Finding a practicum site can be stressful! I remember my first couple of semesters of grad school I was nervous about finding a good site for my future as a therapist. A practicum has the potential to make or break your grad school experience, so it is important to find one that fits your preferences.
Here are some suggestions on choosing your practicum:
- Research different sites
- If your program is anything like mine, you will have several different options to choose from. Make sure that you do your own research before deciding on where you want to apply. A great way to research practicum sites is looking at their websites. You can also look at the reviews of the organization to see if other employees enjoy working there.
- Ask previous students about their experiences at the site
- There is a good chance that students from the previous cohort worked at the sites you are interested in. Ask your fellow students about their experience at those sites! Their insight will be extremely helpful to you.
- Notice red flags
- When doing your research and interviews, notice any red flags that may come up for you. This may include the company not responding to your phone calls or emails. This may also include poor reviews and a poor constructed website. These are just a few red flags of sites that you may come across.
- Be open minded about your niche
- When it comes to making the final decision about where you will do your practicum, be open to the type of population you may work with. Some students go into practicum hoping to work with a specific population. You may realize that your ideal niche might change after your practicum experience.
I hope this helpful for you in finding your site! This can be a stressful time in your career, but I know that you are going to do great things!
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