FAQs for Resident Applicants
How can I apply to an APPCN program?
Contact the directors of the programs you are interested in, and
ask how to apply.
Does APPCN have a standard application form or a standard application
packet?
No. However, most programs request a curriculum vitae, 3 letters
of recommendation, and a graduate transcript. Some programs allow
the curriculum vitae and letters to be submitted by email. A few programs
may also ask that you submit samples of your work (e.g., evaluative
reports).
Is there an application fee?
No, there is no fee to apply to specific programs. However, there
is a fee to participate in the Match.
Do I need to have some clinical experience
in neuropsychology in order to apply?
Generally, yes. The Houston Conference Guidelines, to which APPCN
programs aspire, indicate that some education and training in clinical
neuropsychology should occur prior to the residency, in the doctoral
program and internship. However, there is no requirement for a specific
number of hours or units of neuropsychology training. Still, the Houston
Conference Guidelines were intended to be aspirational in nature,
and not all programs may have fully implemented them. Thus, you may
wish to check with the program you interested in. It is likely, however,
that an application to an APPCN program from someone with experience
in neuropsychology will be viewed more positively than one from a
person without experience.
Do I need to have an internship in order
to apply?
Yes.
Is it necessary to be from an APA- or CPA-approved program in clinical
psychology and have an APA- or CPA-approved internship in clinical psychology?
APPCN programs require that applicants have completed an APA- or
CPA-approved graduate program. Some require the graduate program to
be in clinical psychology, and some welcome applicants from other
kinds of programs as well (e.g., school psychology). An APA- or CPA-approved
internship is preferred by many programs but not required. In some
cases, exceptions are made. If you do not have these qualifications,
you should talk to the directors of the programs you are interested
in. Also, you can get some information about specific program requirements
and preferences from the APPCN website www.appcn.org.
Do I need to have a neuropsychology internship in order to apply? What
about an internship that meets INS-Division 40 or Houston Conference
guidelines for internship training in neuropsychology?
APPCN does not require a formal neuropsychology internship, but some
APPCN programs do prefer applicants who have this type of internship.
To find out, you need to ask the directors of the programs you are
interested in.
Can I apply if my doctoral degree is in a non-professional field of
psychology, such as experimental psychology or developmental psychology?
APPCN requires that applicants have a doctoral degree in a health
service delivery area or else have completed a "respecialization"
program.
Do I need to complete requirements for the doctoral degree in order
to apply?
You can apply if you will complete your degree requirements before
the start date of training. However, the closer you are to completing
these requirements, the more competitive your application will be.
For most applicants, the major unmet degree requirement is the dissertation.
Programs may ask applicants specific questions about the status of
their dissertations (e.g., if data are collected).
Download the Doc version here, print out the form and include it with applications to all programs.
Is it necessary for the doctoral degree to be awarded before the start
date of postdoctoral training?
No. This is because some universities only award degrees once per
year.
Do I need to have completed all degree requirements before the start
date of postdoctoral training?
APPCN strongly encourages trainees
to complete all their degree requirements before starting postdoctoral
training. Otherwise postdoctoral training would be adversely affected
by time spent completing doctoral requirements. Some programs may
not offer the same stipend to non-degreed residents as those with
their doctoral degree. State licensing boards generally will not credit
time in a residency program toward requirements for postdoctoral supervised
training until the degree is conferred. Thus, for a number of reasons
it is desirable to have your degree before beginning your residency.
Do APPCN programs have a uniform start date?
There is no uniform date, but the start dates of most APPCN programs
are from July to September. The exceptions are mostly when programs
have positions that need to be filled at other times of the year.
Do APPCN programs have a uniform application deadline?
No. You should look on the APPCN website
or contact the program directors for their deadline. However, there
is a deadline for all applicants and all programs to submit their
rankings to National Matching Services. Therefore, no programs can
accept applications after the deadline for submitting rankings. Applicants
should apply early enough to avoid having their applications reviewed
in a rush.
Do I need to interview at the International
Neuropsychological Society (INS) meeting?
Interviewing at the INS meeting may be convenient, because it occurs just before the match, but is not required for applicants. For the 2011-2012 match, APPCN programs are not required to be present at the INS meeting in Montreal. Each residency program has its own policies regarding the timing and location of interviews. Some programs conduct interviews at the INS meeting in early February, some conduct interviews at their training site, some conduct interviews remotely (e.g. by telephone or video conference), and some may not conduct any personal interviews. The policies with respect to the timing and location of interviews for each residency site that participates in the Match will be provided as part of the Listing of Programs participating in the Match that will be posted on the NMS web site by the end of November 2011. Please make note of whether or not a program will be interviewing at INS before making travel arrangements. The 2012 INS meeting in Montreal is February 15-18, 2012. The interview day is usually the Tuesday before, which would be February 14.
