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Get it in writingBe sure you're earning the professional postdoc experience you need by signing an agreement with your supervisor.
Such realities lead many graduates to cobble together their own postdoctoral residencies with private practices, community mental health agencies and other sites that don't offer formal training opportunities. While these opportunities can offer solid training experiences, potential postdocs should treat taking such a position as a business transaction by making sure their needs are met, experts say. "What expectations the site has for you and what expectations you have for the site are important things to address before signing on the dotted line," says Jeff Baker, PhD, an associate professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch and board member of the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Programs (APPIC).
Indeed, a yearlong postdoc that doesn't include the hours, supervision and experience that you need to get licensed leaves you back at square one, says Baker. So how can you get what you need? Put it in writing, say Baker and other experts. In fact, a postdoctoral supervision contract--sometimes a formal legal document but often a written agreement between the supervisor and postdoc--can help elucidate both parties' responsibilities, says Arizona State University psychologist Julie Savage, PhD, chair of APPIC's Postdoctoral Membership Committee. "Laying out expectations clearly in writing, even if it's not a legal contract, goes a long way toward preventing any misunderstandings and gives recourse if [students] feel that it's not being lived up to," she explains. For example, 2002 graduate Andrew Blatt, PsyD, logged his postdoctoral hours at two different private practices in the Atlanta area. One of his sites had a fairly established postdoc program with a supplemental contract, but the other didn't. While Blatt had to sign papers with the state board to verify that his supervisors would be providing his postdoc hours, that paperwork didn't spell out his pay, working hours or how much supervision he would receive. So he and his supervisor, William L. Buchanan, PhD, downloaded a template to create their own supervision agreement. They had a lawyer friend look it over, made some changes and then signed on the dotted line. For ideas on the language to use, experts suggest reviewing the contracts of other postdocs who have them. Other good resources include the postdoc guidelines on the APPIC and APA accreditation Web sites (see box for more ideas). CONTRACT BASICS What should your contract cover? First and foremost, be sure to include all provisions of your state's licensure laws, says Baker. If you forget to build in a state requirement--such as Massachusetts's requirement that half of a postdoc's supervision be from a licensed psychologist each year--you may end up logging a year or more of experience without qualifying for licensure. "The majority of sites are very altruistic and want to help you out, but they don't always know what they have to do," explains Andy Hogg, PhD, board president of the Arizona Psychology Training Consortium, which offers postdocs training. "The more it states in detail what everybody has to do, the more likely that the resident is going to get what they need to get licensed." Another particularly touchy issue is compensation. In Arizona--and in about half of U.S. states--it's illegal for supervisors to charge postdocs for supervision, rent or office services; many state psychology boards see these situations as a conflict of interest. However, while such laws can make working out your postdoc contract more difficult, it's still doable, say experts. Take the postdoc experience of clinical psychologist Ilyssa Swartout, PsyD, now a private practitioner. Through her Arizona Psychology Training Consortium postdoc, she logged supervised hours at a women's prison and with private practitioner John Stapert, PhD, also the consortium's training director. The women's prison contracted with her previous internship site--the Arizona-based Treatment Assessment Screening Center--and the center paid Stapert for the services she provided. In turn, Stapert paid Swartout a fixed monthly stipend. However, in Georgia, where postdocs can directly pay their supervisors, Blatt says the norm is for postdocs to pay their supervisors 50 to 60 percent of their fees--or to keep all of their fees but pay supervisors for their supervision time and rent for the office space. The percentage arrangement allows postdocs to pay their supervisors only when they are also bringing in money, while the rental arrangement--which Blatt says could easily cost $1,000 a month--allows them to take home all of their fees. THE NITTY GRITTY A sound postdoc agreement should also:
"Make the contract as specific as you can while leaving flexibility for other training opportunities," says Blatt. For example, instead of requesting group therapy with substance-abusing men, you might outline the number of hours you expect to conduct group therapy as well as other psychological services that you list. Be specific enough to get the experience you want, but not so specific that you couldn't also fit in other opportunities.
"Too often postdocs, in particular, are directionless because they are often viewed as employees rather than as trainees," says Hogg. "The more structure there is, the more likely it is the resident will achieve something very specific toward the training they need for their career specialty."
And a last piece of advice from Blatt: Once the deal is done, make sure you have an accurate, signed copy on file so that you and your supervisor are on the same page. —DEBORAH SMITH BAILEY
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© 2008 American Psychological Association |
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