You are a clinical psychology graduate student seeking an internship in a competitive town. You can't apply nationally because your partner is wedded to a specific geographic locale. What can you do to increase your chances of getting an internship in a particular town?
It's terrible when excellent students have to be separated from their partners and even worse when children are involved. Our profession hasn't quite caught up with the new millennium. So, how do you and your significant other ensure that you end up in the same locale? Ideally, one that is good for both of you, professionally. Every year, students struggle with the personal and professional trade-offs that this decision entails.
The key to this situation is aggressive, proactive networking. If you have summers off, it's essential to spend them in the desired location. While you are there, launch an active networking campaign. I've written an article on the Washington Post website which describes networking strategies.
You may want to check it out.
Being proactive is the crucial, although most graduate students wait until they are in the later stages of their training to obtain internship application materials, partnered students can not afford to procrastinate. Obtain internship materials early. Acquaint yourself the programs in your significant others city. Familiarize yourself
with the theoretical orientations and research interests of each of the
internship faculty. Create a context for interacting via email or face-to-face with those who share common interests with you.
Get in touch with like-minded faculty when you do your masters thesis and your dissertation proposal. Follow their research closely. Write to them. Ask them questions about it. Send them copies of your work. In short, become a junior colleague. Many faculty will be flattered by your interest and happy to provide a bit of informal mentoring. Some will not. However, it is rather like dating (apparently you were successful at, you may have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find that handsome prince)...and, remember, in the end, you only need admission to only one internship! So, don't be discouraged by those faculty who may be too busy to be responsive to you.
Also, join the local organizations in the city of your choice. Join the local psychological association or the local chapter of any national organization of which you are a member. Lurk on listservs. Attend meetings and network. It isn't easy but you need to approach people who already have their doctorate and get to know them. Hopefully, when application time arrives, you'll have developed plenty of local people to consult for advice and guidance.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, be sure to talk over your situation with your faculty. They may have helpful ideas and contacts.