Do I need to interview on-site at each
program I apply to?
There is no APPCN requirement for
on-site interviews. However, some programs invite their top candidates
to come for interviews. Some programs only interview at INS. Again,
you need to ask each program director what is their policy.
Regarding the Match:
How do I register to participate in the Match?
Select the link "For Applicants" at the top of the page on the NMS website (http://www.natmatch.com/appcnmat), then select the option to "Register for the Match" from the menu on the left side of the screen.
What percentage of present APPCN members
will definitely participate in the Match?
All the APPCN member programs that have positions available for the upcoming year will participate in the Match.
Will other sites that are not members be eligible to participate?
Yes, programs that are not members of APPCN may participate in our
Match, provided they meet certain minimal qualifications and agree
to abide by the APPCN Match Policies. However, participation in the
Match does not imply that a non-member program complies with the training
guidelines and standards for membership set by APPCN. There are some
non-APPCN programs that are probably of similar quality to APPCN programs.
But unless they apply for membership and allow peer review of their
programs, their compliance with APPCN standards cannot be determined.
There are almost 60 programs in APPCN now so it is fair to say that
the vast majority of the high quality, organized residency programs
in clinical neuropsychology are in APPCN.
What are the benefits of the match to applicants?
APPCN supports the Match because it allows for a level playing field by which recruiting can take place in a manner that respects the wishes of programs and applicants. The Match is designed to eliminate the way that programs seeking to get a “leg up” on other programs can pressure applicants to accept offers without allowing applicants to be considered for a wide range of programs.
If I receive a pre-emptive offer from a non-Match program, what should I do?
One option would be to simply state assertively to any non-participating program that asks you to commit before the Match date that you are participating in the APPCN Match and would prefer not to accept another position until the Match results are out. Additionally, programs in the match may be able to provide candidates receiving pre-emptive offers with additional information regarding those candidates’ prospects of matching with them. Therefore, if you have received a pre-emptive offer, we encourage you to contact programs in the match and inform them of the pre-emptive offer. Please see Match Policies on the NMS website for more information.
If I accept a pre-emptive offer from a non-APPCN program, what should I do?
If applicants want to withdraw from the Match (perhaps because they have accepted a position elsewhere), they can do so up to the deadline for submitting Rank Order Lists, which for 2012 is on Tuesday, February 21. Once processing of the Match begins, withdrawals are no longer accepted.
If NMS is not notified that I am NOT submitting ranks, how does that affect the remaining participants and programs?
Applicants are strongly encouraged to notify NMS if they plan to not submit ranks. That way, programs in the match can choose to not list you on their Rank Order Lists, and they may be able to provide additional information to applicants remaining in the match regarding their prospects for matching. So, if you plan to not submit ranks, you may benefit other applicants as well as programs in the match.
What are the consequences if I take part in the Match but then renege on the outcome of the Match?
An applicant reneging on a Match commitment has potentially harmed another applicant in the Match who may have preferred the vacated position and been desirable to the program, but has now matched elsewhere. The program has also very likely been harmed because other applicants it may have wanted to fill the position may now be matched elsewhere. The Match result is "final." Applicants and programs must accept the Match result, and the results are not adjusted because of "violations."
Remember that to participate in the Match, each applicant must accept the terms of an Agreement that states, among other things, that the applicant agrees:
1. Not to make any commitments to or contracts with any participating program prior to the release of the Match results. If I choose to accept a position at a residency program that is not participating in the Match, or decide not to participate in the Match for any other reason, then I will NOT submit a Rank Order List containing any choice(s) of programs for the Match, but will submit a withdrawal from the Match.
2. To accept appointment to the program with which I am matched. I understand that I cannot avoid accepting appointment to the program with which I have been matched without a written release from the program concerned; also, that another program participating in the Match cannot offer me a position unless I have this release.
3. APPCN is responsible for enforcing this Agreement, and violations of the terms of this Agreement will be reported to the APPCN Board of Directors.
In summary, in order for the Match to function, it has to be binding for programs and applicants.
updated 09-21-11
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