Faculty and students in departments with graduate programs in psychology.

An analysis of data from a questionnaire sent to institutions offering graduate training in psychology in terms of the number and status of faculty members and students. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The intentional mentor: Strategies and guidelines for the practice of mentoring.

How can faculty in professional psychology programs become more intentional and effective mentors? Many psychology graduate students are never mentored, and very few psychologists have ever received training in the practice of mentoring. This article briefly summarizes the nature of mentoring, the prevalence of mentoring in psychology, primary obstacles to mentoring, and some ethical concerns unique to mentoring. The article provides several strategies to enhance mentoring and guidelines for the profession, departments of psychology, and individual psychologists who serve as mentors. This article is designed to help readers take a more deliberate approach to the practice of mentoring. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Workshop.

If the article by Kahn and Santostefano in the April issue of the American Psychologist (1962, 17, 185-189) can be taken as an indication, clinical psychologists are still very much interested and concerned with their professional role image or images. Discussions of this topic invariably get around to a discussion of training programs for clinical students and the pros and cons of various types of curricula and educational experience. Partially because of the lack of agreement among faculty and practicum personnel, discussions of professional identity by clinical graduate students are filled with uncertainty, confusion, and conflict surpassing even that which is evident in the discussions of their professional fathers. Questions concerning "professionalism," academic versus clinical training, and the relationships of clinical psychology to other professions are representative of the omnipresent topics of conservation. As a matter of fact, the workshop was so well received that we plan to hold a second workshop next year. But we thought that those individuals who live too far from us to be easily able to attend our meeting might want to try something similar in their areas. We are preparing a more thorough summary and commentary concerning the recent meeting and would be glad to forward a copy to interested individuals. A group of graduate students in the clinical program at the University of Oklahoma decided that it might, be quite worthwhile if they could assemble a number of students from other training settings and attempt to exchange ideas concerning their future roles as professional people. It was the contention of these students that graduate students in psychology, and particularly clinical students, seldom have an opportunity to freely exchange ideas about these problems in an atmosphere which is specifically designed for this purpose. Thus, what we think is quite a unique idea was born: that we might be able to provide graduate students from various training programs in clinical psychology with the opportunity to get together to discuss training, role conflicts, identity, and other professional problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Training Primary Care Psychologists: A Model for Predoctoral Programs.

This article focuses on blueprints for developing primary care psychology training in graduate psychology programs. The rationale and the foundations for establishing primary care psychology as a generalist model in clinical programs are identified. An outline of a core curriculum for multiprofessional training and an introductory knowledge base for primary care psychology is presented. Finally, a developmental model for primary care practicum training and supervision is described and exemplified. Funding issues, faculty development, and student evaluations of this training are discussed. This article represents the ever-evolving model and lessons learned through 10 years of experience in collaborative programs among Wright State University's School of Professional Psychology, the School of Medicine, the College of Nursing and Health, and a set of urban community health centers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Forensic psychology opportunities in Canadian graduate programs: An update of Simourd and Wormith's (1995) survey.

Forensic psychology has gained momentum in North America in recent decades, and Canadian psychologists have made considerable contributions to the field. Strong student interest and a high demand for professionals, however, have not been sufficiently matched with the availability of formal forensic psychology graduate training, nor with sufficient scholarly discussion of this issue. The purpose of the current study was to update Simourd and Wormith's (1995) survey of forensic psychology training available in Canadian psychology graduate programs. Of the 39 universities with psychology graduate programs, 36 (92%) responded to the survey. Twenty-four universities (67%) offered some forensic opportunities for students, although there was considerable variability in the number of courses, students, and faculty members in the forensic psychology programs. Since Simourd and Wormith's (1995) survey, forensic training is available at 10 new universities. Of the 14 programs with forensic psychology content in 1995 and in the current study, however, more than half of them reported a decrease in the number of faculty and students working with forensic issues. Considering the continued demand for trained forensic psychologists in applied settings, further attention to the availability of both education and training in forensic psychology is therefore still needed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Predoctoral Internship: Is Current Training Anachronistic?

The historical context of the predoctoral internship system is contrasted with the current state of graduate training. The internship system emerged because psychology students often acquired insufficient clinical experience during graduate training in the mid-20th century. However, modern graduate training typically involves extensive supervised clinical contact prior to internship. Moreover, traditional internships exact significant financial, psychological, and personal costs from students. The authors conclude with a discussion of recent progress in the internship process, promising alternatives to traditional internship training (i.e., elective internship training, distributed clinical training, and the affiliated internship model), and implications for the profession. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

APA-Approved Doctoral Programs in Clinical, Counseling, and School Psychology: 1976.

