In the January/ February edition of the National Psychologist journal there were two articles describing the shortage of psychology internships across the nation. A professor from Kentucky says that the internships available to new graduates are down 29% from last year. He asks if the universities are producing too many clinical psychologists, is the quality of preparation consistent, and if a Flexner type of study and report needs to be implemented.
The other article was authored by a new Clinical Psychology PhD graduate that tried to get an internship at 40 sites to no avail within a two year period of time. She says she has paid a huge price in time, money, and energy to attain her postgraduate education that is of little value if she cannot gain an internship to gain entry level into the psychology field. She feel betrayed by the education system and asks what are her rights as a student in the educational system.
It may be the sign of the times with the down turn of our economy, psychologist's clients dwindling due to tightening up of insurance companies and medicare with payments and benefits, people out of work without insurance struggling to hold on to the homes and feed and cloth their families. The last thing a practicing psychologist needs right now is an intern to take away some of his clients that he needs to get by with bills himself. It may be years before this situation gets better.
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