Intern Selection and Application Process

Intern Selection

Overview

The Danielsen Institute Clinic attends carefully to fit in the internship selection process. We seek to identify and select diverse interns who will benefit from the particular strengths and emphases of our program. Prerequisites for our internship program are as follows:

  • Applicants must have completed coursework and comprehensive exams towards a doctoral degree in psychology from an accredited institution (APA accreditation is preferred) prior to application
  • Applicants must complete their dissertation proposal prior to the ranking deadline. We prefer candidates who will clearly complete their dissertation prior to internship as that makes for a much better internship experience.
  • Applicants must have at least 250 client contact hours for psychotherapy.
  • Applicants must have at least 20 client contact hours for assessment.

In addition to the requirements above, we seek applicants who demonstrate (a) readiness for training that attends to spiritual/existential issues, (b) experience with relational/psychodynamic psychotherapy, (c) investment in cultural competence/humility, (d) facility with testing including Rorschach administration and scoring (R-PAS), and (e) interest in formative training that engages the self of the therapist with others.

Also please note that Boston University and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts have vaccine requirements for health care providers including COVID, MMR, Tdap, Hepatitis B, Varicella, and TB testing.

Boston University conducts background checks as a condition of employment. Details may be obtained from Human Resources hr@bu.edu

When we receive many applications from generally strong candidates, we are forced to make nuanced decisions with limited information.

The selection process involves several stages. Applicants submit an APPI, which is carefully reviewed by the Director of Training and other clinical staff members.  Selected applicant will be invited for Zoom interviews in early January.  Interviewees will have a chance to interact with several staff teams and most of the clinical supervisors. We conduct structured interviews that utilize open-ended questions to allow for individualized responses. Interviews may include vignettes, role play, or other exercises. Candidates will be asked to reflect upon their identity and development as this relates to professional practice. There will be an opportunity to meet (via zoom) with current interns and/or postdocs.

 

Application Process/Details

We utilize the APPIC application form and process.

The deadline for APPIC submission is 11/1/24. We will notify all applicants of their status via email by 12/6/24. Our virtual interviews will place in the first several weeks of January 2025.

 

Statement on non-discrimination and diversity

This internship site abides by all APPIC and APA policies. The Danielsen Institute Doctoral Internship in Psychology does not discriminate in selection, training, retention, or evaluation on the basis on any individual characteristics which are not relevant to professional training such as age, ethnicity, race, sex, gender, sexual orientation, religious or philosophical affiliation, class, disability, nationality, citizenship, language, etc.  The Internship program values diversity and actively promotes multicultural humility/competence in all training and service activities.