The American Psychological Association Committee on Accreditation has approved the doctoral training programs in clinical, counseling, and school psychology that are conducted by the institutions listed below. In the institutions listed, the approved programs are directed by the department of psychology unless otherwise indicated. Programs that have not requested evaluation, and programs that have been evaluated but not approved, are not included in the list. Inclusion of an institution in this list indicates approval of doctoral programs in clinical, counseling, and school psychology only. Inclusion or noninclusion carries no implications for other graduate programs in psychology or for programs of graduate education in other disciplines. The institutions listed below have been reported to the U.S. Public Health Service, to the Veterans Administration, and to the Surgeon General's Office, Department of the Army, as conducting at the present time approved programs of doctoral training in the areas indicated. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Up close and personal: An inside look at university training programs in school psychology.

In each issue, "Up Close and Personal: An Inside Look at University Training Programs in School Psychology" will highlight a different, nationally known graduate training program in school psychology. The purpose of this regularly appearing feature is to help professionals in the field as well as potential students gain insight into the particular education programs that currently prepare school psychologists. Our goal is to take a focused look at various programs through the eyes of the educators who have guided their direction. Hopefully, over time, we will draw a unique picture of the issues that underlie professional preparation in our field. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Professional role modeling by faculty: The neglected child in doctoral training.

Are faculty members in doctoral training programs in professional psychology expected to model practice? According to the American Psychological Association (APA) Criteria for Accreditation, the answer is yes. According to what actually happens within most doctoral programs, the answer is no. Some of the problems that relate to this discrepancy and some suggested solutions to those problems are discussed in this article. Faculties of professional psychology can make a substantial improvement in how they serve as role models for their doctoral students. First, they can consistently practice what they teach. Second, they can practice exclusively through their own psychological service centers. Third, they can organize their professional work through faculty practice plans. Fourth, they can fully integrate their research, practice, teaching, training, and supervision while increasing the financial support for students. Last, they can routinely model the best of contemporary practice. The broad adoption of these five suggestions would represent a marked departure from what has been modal practice in doctoral programs, but it would greatly strengthen the quality of graduate education and training, improve students' satisfaction with their doctoral training, and advance professional psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Up close and personal: An inside look at university training programs in school psychology.

This issue of Professional School Psychology marks the third in-depth presentation of a major school psychology training program. While reading these accounts of the development of graduate training programs, one raises the "what if" questions. Raising such questions highlights the complex nature of graduate program development. As we continue to present programs, we will attempt to look further for threads of similarity that connect these unique training settings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Graduate training for managed care: A national survey of psychology and social work programs.

Although there is much discussion within the professional literature about the training needs of graduate students in response to managed care, little empirical research exists that assesses the extent to which graduate programs provide training opportunities in this field. The present study surveyed graduate program training directors in clinical psychology, counseling psychology, and social work about the training opportunities available for their graduate students. Almost 60% of the respondents indicated that they provide some type of training related to managed care. Implications and applications of these results are addressed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A student looks at graduate training.

Two problems face many of the 2,000 graduate students in psychology in Canada. As the academic job market continues to provide relatively fewer openings for the increasing number of new Ph.D.'s, the new graduate is faced with seeking employment in areas for which he has no training. The idealistic graduate student who wishes to engage in "relevant" research is forced by the type of graduate training he is receiving to do conservative research and to become more and more like his teachers in attitudes and values. The question is raised as to whether or not we wish tomorrow's psychologists to be identical to todays psychologists. Suggestions for changes are offered for consideration by the planners of graduate programs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Problematic Students: Gatekeeping Practices of Academic Professional Psychology Programs.

When the topic of problematic students arises, there are often more questions than answers. Professional psychology programs may serve as gatekeepers for the profession, yet there is little guidance on intervening with problematic students. This study surveyed training directors (TDs) of American Psychological Association-accredited academic psychology programs regarding problematic student behaviors. Over half of the programs that responded had terminated at least 1 student during a 3-year period, with TDs citing inadequate clinical skills as the major reason. Despite accreditation policies, 54% of the programs did not have written guidelines for intervening with problematic students. Recommendations to promote consistent evaluation and intervention at the faculty, student, program, and national-policy level are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Doctoral Programs in Psychology, 1957-1958.

