Frequently Asked Questions - Predocs & Post-MSW's

Will you accept a 4th letter of recommendation?

We will accept it but we may not read it. Given the number of applications we receive and the short time allotted before we need to make very important decisions (i.e., who to interview) we suggest only sending 3 letters from individuals you believe can best speak to your skills and areas for growth. This will ensure we read your best letters of support.

What are you looking for in an intern?

The majority of our predoctoral and post-MSW interns have previous practica experience in counseling centers, experience providing brief therapy and experience with crisis management. The predocs will also have some knowledge of career counseling/assessment. As a staff, we value diversity both in terms of learning from each other and from the students we serve. Applicants that are able to articulate how diversity has impacted them on a personal and professional level tend to be a good fit with our training program. Similarly, we are looking for individuals who enjoy working collaboratively in a multidisciplinary team setting.

Do you look at social networking sites as part of the evaluation process?

Currently, we do not seek out information from social networking sites as part of our evaluation process.

Can I receive specialized training in some clinical area?

You will definitely get specialized training in providing multiculturally competent brief therapy; crisis management; and group therapy. In Social Services the post-MSW's will get training in AOD, newly diagnosed illness, pregnancy, eating disorders and domestic violence. Other specialized training (e.g., specific clinical issues, couples counseling, specific populations) can occur through individual supervision. However, this needs to be discussed with the Training Director and your individual supervisor. If you have specific training goals/needs that are not specified in our materials please ask before, or during, the interview so we can discuss the possibilities.

How many long term clients do I get to have?

Two. However, the clients you see for longer-term therapy need to fit specific criteria that you will discuss with your supervisor and colleagues in case conference.

What is AVC?

AVC is our acronym for Advice Counseling. AVC is typically a two or three hour block of time where you will see students who are in varying levels of crisis or who state that they need to be seen today (rather than simply making an appointment). During AVC you also take phone calls from staff, faculty, and parents concerned about a student.

Are there opportunities for testing?

There are a number of assessments available for predocs to use in working with students. Our staff primarily uses the Strong Interest Inventory, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, the California Psychological Inventory, MMPI-II, and depression and anxiety inventories. In the assessment seminar you will learn about these assessments and others that you might choose to use in your clinical work.

Are there opportunities to do outreach?

Yes. Interns play an important role in our outreach to the campus. CPS and SOS frequently get requests from the campus to do workshops, trainings, and other preventive mental health programs as well as doing proactive outreach work to the campus to reach underserved populations. CPS and SOS does approximately 100 outreach events/year. Interns are expected to be involved in these outreach efforts (the expectation is that interns will be involved in approximately 4 programs per semester) and to develop their skills and comfort level in leading such programs. In addition, interns are paired with senior clinicians to respond to urgent outreach requests (e.g., crisis debriefings, responses to campus emergencies), which may involve evening work. Finally, predoctoral interns have served as liaisons to residential life (dormitories), providing consultation to resident advisors and resident directors, as needed.

Will predocs be able to provide supervision?

Most likely. Every year we do our best to have predoctoral interns supervise our career practicum interns. However, sometimes we have fewer career interns than we do predoctoral interns. All predoctoral interns participate in the Supervision of Supervision seminar and every effort is made to have interns, especially those without prior supervision experience, supervise for at least one semester. In the past 10 years there has only been 2 occasions where a predoctoral intern did not get to supervise a practicum student for both semesters.

How are supervisory assignments made?

During the summer interns are sent an email asking, among other things, what their goals are for supervision and what they would like in a supervisor. The training staff meets to discuss possible matches based on the stated interests and goals of the incoming predoctoral intern. Similarly, staff also have a say in whom they would like to work with based on their availability and own interests.

Do interns have an opportunity to lead groups at CPS and SOS?

Yes, we welcome intern involvement in our group program. CPS and SOS offers a range of therapy, support and psycho-educational groups each semester. Interns are encouraged each year to co-lead at least one group with a post-doctoral fellow or senior staff member. Group leadership assignments are based both upon the clinical needs of the group program and the training needs of an intern.

How would you characterize the culture of the Counseling Center and Social Services?

We like to have fun with each other, love working with college students, and enjoy celebrating each other's accomplishments (with food). That said, this is a fast-paced setting that is highly utilized. Thus, there can be increased stress during certain times of the year when demand for services is high. We continually look at how we can better meet the need for student access while at the same time monitor self-care.

Are staff involved in research?

A few members are involved in research and publishing. However, there is no formal program of research taking place at Counseling & Psychological Services. The 2006-2007 predoctoral interns decided (in collaboration with the Training Director) to work on a group research project examining, among other things, presenting concerns of various ethnic groups. This was possible because they were done with their dissertations (or far enough along) and able to use their 2 hours of weekly research time to conduct the project.

Will I get my own office?

Our hope is that every predoctoral and post-MSW intern would have their own office. However, for the past two years our interns have been in different offices during the week. We are in the process of identifying office space in the Tang Center and on campus to accommodate our growing staff.

Will I have access to computers?

Of course. Each office is equipped with Microsoft's Office Suite, Outlook Email, Internet Explorer, and NextGen which allows access to patient information. All notes are done electronically.

How many applications do you typically receive and how many applicants will remain under active consideration after interviews?

Last year we received 187 applications for the predoc internship, interviewed 44, and ranked 40. We receive up to 25 applications for two post-MSW internship positions.

Do I need to call you after the interview to "show interest" and hopefully improve my chances of getting ranked high.

No. However, feel free to contact us if you have any questions that are not addressed on our website or that were not addressed during the interview. Email is often the easiest way to reach us.

What do interns do after they leave?

All kinds of things. Usually two out of the three predoctoral interns complete a postdoctoral fellowship to gain hours for licensure (sometimes with us); many interns apply for staff positions in counseling centers; some go on to teach at universities; and a few interns have left to work as consultants.

Post-MSW insterns work in a variety of settings to continue to gain hours for licensure. Some have gone on to get positions at eating disorder outpatient clinics, county mental health and counseling centers. Some find community practitioners to supervise them in their private practice.

Do predoctoral interns and post-MSW interns get preferential consideration for job openings?

Not really, although several predoctoral interns, post-MSW interns and postdoctoral fellows have joined our staff at some point after finishing their training experience. Having worked here helps you understand the challenges and rewards of working at CPS and SOS and thus gives any applicant somewhat of an advantage during an interview.

How do predocs and post-MSW's survive on $24,940?

It is a challenge but many of our interns have found creative ways to get by on the salary. We suggest contacting current interns directly for more information about this particular issue.

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