Tag Archives: Advice

Graduate School in Forensic Psychology

I regularly receive office visits from students who are interested in forensic psychology as a career. Many who realize they want to continue their education in psychology past undergraduate studies quickly realize that it is not as simple as applying for college. Forensic psychology research is conducted in a number of disciplines, including clinical, cognitive, and social psychology, among others. A helpful resource in the application process is the Division 41 Guide to Graduate Programs in Forensic and Legal Psychology.

What does graduate school in clinical forensic psychology involve? I have had the opportunity to be involved in a number of research projects while in graduate school, including:

  • Papers on stigmatizing effects of psychopathy and neuroscience evidence on jury decision-making
  • The creation of an inconsistent responding scale for a psychopathy assessment measure
  • A project on identifying malingering in ADHD assessment

Outside of research, I’ve had a number of valuable experiences within my department’s clinical practica. Some experiences I’ve had include:

  • Working at the county community supervision office, conducting psychological and substance abuse evaluations for adults on probation
  • Co-teaching a weekly anger management class and providing individual therapy services for anger management
  • Conducting pre-employment psychological evaluations for local police department applicants
  • Working for a year in crisis intervention at our county detention center, conducting psychodiagnostic interviews, providing referrals to the doctor to determine the need for psychiatric medication, and providing individual therapy and crisis management

Practica experiences have taught me valuable consultation skills, as I’ve had the opportunity to work with criminal justice and health professionals at a number of community placements. I’ve also been lucky to have a supportive department with faculty who encouraged me to pursue my interests in mental health reform and advocacy. As a result, I was able to attend the SPSSI Legislative Engagement Day on Capitol Hill and advocate for research funding for the social sciences.

I would encourage anyone interested in pursuing forensic psychology to consider what career they would like to pursue and what degree is required for that career. A Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology is not appropriate for everyone interested in the career, and there are a number of opportunities available at the Master’s level. If you are interested in clinical work, be sure to research the clinical practica offered by departments you apply to. I would also encourage students interested in a Ph.D. to pursue research experiences as early as they can. My research was for the most part unrelated to forensic psychology, but these experiences demonstrated to potential graduate programs that I had an interest in research.

However, the most important advice I can provide for individuals interested in this field is to find something you are passionate about and don’t settle for any graduate program. I do not believe that I would be as happy with my graduate school experience if I was conducting research that I was less interested in or if I did not feel as comfortable in the department.

Other Resources

 

Author Bio

I am a third-year Ph.D. student in Clinical Psychology at Texas A&M University. My research includes interests in layperson perceptions of psychopathy and the implications of psychopathy and other mental health diagnoses in community and legal settings. In particular, I am interested in the possible stigmatizing effects of mental health evidence. Additionally, I am interested in emerging conceptualizations of psychopathy that place emphasis on neurobiological correlates of the disorder and the implications of this research for interventions with psychopathic individuals.

Email me!

Why Policy?

US Capitol Rotunda

U.S. Capitol Rotunda, Source: Flickr, user sidkid

“Why policy?”

I have been asked this simple, two-word question more times than any other question in the past year. Back in September, I began working as a graduate-level policy scholar for the Public Interest Government Relations office at the American Psychological Association. As this opportunity coincided with my fifth year of doctoral studies at Virginia Commonwealth University, I have often had to explain my hectic schedule upon meeting new individuals. Research and academia, most will understand, as those things fit seamlessly into the doctoral studies mold. But then comes the follow-up question: Why policy?

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What to Wear to Convention

AKA. What does ‘Business Casual’ actually mean anyway?

Reposted with permission from PhD Comic -3/7/2016

Reposted with permission from PhD Comics -3/7/2016

As conference season is fast approaching, here are some tips to help you answer the age-old question, “What am I supposed to wear?” This post came out of a clothing crisis I had when faced with the ambiguous directive to dress in “business casual” for an important meeting. I wanted to appear put-together but not over-dressed, and also to be comfortable (after all, there really isn’t a professional way to take your shoes off because your feet hurt!). So, I turned to the internet and a few trusted friends and here’s what we came up with.

Part of the reason why ‘business casual’ is so hard to pin down is because the standards for what is appropriate largely depend on the workplace or organization. Also, social norms around clothing change over time so advice can often be conflicting. For example, many older sources I consulted stated that skirts should be knee length or longer, while a number of newer sources advised no more than 3 inches above the knee! Opinions were also divided on if it is ever appropriate to rock the “business shorts” in a workplace.

A few basics we could all agree on – whatever you wear, make sure it is wrinkle-free, unstained and doesn’t have any holes or loose threads. Also, people advised avoiding outfits that were very loud or flashy (e.g., head-to-toe sequins, multiple bright patterns, etc.) as they might distract from what you are saying. Part of convention is networking and if your clothes are speaking louder than you are – it might not be the right outfit for the job.

Overwhelmingly, people also thought that jackets seemed too formal, unless worn with dark jeans or khakis to dress them down slightly. For those who do wish to wear a blazer with a dress shirt or dress pants, feel free to lose the tie. One exception is if you are presenting – then err on the side of more formal dress.

