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Question 17. Should I consider attending a non-accredited or non-APPIC member internship program?
The information on this page applies to students from programs in the U.S. and Canada. Throughout this page, and unless otherwise specified, the term “accredited” shall include programs that are accredited by either the American Psychological Association (APA) or the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA).
Before addressing this question, here is some information about the differences between accreditation and APPIC membership:
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ACCREDITATION: An internship program that has been accredited by APA or CPA has received the highest level of certification that a program can receive. The accreditation process involves considerable time and money, and requires the program to submit a lengthy self-study and to host an on-site visit by representatives of the accrediting body. As of June, 2006, over 450 internship programs were APA-accredited, while approximately 25 internship programs were CPA-accredited.
More information about accreditation can be found at the APA Accreditation page (see also the Frequently Asked Questions about accreditation) and the CPA accreditation page.
APPIC MEMBERSHIP: APPIC is not an accrediting body. However, in order for an internship program to be a member of APPIC, it must submit an application that describes how the program meets APPIC’s membership criteria. No site visit is required, and programs that are accredited automatically qualify for APPIC membership. As of June, 2006, there were approximately 620 APPIC-member internship programs, 160 of which were non-accredited.
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It is important to state up front that there are excellent internship programs that are accredited or APPIC members, as well as excellent programs that are not accredited nor APPIC members. Many non-accredited or non-APPIC member programs have not sought accreditation and/or APPIC membership because of cost; others have not done so because they do not yet meet all of the criteria set out by APA and/or APPIC.
Many students attend non-accredited or non-APPIC member internship programs each year and experience no difficulty with their future employment or licensure. However, some students who attend such programs do experience difficulties. It is important to understand that there are potential risks associated with attending a non-accredited or non-APPIC member program. You should carefully consider the requirements of three different entities:
YOUR DOCTORAL PROGRAM: Most graduate programs have minimum requirements regarding what constitutes an acceptable internship. Many require that you attend an accredited internship, while others permit either accredited or APPIC-member internships. So, be sure that you clearly understand the requirements of your doctoral program in this regard, as it is a waste of time to apply to a program that won't meet your doctoral program's requirements.
LICENSING BOARDS: Each state and provincial licensing board has its own rules for determining the types of internships that are acceptable. Just because an internship is acceptable to your doctoral program doesn’t mean that it will be acceptable to a particular licensing board.
As of this writing, there are only a few jurisdictions that require an accredited internship in order to be licensed. Most others will accept a non-accredited internship, but many of those require the internship to meet certain criteria (which varies across jurisdictions). Much of the time, a site that is an APPIC member will meet that criteria, but there are no guarantees. Thus, attending a non-accredited internship program can increase the risk of having difficulties with the licensure process (e.g., if your internship is unacceptable to a particular licensing board).
If you plan to stay within a single jurisdiction, you can check with that licensing board to learn about its requirements for internship. If you don’t know where you might want to get licensed, or if you might move to a different jurisdiction in the future, it can be difficult or impossible to know in advance whether a non-accredited or non-APPIC member internship will meet the requirements.
An excellent article, “Why accreditation matters,” published by APAGS’ GradPsych magazine in April, 2004, addressed some of the licensure and employment issues related to attending an accredited internship. Please note that some of the requirements listed in that article for specific jurisdictions may or may not be outdated, as requirements can change over time. In addition, information about licensure can be found at the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB) web site.
FUTURE EMPLOYERS: Some psychologist positions require applicants to have completed an accredited internship program. For example, psychologist positions at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals and clinics require completion of an APA-accredited (not CPA-accredited) internship program (please click here for more information about VA requirements). Furthermore, a considerable number of employment and postdoctoral fellowship positions prefer applicants who have completed accredited internships. So, attending an accredited internship can help with future employment. On the other hand, a considerable number of individuals report that completing a non-accredited internship does not hurt them in the job market.
Overall, there is not a "right answer" to the question of whether you should consider attending a non-accredited or non-APPIC member internship program. Attending an accredited program is certainly the safest option, as you almost certainly won't have to justify the quality of your internship to anyone in the future. In addition, it provides you with a "seal of approval" with regard to the quality of training that you will receive, and makes it unlikely that your internship program will be a barrier to licensure and/or future employment. Attending an APPIC-member internship that is not accredited does increase the risk to some extent, particularly for licensure boards or employers that require an accredited internship, though most APPIC-member Training Directors will tell you that their students do just fine overall. Attending a non-accredited, non-APPIC member internship is where you assume the most risk, given that there has been no external body that has reviewed the site to ensure that it meets established standards of quality, and given the potential risks to future licensure and employment opportunities.
Some programs may tell you that they are planning to apply (or have already applied) for initial accreditation or APPIC membership, have a site visit scheduled, or are at some other point in the process. While a site may have the best of intentions, you should be aware that the application and/or approval processes for initial accreditation and/or APPIC membership may take far longer (even months or years longer) than a site anticipates. There is no guarantee that a program will ultimately achieve those goals or will achieve them in a timely manner. Thus, while a site in the midst of the initial application process may convey confidence that they will ultimately be successful, you should accept an internship offer from such a site only if you clearly understand the risks in doing so.
The decision as to whether to attend a non-accredited or non-APPIC member internship program can be a difficult one, particularly if the student is geographically restricted or is attempting to find an internship via the APPIC Clearinghouse. We encourage you to consult with faculty or other knowledgable individuals, to carefully consider your career interests and options, and to familiarize yourself with issues related to licensure and future employment.
Finally, it is important to remember that sites do not have to be accredited or APPIC members in order to participate in the APPIC Match or Clearinghouse. APPIC Members are listed in the APPIC Directory Online, and their accreditation status is included in their Directory listings (and may be double-checked at the APA or CPA web sites). In addition, the list of programs that participate in the APPIC Match (available at the National Matching Services web site) includes information on the accreditation and APPIC membership status of all participating programs.
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FOOTNOTE - SUMMARY OF VA REQUIREMENTS: Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals and clinics require a psychologist to be a U.S. Citizen, to have graduated from an APA-accredited doctoral program, and to have completed an APA-accredited internship. CPA-accredited doctoral programs and internships do not qualify. However, under certain circumstances, new VA psychology internship programs that are in the process of applying for APA accreditation are acceptable in fulfillment of the internship requirement. If you have questions about specific VA internship programs, or about the eligibility requirements for VA employment, please contact Dr. Robert Zeiss at the VA's Office of Academic Affiliations at 202-357-4010 or via e-mail at Robert.Zeiss@va.gov.
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2 December 2007
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