How to approach the next psychology application season if you're feeling disappointed

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Intro Jingle

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Hi, welcome along to the aspiring psychologist podcast. Um, thank you for those of you who had been part of my world within the last application season. So I am well aware that this week on the 17th of June is going to be the final date for letting courses know whether you are going to be, um, accepting or declining your offer of a place. And so, you know, come 2:00 PM on that date. If you haven't let, um, your clinical courses know that you are accepting a place, then they may well decide for you that you, you don't want that place. So you need to make sure that you have let people, um, know via the clearinghouse website, if you are indeed, um, applying for the clinical psychology training courses, um, and this will lead to complicated feelings for those who were on waiting lists. Um, so it might be that imminently after that date that you do manage to get a place because people have maybe been trying to, to make up their mind, which course, to pick.

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And by that date, they will have needed to let the course know which one they are picking and which one they are not. But of course there are only so many places to go around. And so it might be that you are learning that you have not been successful in gaining a place this year. But of course, what we know is if you were offered, um, a reserve list place, if you were offered, um, you know, that opportunity, then they are saying that you were of doctorate standard and that think you would've been a good fit for them and for their course. And so there is much to celebrate there. Although of course, I know that this will feel very difficult. You'll be very disappointed. Um, and if you, um, weren't successful in getting interviews or perhaps if you did have interviews, but you weren't successful in being offered either an outright place or a reserve list place, then it can feel a lot like rejection, but actually I think it can be useful to reframe that.

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And to think that they're just saying it's not yet, it's a, not yet from us. Um, but keep trying, and it can be possible to get feedback about why you weren't successful. So if you weren't successful at the, um, at the form stage, there is often like a tick box, um, reason why you weren't successful. Um, and that's sent out kind of automatically. Um, so that was when it was paper forms. But, um, I would think that you're still able to get feedback about why even electronically from, um, from lots of courses. But I know even when I was applying, um, some of the courses didn't have the capacity to offer feedback. And so, um, yeah, I think it's really, it can be useful to know why, because it, otherwise, it just feels, you know, deeply personal and not very fair. Um, but knowing that, you know, for example, um, Birmingham turned me down, um, on both of the times that I applied to them because they thought that my academic, um, experience needed strengthening, then that makes you think well, okay.

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All right. Well that gives me a clear direction to, to be able to focus myself towards and to strive for. Whereas if you're not getting that constructive feedback, then that can, can be difficult. Um, and so let's think about what we can do to help you, um, you know, optimally prepare for the time between now, um, and September when the course is open, um, for business again. So when you can start submitting your application forms, so for those of you who have, um, listened to my compassionate Q and as both during the application season and during the interview season, you'd be pleased to know that they're coming back. Um, I've got some dates here for you. Um, so, um, I believe that the courses will be opening on the 1st of September again. And so, um, just forgive me flicking through my pages as I, as I do this.

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Um, the first one is currently scheduled for 7:30 PM on Thursday, the 1st of September, 2022. Um, usually I do them on Monday, but I thought I'd be there with you on that Thursday, um, just to, you know, open the doors enthusiastically for you. Um, and then I think we've got some other dates I've penciled in as well. We've gone for Monday the 10th of October at 7:30 PM. And there is a November one, I'm sure I penciled on November one in, but I can't find it, but anyway, there will be a November one coming. So you can pop those dates in your diary, um, and know that I will be there for you, um, to answer any questions that you might have, um, about the application cycle, um, as well. Um, so I know it can feel a bit Groundhog day, um, you know, with this relentless cycle, but I would really hope that by the time you submit your form, um, you know, in November, um, you might submit it before you might be ready before.

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Um, but for me, I wanted every second I could have to work on it. I really, I really, um, you know, when it was my time, 2007, I was applying, I spent as long as I could really intently focusing on giving my all to that form and making sure that every word counted, every word mattered. That's the approach that I took the year that I was successful. Um, and my forms were very, very, very different. Um, you know, I applied three times, um, and was successful the third time, but my form at time three could not have been more different than at time one. And at time two, it wasn't a successful form. And so I started again entirely, um, with my form three and I didn't look at it at all until I was kind of almost finished in case I'd forgotten some golden nugget.

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I hadn't, I was just appalled with what I'd written. Um, but it demonstrated for me how much change I had undergone, um, you know, both personally and professionally and in my levels of confidence being myself and the way that I think the way I talk about things and, um, just my level of comprehension was vastly different. Um, by the time I was successful compared to my previous two attempts. And so, you know, I would hope that your form also looks different. Um, if this is not your first rodeo, you know, if you've, um, if you've been there before, um, because that wasn't successful. So it needs to be, um, unless, you know, you did get interviews and you were offered places on reserve. Um, even then, you know, we want you to get across the line fully, you know, we don't want you to be having to wait till the bitter end where you might or might not get a, a, you know, a, a reserve list place.

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We want you across the line, um, in the first set of interviews, um, if possible, and that's not, um, you know, in any way, shape or form saying that reserve places are less favorable, but they certainly feel a little bit easier to swallow and a little bit, you know, oh God, oh, good. There's less waiting around. And the, you know, you know, your outcome quicker. So in terms of just having, you have the kindest journey, I'd rather you had, um, an outright place because it helps you make choices, you know, and helps you plan and prepare. Um, so that would be my preference for you. But if you do get offered Aless place, then that is still obviously absolutely wonderful. Um, okay. So yeah, between now and September, I think it can be useful to look at your gaps in your CV, or certainly look at your CV and see what gaps emerge.