One piece of advice that came up repeatedly was to wear layers. Often, you’re walking or transiting to convention in the heat, only to enter a freezing convention centre minutes later. The other piece of advice was to wear comfortable shoes. Again, many of the same things apply to footwear as to clothing – avoid shoes with holes, that are visibly scuffed or dirty, or that you would wear to exercise in. A good bet is to stick with neutral colors – navy, tan, brown, or black – as they match with many outfits so you can wear them multiple times. If you plan to do a lot of walking (and you likely will), you might consider bringing more than one pair of shoes so you can alternate if your feet get sore.

There are many more extensive guides out there and much of this will be up to your discretion, so a good rule is if you’re not sure if an item is appropriate – trust your instincts, it probably isn’t. And if you’re craving more info about what to wear to convention, check out this excellent post – Dressed by Jess – from a few years ago!

Preparing for Internship at Convention

APA 2016 bannerFirst, the GOOD NEWS! The 2016 APPIC Match statistics continue to demonstrate improvement in the Match rate for internship applicants.  Logically, the improved numbers would abate much of the nervousness about tackling the internship process.

However, for graduate students like me who fit the mold of the perfectionistic-overachieving-anxious student, logic can do little to diffuse internship worry.  The wake of the 2012 Match rate still haunts many of our programs and, thus, pushes us to be ever more competitive for the internship process.

As a recent survivor of the Match, the fears still resonate.  However, I am able to recognize that my success in matching (along with nearly 90% of all internship applicants) was not a fluke.  [In my mind, the fluke is that the Match rate is not flirting with 100%, but we are inching closer!]  Moreover, internship applicants have several resources to help them prepare for this arduous process, particularly at APA Convention.

For 2017 applicants (or the Type-A 2018, 2019, or 2020 applicants), APAGS provides an Internship Track at Convention, which consists of three key sessions to help you understand the internship application process and talk with the key players in the game. As a veteran of these sessions, I would highly recommend them.  As a self-proclaimed perfectionistic-overachieving-anxious graduate student, I found significant value in attending these sessions in both Washington DC (2014) and Toronto (2015).

Internships in Psychology WorkbookThe Internship Workshop is a two-hour session geared towards working through the Internships in Psychology workbook. You will receive expert advice and suggestions on how to sell yourself in your application documents, and some mysteries of the ranking and Match process will be unfolded.  You can also expect to learn more about the vague and elusive concept of fit.  What is fit? How do I find fit? Can you help me find fit?  Do I really need fit?

(As a personal testimony to fit, I noticed that the internship sites that did not offer an interview had two key similarities. Either a) I was only semi-excited about their program, or b) I had added them to my final list to simply boost my number of applications!  They could tell that the fit was missing. I was not truly excited about their sites. They were my safety nets.)

The Internship Track also offers sessions that serve as informal spaces to talk with Internship Training Directors and the APPIC Chair.  At the Internship Meet and Greet, you have the opportunity to meet with Training Directors from myriad sites to learn about their sites, ask questions about the process, or just sit back and listen!  During the Conversation Hour with the APPIC Chair, you can learn more about the big picture of the internship process and ask questions about APPIC accreditation, APA accreditation, rankings, and the Match (and hopefully through the process experience some diminished anxiety and increased calm about this phase in your training).

As you prepare for Convention 2016 and your upcoming application process, I wish all 2017 internship applicants an application process filled with self-confidence, support, and self-care.  I hope to see you all in Denver!

Editor’s Note: Other APAGS Programming Tracks include: Diversity, Professional Development, and Science. Check out all APAGS Programming and social events.

APAGS Convention Tracks – Science

APA 2016 bannerThis year, the APAGS Convention Committee has put graduate student programming at Convention into tracks: Diversity, Professional Development, Science, and Internship. We’ve done so with an eye for how certain programs and talks might go together, so that students can set their goals for convention (e.g., get the skinny on how to research efficiently) and feel assured that they hit all the talks.

Check out my previous post that highlights the Professional Development track.

My self-care activity throughout grad school has been hiking. For that reason, my mind is making connections between our APAGS tracks and hiking routes. Imagine each track as a particular hiking path. Sometimes they intersect with other paths, and sometimes you can hop between paths based on your needs. In fact, the hiking analogy can be extended further! Hydrate during convention, pack good footwear (lots of walking), and tie up your food at night so that grizzly bears hungry grad students cranky advisers don’t get into it.

Second track: Science

Length: Straight shot to some sweet pubs and science-nerdiness                            Preparation: Read up on internships leading to unexpected career paths, and how to dive into research 

  1. Alternative Career Paths with a Doctorate in Psychology (also in Professional Development)
  2. Conducting Research within a Social Justice Framework: From Research Question to Publication (also in Diversity)
  3. Networking with a Purpose: Making a Plan, Building Relationships, and Maintaining Connections (also in Professional Development)
  4. Late Breaking Poster Session
  5. Conducting Research on Marginalized Identities: When Research is “Me-Search” (also in Diversity)
  6. Reviewing for a Journal as Graduate Students: The Whys and Hows
  7. Individual Development Plans for Students and Postdocs (also in Professional Development)

Happy trails!

Editor’s Note: Each day this week we will highlight a different APAGS Program Track. Find out which track is right for you! Also, check out the full schedule of APAGS programming.