Our clinical practicum program offers 12 positions for students of psychology, marriage and family therapy and social work.
Each application package should include: a letter of interest and intent (where applicants need to explain why they are interested in our training and point out their appropriate qualifications); curriculum vitae; and two letters of recommendation, preferably, from people who know applicants clinical work.
The deadline is March 1st with interviews held shortly thereafter.
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