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Um, you know, so when we're certainly working with clinical psychology, um, then you need to show that you've got some experience across the lifespan, across the different areas that you will be working in as a trainee clinical psychologist. So that would include children and young people that would include working age adults that would include older adults that would include intellectual disabilities. Um, so those kind of four areas, it might include some physical health as well. It might involve some kind of neuro work. Um, it might involve, you know, physical disabilities, um, or traumatic brain injuries, or, um, you know, might involve research. Um, you know, you may, you maybe need to look at how many of those competencies you are able to tick off, and if you are missing some, then it might be that you can just give your mindful attention to trying to plug one of those gaps between now and mid-November, um, because you know, the wheels of, um, certainly the NHS and the wheels of, you know, other organizations don't always turn without resistance and they don't always turn quickly.

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And so if you can recognize those gaps in your CV now, then by the time November comes, you might well have started to, you know, to just chip away at any of those, um, gaps or blocks to help you move towards a position where you are in, you know, where you are likely to be able to, to perform optimally on your form and to perform optimally interview, to give you the best chance of being able to achieve what you want, which is a place on this professional training scheme for, um, for becoming a, uh, maybe not becoming a clinical, psychological becoming, um, a qualified psychologist, or certainly a trainee psychologist at this stage. Let's just take a short break here, and I will be back along very soon

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If

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Psychologist it's,

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The clinical psychologist, collective is an encouraging read for anyone considering clinical training, reading the stories of people who are followed their unique path into clinical training with ups and downs is immensely encouraging. Thank you, Marianne for writing this book and to all who contributed to it. This book is a true blessing, and I'm sure it can provide more clarity to anyone considering a career in clinical health and counseling psychology,

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A psychologist lessons. It's

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What can be useful is to make sure that you are getting quality, supervision and guidance. And if you don't have that, or if you feel like you'd welcome some additional support and guidance, a bit more compassion, a bit more direction in certain areas that are key to, um, becoming a, uh, you know, a successful aspiring psychologist then do consider joining the aspiring psychologist membership. We get lovely reviews and people have said just that it's really, really useful for them. Um, certainly people who've gained places on training. Um, this year said that they felt that, um, the membership gave them everything they needed to, to perform optimally at those interviews. So if you feel that you want to really, you know, supercharge your chances, um, supercharge your confidence, then do consider checking out the aspiring psychologist membership. But, um, I will always do my best to provide free content for you.

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Um, if that's outside of your, um, current affordability, um, within this podcast and within my Q and A's, but if you really wanted some more focused, um, and, uh, you know, you get to talk back to me, uh, and I'll talk back to you. It's a little less one sided than a podcast. Um, if you wanted to be part of my world, do check out the aspiring psychologist membership, but if you are feeling disappointed, come the 17th of June, then you can lean into that. You know, you don't necessarily need to be cheering yourself up, you know, this mattered and you had your hopes set on it. And, um, you know, you were allowed to be sad. Um, you were allowed to lean into that. Um, you don't need people to cheer you up, but it's helpful if you have people that get it that understand just how difficult this is, you know, because even when you do get training places, you know, it's not always an easy thing that you are saying you're gonna do.

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So, you know, you may, for example, live in Edinburgh and be offered a place in London and you are prepared to pack up your bags and move your life for at least three years. That's not something that we do without, um, without thinking it through thoroughly, um, people are moving all over the country. Sometimes people are, are moving without, um, you know, their children without their partners. Um, and they're trying to, you know, they're gonna make it work by commuting. Um, and you know, living, living perhaps in Airbnbs or, you know, rented accommodation for work weeks, and this isn't something that people are entering into lightly, or, you know, for cheery kicks. This is because they are passionate about pursuing this career in psychology. So, you know, maybe when your time does come, you will get offered a place which causes less disruption to your life.

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Um, but you might still have disruption to your life. You know, you might purposefully be choosing courses that are further away from where you are living now. Um, you might want a fresh start. You might want to go and do something new and different, or you might recognize that your best, you know, your best chance of being, you know, recruited by a course that is aligned to you is really far from where you live currently. Um, or that a particular course direction really appeals to you. And so you are going to be moving, you know, countries, uh, within the UK or, you know, maybe from further afield as well. Um, and that is a big consideration. It's a big change and it's difficult because you are having to put your life on hold. Um, and so if you are in that position, then I'm just sending you so much warmth and compassion, um, and please do stay part of my world, um, so that we can help further put that compassion into your situation.

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But do bear in mind the dates that I had given you for the, um, upcoming Q and a sessions between September and November. Um, yeah. If you would like to rate, um, on review this podcast, please do so on apple podcasts, um, which you can do by clicking on the show, scrolling right down below, um, the trailer episode. And you'll see the rate and review section there. It will honestly just take you a moment, but it would mean a great deal to me. So thank you very much for listening. Um, and I will look forward to catching up with you very soon.

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