Each fall the APA Education and Training Board sends to every graduate department with an approved program in clinical or in counseling psychology a detailed questionnaire. This questionnaire asks for information about the number of faculty members in the graduate training program, the number of full-time and part-time graduate students, the number of persons admitted to candidacy for the PhD, the number of PhDs granted the preceding year, and the number of graduate students admitted. This article presents a summary of the data obtained via these questionnaires. The authors suggest that for more precise information, a more complete questionnaire with carefully defined categories of training areas or subject matter would need to be answered by graduate departments, including both those with approved programs and those without them. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Preparing psychologists for evidence-based school practice: Lessons learned and challenges ahead.

The evidence-based practice (EBP) movement has the potential to significantly advance the quality of psychological and educational services provided by psychologists working in schools. Training psychologists in EBP has challenged the profession and caused faculty in graduate programs to reevaluate and retool professional training curricula and instructional practices. Four domains of challenges in graduate training are identified: (a) integrating the EBP knowledge base into the curriculum, (b) expanding models of research training, (c) expanding training in prevention science, and (d) expanding training in problem-solving consultation and school contextual issues. For each of these, the author discusses the range and scope of the challenge and possible solutions for advancing graduate training in psychology relevant to school practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A Procedure for Nonacademic Failure of Graduate Students in Psychology.

Recently, the application of the legal concept of "due process" has been broadening. Bernard (1975) has suggested that clinical students in psychology are due a clear procedure for being judged unsuitable and dropped from their programs. At the University of Alabama, we are persuaded that these processes should also include experimental students. Certainly, there are characteristics that render people unsuitable to the profession of psychology, whether clinical or experimental. We have, therefore, adopted a procedure designed to apply at those times when faculty members feel students may be unsuitable to practice psychology: in the classroom, the laboratory, the clinic, or any other setting. This procedure is sent to students who apply to the graduate program and are under consideration for acceptance--before they commit themselves to our department. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Graduate training in clinical psychology: Student perspectives on selecting a program.

Although graduate programs in clinical psychology spend considerable energy and resources selecting students, there is limited information regarding the factors students consider important when they choose a training program. A review of recent literature found one study that looked at how first-year graduate students rated the importance of a number of factors in their decision-making process when selecting a clinical psychology training program (Walfish, Stenmark, Shealy, & Shealy, 1989). The current study extends this research by comparing reports from first-year graduate students enrolled in traditional “Boulder model” programs with those enrolled in professional “Vail model” programs. As part of a larger survey project, students answered questions about factors they considered important when they made decisions about applying to and selecting a graduate program to attend. Responses from students enrolled in traditional programs were compared with students attending professional programs. These differences are discussed, as well as their implications for program directors engaged in student recruitment and selection. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Survey of graduate education in psychology: Some trends for the last decade.

In 1963, 182 of 186 psychology departments responded to a questionnaire in the endeavor to develop a contemporary picture of graduate training in psychology. 880 doctoral degrees were granted by 99 departments and 1796 masters degrees were granted by 158 departments. "At the doctoral level, the 13 largest departments produced 36% of all psychology doctorates granted in academic year 1962-63. At the doctoral level, clinical and experimental psychology dominated the areas of specialization with 36% and 29%, respectively, of the degrees granted. "In 1954, 37 or 77% of the 48 psychology doctoral programs in clinical were APA approved; in 1963, 60 or 76% of the 79 programs were approved." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Introduction to the Mini-Series: The State of Developing University Faculty in School Psychology: Current Status and Perspectives on the Future.

This introduction provides an overview of the purpose of this special issue and the articles included. The shortage of school psychologists entering academic careers has been an issue since the time of the Thayer Conference in 1954 and has become increasingly salient in recent years. It is hoped that these articles provide suggestions for training program faculty interested in increasing the number of their graduates who enter academic careers, and stimulate discussion on issues related to doctoral-level training and academic school psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Does Clinical Psychology Education Enhance the Clinical Competence of Practitioners?

Until now there has been little evidence that graduate programs in clinical psychology make any difference to practitioners' abilities. The authors present a quasi-experimental study designed to evaluate the effectiveness of postgraduate education in clinical psychology. Clinical psychology students from Australian universities were compared with psychology graduates who had elected to practice under Australian provisional registration rules (i.e., without a postgraduate education). Results showed that after 1 extra year of education, postgraduate trainees performed better than those with no postgraduate training, but only to a modest degree. The authors explore the implications of these results for trainers, trainees, and professional organizations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)