited internship).
State licensure requirements: If you plan to seek licensure, where do you plan on living? Licensure requirements vary from state to state and reciprocity is not universal. Plan ahead and investigate the education and clinical training requirements. Consult directly with the state licensing boards.
Dissertation: At what stage are you in completing the dissertation? Could you possibly use this time to make significant progress or complete the dissertation by the time you apply for the next year's Match?
Financial: How will you support yourself? If you apply for the next Match, will you continue to receive financial aid (federal loans, work study)? Or do you need to consider options such as working as a graduate assistant or seeking a part-time job?
Strengthening your overall application: Are there specific areas that you could strengthen (e.g., seeking additional clinical experiences, additional coursework, and internship essays)? Consult with your DCT and seek feedback from several sources.
The internship application process is intensive, stressful, and requires an investment of considerable time, energy, and money. The feelings of angst and disappointment will most likely accompany the news of not being matched. But remember, your future matters to us, and on your behalf, the APAGS committee will continue to advocate for improvements to the match imbalance.
