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Match / Hurricanes 2017

Hurricanes 2017

APPIC's Recommendations for Students and Programs
Affected by the 2017 Hurricanes

Updated January 11, 2018


Please click on one of the following links to jump to the relevant section:

INTERNSHIP APPLICATION PROCESS

POSTDOCTORAL APPLICATION PROCESS

INTERNSHIPS AND POSTDOCTORAL PROGRAMS AFFECTED BY RECENT HURRICANES


Guidance for Internship-Seeking Students

APPIC has encouraged internship Training Directors to consider making reasonable accommodations in the application process for students who were significantly affected by the recent hurricanes. It is important to understand that each site has its own policies and regulations to consider, and that some sites may not be able to make accommodations even if they wanted to do so.

The following recommendations are specifically for internship-seeking students who have been significantly affected by the hurricanes:

QUESTION: What if I am unable to complete and submit my application prior to an internship program's application deadline?

ANSWER: APPIC suggests the following approach:

  1. Contact the Training Director to ask if an extension of the application deadline is feasible. We suggest making this request a week or more before the site's application deadline, if possible. E-mail may be the easiest method of contact, but calling is fine as well.

  2. In your communication, provide some information about the specific circumstances that are the basis for your request. A few sentences should be fine.

  3. Be specific as to how much additional time you are requesting to complete and submit your application.

  4. You may wish to include a link to this page that includes guidance from APPIC (https://www.appic.org/Match/Hurricane-2017), just in case the Training Director hasn't seen it.

  5. Training Directors should respond with their decision. As previously noted, sites will vary as to whether or not they can accommodate such requests. Sites that approve your request should provide you with guidance about how to submit your application by the new deadline. Applications must still be submitted within the AAPI Online portal.

  6. If you are granted an extension by a program and later decide not to apply, please be sure to inform the Training Director of your decision. This should be a relatively infrequent occurrence.

QUESTION: What if I am unable to obtain official copies of my transcripts from any academic institution affected by the hurricanes?

ANSWER: APPIC has made the following change to the AAPI Online: Transcripts from academic institutions located in U.S. territories in the Caribbean are now treated as optional in the AAPI Online service. This means that if you submit an otherwise-complete application to an internship site without a transcript from one of these institutions, your application will still show as "complete" to the internship site. If, however, you are able to submit an official transcript, you may do so in the usual fashion specified in the AAPI Online instructions, and it will be uploaded to your account.

If you have an unofficial copy of your transcript that you would like to include with your application, you may upload a copy within the AAPI Online portal as a "supplemental material." While unofficial transcripts are not normally accepted for U.S. or Canadian institutions, and while transcripts are not normally permitted in the supplemental materials section, APPIC is currently allowing students from affected areas to upload unofficial transcripts in this manner if they are able to do so.

Please be aware that some internship sites may require official copies of your transcript(s) later in the process, either before the ranking deadline for the Match or after the Match is concluded.

QUESTION: What if the hurricanes have affected my ability to meet the minimum requirements for some internship sites (e.g., unable to defend dissertation proposal, not attaining minimum hours)?

ANSWER: APPIC suggests the following approach:

  1. To the extent possible, consult with your academic program's Director of Clinical Training about the advisability of attempting to apply to specific sites under such circumstances.

  2. Contact the internship Training Director to identify the manner in which your application would not meet the stated eligibility requirements and inquire if your application may still be considered. We suggest making this request a week or more before the site's application deadline, if possible. E-mail may be the easiest method of contact, but calling is fine as well.

  3. In your communication, provide some information about the specific circumstances that are the basis for your request. Clearly describe how you would have met the minimum requirement under normal circumstances, and when you expect to fully meet the requirement given the current situation. Strive to keep your explanation brief.

  4. You may wish to include a link to this page that includes guidance from APPIC (https://www.appic.org/Match/Hurricane-2017), just in case the Training Director hasn't seen it.

  5. Training Directors should respond with their decision. Sites will vary as to whether or not they can accommodate such requests. Sites that grant your request may waive the requirement altogether, or may decide to conditionally accept your application with the provision that their requirements must be met by a certain date in order for you to remain under consideration.

QUESTION: What if one or more of my reference writers is unable to upload a reference prior to a site's application deadline?

ANSWER: You may wish to identify an alternative reference writer and submit a new reference request through the AAPI Online portal. If this is not a possible or desirable option, APPIC suggests the following approach:

  1. Submit your application prior to the deadline, even if one or more of your references are missing.

  2. Either you or your reference writer may contact the internship Training Director to inform them of the situation. Include some information about the circumstances that led to the delay along with an estimate as to when the missing reference(s) will be uploaded. E-mail may be the easiest method of contact, but calling is fine as well.

  3. You may wish to include a link to this page that includes guidance from APPIC (https://www.appic.org/Match/Hurricane-2017), just in case the Training Director hasn't seen it.

QUESTION: What if I'm unable to attend an on-site interview due to hurricane-related concerns? What if other forms of interviewing aren't feasible (e.g., due to lack of power or internet access)?

ANSWER: Keep in mind that interviews won't happen until December or January for many sites, and limitations that you are experiencing now may improve substantially between now and then. If you are offered an interview and are concerned about travel or other limitations, please contact the Training Director (as described in the above Q&A's) to inquire about potential alternative methods and/or timing of interviews.


