For the first time ever, the number of internship positions available outnumbered the psychology students participating in Phase I of the match process run by the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC).
"Match day used to be one of mixed feelings, celebratory for those who obtained an internship, frustration for those who did not due to insufficient positions," says Catherine L. Grus, PhD, deputy executive director of APA’s Education Directorate. "For the last three years, we’ve seen dramatic changes, with fewer applicants entering the match and more positions being offered. For many, many years, the situation was reversed."
Phase I of the 2018 match offered 3,906 internship slots, a 22 percent increase over 2012, when the internship imbalance was at its worst. Of the 3,779 students who registered in 2018, 3,163 successfully matched with an internship position in Phase I. Fifty-one percent of those participants matched with their first-choice programs. Seventy-three percent matched with one of their top two choices, while 85 percent matched with one of their top three.
A total of 432 applicants — or 12 percent — didn’t match. Another 184 applicants either withdrew or didn’t submit a ranked list of preferences. These applicants are still eligible for another round in Phase II and then a final round called the Post-Match Vacancy Service. A total of 743 positions — a 235 percent increase over 2012 — went unfilled in Phase I.
But there are important caveats when it comes to analyzing this year’s data, says Greg Keilin, PhD, who coordinates the match for APPIC.
Part of the improvement this year is because of a drop in the number of registered applicants compared with 2017. This nearly 4 percent decrease was prompted by a new APPIC rule that restricts participation in Phase I to students who are enrolled in doctoral programs that are APA or Canadian Psychological Association-accredited or have been awarded an accreditation site visit.
Plus, there was still an imbalance when it came to accredited internship positions, with applicants outnumbering accredited positions by 396. But, says Keilin, "that’s a huge improvement." In 2012, for instance, registered applicants exceeded the number of accredited slots by 2,074. "In six years, the shortage of accredited positions has been cut dramatically," says Keilin.
Both APA and APPIC have invested substantial sums in recent years to help increase the number of accredited internship sites, adds Grus. APA’s $3 million internship stimulus package has so far helped 70 sites gain accreditation, resulting in 320 internship positions.
