Mastering the Internship Application and Selection Process
Lessons from the Trenches
by Catherine Ruscitti, M.S., Leigh Carter, Psy.D., Kimberly English, M.A., Molly Gardner, M.A., Elyse Thakur, M.A., Margaret Tobias, M.S., & Amanda Venta, M.A.*
Securing a predoctoral internship in psychology can feel like a full-time job. Between your application package, interviews, and rankings, there are many steps you must take before landing a position as an intern. The internship application process spans across approximately six months, and it can be quite exhausting and stressful. Below is a compilation of useful tips, advice, and lessons learned from current and previous interns who hope to help you through this process by learning from their experiences. Whether you are a first-year graduate student, about to head on to your internship, or somewhere in between, this list can be a useful guide for achieving your ultimate goal of becoming a psychologist.
Securing a predoctoral internship in psychology can feel like a full-time job. Between your application package, interviews, and rankings, there are many steps you must take before landing a position as an intern. The internship application process spans across approximately six months, and it can be quite exhausting and stressful. Below is a compilation of useful tips, advice, and lessons learned from current and previous interns who hope to help you through this process by learning from their experiences. Whether you are a first-year graduate student, about to head on to your internship, or somewhere in between, this list can be a useful guide for achieving your ultimate goal of becoming a psychologist.
About the Authors
Catherine Ruscitti, M.S., is enrolled in the Psy.D. program in Clinical Psychology at Loyola University Maryland. She currently is completing her internship year at Baylor College of Medicine on the Adolescent/Young Adult track at The Menninger Clinic in Houston, Texas. Her clinical and research interests include adolescent and adult psychotherapy and assessment, eating disorders, anxiety disorders, and emotion regulation difficulties. She especially enjoys conducting personality assessments and working from an integrative approach, using elements from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy.
Leigh Carter, Psy.D., received her doctorate from Loyola University Maryland in 2014 after completing her internship at the University of Virginia Counseling and Psychological Services. At present, she is a post-doctoral fellow in the University of Delaware Center for Counseling and Student Development. She recently published (with Jeffrey Barnett; 2014, Oxford University Press) Self-care for Clinicians in Training: A Guide to Psychological Wellness for Graduate Students in Psychology. Her clinical interests include the promotion of self-care and wellness among graduate students, psychotherapy, women’s issues, and interpersonal difficulties among the college population.
Kimberly English, M.A., is enrolled in the Ph.D. program in Clinical Psychology at Gallaudet University. She is currently completing her internship year at Baylor College of Medicine on the Child and Family track at DePelchin Children’s Center in Houston, Texas. Her clinical and research interests include parent-child attachment and bullying among deaf children, anxiety, and trauma. She enjoys utilizing a developmental approach in her work with children, adolescents, and families and integrates principles from Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy, and Psychodynamic Therapy.
Molly Gardner, M.A., is enrolled in the Ph.D. program in Medical/Clinical Psychology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She is currently completing her internship year at Baylor College of Medicine on the Pediatric track at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, Texas. Her clinical interests include working with children with chronic health conditions to promote coping, adjustment, and adherence to medical treatment. Her research interests broadly include the adjustment of children with cancer and their caregivers. She enjoys serving in a consult/liaison role within the medical setting and working with medical providers to promote positive outcomes among children and families.
Elyse Thakur, M.A., is enrolled in the Ph.D. program in Clinical Psychology at Wayne State University. She is currently completing her internship at Baylor College of Medicine on the Geriatric/Research track in Houston, Texas. Her clinical and research interests include chronic health conditions, anxiety disorders, and emotional processing difficulties. She enjoys conducting research on novel clinical interventions utilized to treat these disorders and has a strong interest in the role of clinical psychologists in medical settings.
Margaret Tobias, M.S., is enrolled in the Psy.D. program in Clinical Psychology at Loyola University Maryland. She is currently completing her internship in school psychology with Virginia Beach City Public Schools in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Her clinical and research interests include child and adolescent psychotherapy and assessment, parent training, and childhood anxiety disorders.
Amanda Venta, M.A., is enrolled in the Ph.D. program in Clinical Psychology at the University of Houston. She is currently completing her internship at Baylor College of Medicine on the Child and Family track at DePelchin Children’s Center in Houston, Texas. Her primary research interests are the protective effects of attachment security with related interests in emotion dysregulation and social cognition. Clinically, she enjoys working with children with disruptive behavior and adolescents, making use of Cognitive Behavioral and Behavioral Therapy techniques.