Guidance for Internship Training Directors

The information that we have to date suggests that 75-100 students in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean, along with an unknown number of students in the Southeastern U.S. mainland, have been seriously affected by the recent hurricanes. We have heard numerous reports of widespread power outages, limited or no access to phone and internet services, long lines for basic necessities, inability to contact faculty, closure of practicum sites, financial challenges due to numerous emergency expenses, and institutional closures affecting access to transcripts and other services. All of this is on top of the psychological impact of experiencing a traumatic, life-threatening event, fear and worry about the potential (or actual) loss of family and friends, watching or participating in rescue operations, and witnessing the destruction and loss of homes and entire communities.

It is within this context that we can understand why many students are concerned about upcoming application deadlines and their ability to successfully navigate an already-stressful internship selection process. APPIC is providing the following guidance and recommendations for internship Training Directors in assisting students who have been affected by the hurricanes. While we recognize that local policies and regulations may limit your flexibility, we encourage you to be as accommodating as possible.

Application Deadlines: This is, by far, the most frequent concern expressed by affected students to date. Students who are unable to meet internship programs' application deadlines have been advised that they may contact the Training Director at each site to which they intend to apply to inquire about the possibility of an extension. You have several options in accommodating these requests:

  1. The AAPI Online service allows you to open and close your program's selection portal for acceptance of applications at any time. Thus, you can work with affected students to arrange a specific time during which you will briefly re-open your portal for the acceptance of applications, providing a time-limited window for them to submit.

  2. You may also choose to simply allow your portal to remain open and to continue to accept applications after your published deadline, informing affected students who have contacted you that you will be doing so. Of course, if you choose this approach, it is possible for students who were not affected by the hurricane to submit late applications.

  3. A third approach is to extend your deadline for all applicants. APPIC neither recommends nor discourages this approach. If you choose this approach, be sure to submit a "late-breaking news" announcement (see instructions here) so that all students are aware of the extension. Also, be sure to update your web site and Directory Online listing to reflect the new deadline date.

Transcripts: Some academic institutions remain closed and unable to provide official transcripts. This problem can arise for students' current institutions, as well as for students who attempt to request a transcript from previously-attended universities. APPIC has made the following change to the AAPI Online for this internship selection cycle: Transcripts from academic institutions that are located in U.S. territories in the Caribbean are now treated as optional in the AAPI Online service. This means that applications that are otherwise complete but are missing a transcript from one of these institutions will still show as "complete" in your portal. Students have still been advised to submit official transcripts if feasible.

Students who have an unofficial copy of their transcript available to them have been offered the option of uploading it to the "Supplemental Materials" section of the AAPI. These unofficial transcripts will appear in the student's .pdf application before the Standardized Reference Forms, while official transcripts will appear after references. If your site requires an official transcript from applicants, you may consider the option of asking the applicant to submit an official transcript later in the process, when they will hopefully be more accessible (e.g., in January, before the ranking deadline in early February).

Incomplete Applications: The AAPI Online selection portal automatically categorizes applications as either "complete" or "submitted." An application appears in "submitted" status when it has been submitted by the student but is still missing a required item that is uploaded by another party (i.e., a transcript or reference). Some Training Directors typically ignore applications (intentionally or unintentionally) in this category. This year, we strongly encourage you to look through any applications in the "submitted" category in case they have been submitted by students who have been affected by the hurricanes and are missing a reference. You may still review these applications even though they are incomplete, and you can work with these students to get the missing item(s) to you when they are able to do so.

Not meeting minimum requirements: Some students have experienced delays in their academic progress due to the hurricanes, which can result in their not yet achieving certain milestones and thus affecting their eligibility for certain internship sites. For example, some students may not have been able to defend their dissertation proposals as planned, or the abrupt closure of practicum sites may have reduced their accumulated hours to the point where they fall below an internship program's stated minimums. In these situations, APPIC has suggested that students may contact you to inquire about an accommodation of your minimum requirements. We encourage you to consider these requests to the extent reasonable for your program.

Difficulties with interviews: Some students anticipate difficulty attending on-site or other types of interviews (such as Skype) due to airport closures, poor internet access, or unexpected financial challenges. At this point, it is unclear how many students will experience this concern, as interviews at many sites won't occur until December or January. Students who have been offered an interview and have concerns in this area have been encouraged to contact you to inquire about alternative methods and/or dates of interviews. We encourage you to consider these requests to the extent reasonable for your program.


Guidance for Postdoctoral Programs and Applicants

UPDATED JANUARY 11, 2018: While APPIC has not recently received any inquiries from postdoctoral applicants or Training Directors with concerns about the impact of the hurricanes, we recognize that some may still be significantly affected. We encourage postdoctoral applicants and programs who have been affected by the recent hurricanes to review the internship guidance provided in the above sections and adapt it to their specific situations. Individuals with concerns in this area are encouraged to inform APPIC by contacting Dr. Greg Keilin at gkeilin@mail.utexas.edu or 512-410-0002.


Internships and Postdoctoral Programs Affected by Recent Hurricanes

If your internship or postdoctoral program has experienced hurricane-related disruption and you would like to consult with APPIC about the impact on your current class of interns/postdocs, please contact Dr. Greg Keilin at gkeilin@mail.utexas.edu or (512) 410-0002.