Our clinical training program offers 12 to 14 positions for doctoral-level psychology practicum students and masters-level counseling, marriage and family therapy and social work interns.
Each application package should include: a cover letter (where applicants need to explain why they are interested in our training and point out their appropriate qualifications); curriculum vitae (which should include detailed description of all previous clinical work, including theoretical orientations of supervisors and training); and three letters of recommendation, preferably, from professionals who know applicants' clinical work.
Additionally, we ask to include a brief clinical case write-up (no identifying data, no process notes) with your application. There is no preference for a type of client, mode of clinical work, etc. - feel free to choose any clinical experience that showcases your clinical skills at their best. If you would like to see an example of a write-up structure, you may check out the outline for a written hand-out utilized at our Intern and Trainee Clinical Case Conference.
Application deadline is February 22, 2011 with interviews held shortly thereafter.
All practicum offers will be made on the uniform Practicum Notification Day: April 18, 2011.
Applicant notification will follow procedures accepted by the Bay Area Practicum Information Collaborative (BAPIC) - for more information, please visit
Usually, the Director of Training and one of the clinical supervisors conduct interviews. An average interview takes about an hour, and is rather informal.
Applicants are asked about their past training and clinical experience, as well as career goals. They are expected to be ready to present clinical cases or to illustrate their style of clinical work with examples. Other topics of the interview may include applicants' experience in working with severely disturbed patients and their knowledge of psychiatric medications. Applicants' experience with clients of diversity and understanding of their own cultural identity is often discussed.
RAMS, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, culture, religion, ethnicity, physical ability, gender, or sexual orientation. While we prefer bilingual applicants, we accept monolingual English speaking students who are interested in cultural competency training.
The criteria listed below are those that are typically used for rating applicants during the interview and considered in our ranking of the applicants. This information is provided to you in hope that it will help reduce the interview stress. It is not necessary that all areas apply to each applicant.
I. Cultural/Diversity Sensitivity
- Sense of own ethno-cultural identity.
- Sensitivity to issues regarding Diversity (Emotional/Counter transference Skills).
- Knowledge regarding Cultural Diversity (Cognitive Skills).
- Commitment or dedication to Culturally Competent Professional Work.
- Commitment to professional working with Asians, refugees, Asian-Americans.
- Bilingual Skills.
II. Case Formulation:
- Presentation of relevant History, Background
- Presentation of MSE and relevant assessment information
- Ability to diagnose according to DSM-IV Criteria.
- Case Formulation is relevant to history, MSE, clinical data, and diagnosis.
- Case Formulation is coherent and consistent with theoretical approach.
- Treatment plan matches case formulation
- Working knowledge of psychodynamics.
- Awareness of transference and impact on his/her functioning as therapist
- Awareness of counter-transference and impact on the client.
- Knowledge of Medication.
III. Personal Characteristics
- Ability to Express Self: understand questions, communicate effectively
- Extra-training experiences that enhance application e.g. professional presentations and publications, teaching, prior relevant degree or life experience
- Emotional Sensitivity as evidence of use of self in clinical work
- Capacity to be direct, self-assertive, candid
- Capacity to tolerate stress, work pressure, work demands.
- Commitment to own personal growth as an aspect of professional development
- Awareness of counter-transference as impacting clinical work and able to talk about it.
- Unique skills that would benefit a placement here: ______________________________
- Unique Interests that could be met at a placement here:__________________________
IV. Previous Experience
- Previous practicum experience
- Previous clinical experience with similar clinical populations (severely and chronically mentally ill, trauma, minorities, immigrants.)
V. Recommendations:
- Settings (populations served, services provided and approach to training - similarity to RAMS)
- Recommendations
OVERALL IMPRESSION
Send applications to:
Alla Volovich, Ph.D.
Director of Training RAMS, Inc.
3626 Balboa Street
San Francisco, CA 94121
For additional information contact Alla Volovich or call 415-668-5955