It's not easy getting into a psychology residency. The best programs have limited positions, and competition can be fierce. After all the hard work you've put in to get to this point—the years of undergraduate and graduate education—you want to make sure you find a program that's the perfect fit for your career goals.
Getting in is only the beginning, though. You also want to make sure that nothing goes wrong during your residency. A negative evaluation, or worse—an accusation of misconduct—can undo all the progress you've made to this point.
The Lento Law Firm's Education Law Team wants to make sure that doesn't happen to you. The firm's attorneys understand the challenges you face as a resident. But they also know the law as it applies to students and trainees, and they know how to use the law to protect you. They've helped hundreds of healthcare professionals respond to all types of charges. And they're only a phone call away at 888-535-3686.
Psychologist Residencies
To be licensed to practice in your state, you'll have to meet application requirements. All fifty states require you to complete a certain number of hours of supervised clinical training. Texas, for instance, requires 1,500 hours, to be completed in between 12 and 24 months, while in California's, you need at least 3,000 hours to qualify for a license. Most states allow you to complete up to half of your residency hours before you graduate. You'll need to do some post-doc work as well, though.
Training can take place in a variety of settings, including hospitals, clinics, and health centers. In addition, you can focus on a variety of specialties, including
- Behavioral and cognitive psychology
- Clinical child psychology
- Clinical health psychology
- Clinical neuropsychology
- Clinical psychology
- Counseling psychology
- Couple and family psychology
- Forensic psychology
- Geropsychology
- Group psychology
- Industrial-organizational psychology
- Police and public safety psychology
- Psychoanalysis in psychology
- Rehabilitation psychology
- School psychology
- Serious mental illness psychology
- Sleep psychology
No matter what the specific parameters of your program may be the basic format will be the same. You'll practice what you've learned in your doctoral program under the supervision of a licensed psychologist. You'll learn how to interact with patients, to communicate effectively with colleagues and other help professionals, and you'll practice the basic tenets of ethics and professionalism.
Disciplinary Expectations
Being a resident isn't just about showing off what you learned in class. Your personal and professional behavior matters every bit as much as what you know.
As a resident, you'll be expected to meet several different disciplinary expectations. These will depend on the specific nature of your program. You may be subject to many different sets of rules.
- School or Training Program: If your residency is part of your degree program, you'll be subject to all the same rules and regulations as anyone else at your university. These include federal Title IX prohibitions against sexual discrimination and harassment. Beyond these basic expectations, though, your doctoral program will have its own professionalism requirements.
- Facility: Whether you're training in a public or private hospital, clinic, or practice, your employer will have its own rules and regulations above and beyond those of your residency program. Your facility should provide you with an employee handbook to help you navigate expectations. Of course, as an employee, any violation can result in dismissal from your position. Additionally, misconduct during your residency can lead to the end of your career. State licensing boards consider employer evaluations and misconduct allegations when deciding whether to grant your initial credentials.
- State Licensing Boards: State licensing boards have their own expectations of health care professionals. You may be required, for example, to undergo a background check before you are granted a license. As you're working through your residency, you want to make sure you're keeping these requirements in mind.
- Certification Organizations: Most psychology specialties have their own certifying agencies. For instance, the National Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) organization certifies school psychologists. These agencies will have rules as well.
With all these agencies and organizations keeping an eye on your behavior, things can get confusing. That's one of the reasons you want an attorney from the Lento Law Firm on your side. They can help you sort out all the many requirements you have to meet and make sure you don't run into any problems along the way to completing your residency program.
Typical Disciplinary Issues
Given how many different agencies and organizations you have to please, it would be impossible for us to list all the many rules you're subject to as a resident. There are some basic disciplinary problems to avoid, though, no matter what your particular situation might be.
- Practice Related Misconduct: You're still learning, and no one expects you to be perfect on day one. It's vital, though, that you quickly master the basics of professionalism. You need to understand your ethical obligations, you need to know how to interact with patients, and you need to know how to work effectively as part of a team.
- Substance Abuse: If you work in the health care industry, substance abuse issues can limit your effectiveness. In the most extreme cases, such issues can put lives in jeopardy. Any allegation that you're working under the influence of drugs or alcohol can cost you both your residency and your career.
- Fraud: Any misrepresentation is grounds for disciplinary action against you, whether you've inflated your credentials or overcharged for your services.
- Sexual Misconduct: Sexual harassment can take many forms. An inappropriate comment, for instance, could be grounds for dismissal. You could face disciplinary action for dating a colleague. You always want to check your student and employee handbooks for guidance on these matters.
If you're facing charges for any of these offenses, you need the best help you can find to defend yourself. The attorneys at the Lento Law Firm know your rights under the law, but they're also familiar with the many agencies and organizations you deal with. They know what to do any time you're in trouble. They can ensure you're treated fairly and get you the best possible resolution to your case.
Defending Yourself
No two residency programs are going to be the same when it comes to defending yourself from misconduct charges. Every university, hospital, clinic, and health center has its own procedures. Certainly, though, you can expect there to be a clear process in place, and you should have some important rights as part of that process.
Agency judicial procedures typically have five parts.
- Initial Review: Cases begin when someone makes an allegation against you. Not all allegations are actionable, however. Your residency program isn't going to sanction you just because a patient doesn't like your hairstyle. Likewise, not every allegation is credible. Your residency program will conduct an initial review of allegations to determine if those allegations warrant further investigation.
- Investigation: In most cases, you're entitled to notification any time you're under investigation. In addition, you should have the chance to respond to any charges. You can also expect, though, that investigators will gather any physical evidence and talk to potential witnesses.
- Proposed Sanctions: Should the investigation turn up evidence of misconduct, your residency will usually propose sanctions. You have the option, at that point, to simply accept that sanction and move forward. However, you're under no obligation to admit wrongdoing. You can challenge the accusation or the severity of the proposed sanctions at a formal hearing.
- Hearing: Hearings provide you the opportunity to make your full case. Usually, this means delivering opening and closing statements, submitting evidence, and calling witnesses to testify. You should also be allowed to ask questions of witnesses against you. A panel of decision-makers will likely determine whether or not you're guilty of an offense. Usually, they employ a legal standard known as “preponderance of the evidence.” Less strict than “beyond a reasonable doubt,” this standard requires they find you guilty if they are more than fifty percent convinced you committed an offense.
- Appeals: Finally, you should have the chance to appeal the outcome of the hearing. However, grounds for appeal are normally limited to procedural matters. In addition, your appeal may be in the hands of a single administrator, and you likely won't have a chance to make your case at a full hearing. Rather, the decision maker will simply consider the documentary evidence in the case.
A hearing isn't a legal proceeding, but it can be a complicated affair. It's not just that you need a solid defense. You need to know when to introduce particular pieces of evidence, what kinds of questions to ask witnesses, and how to use your rights to your best advantage.
The attorneys at the Lento Law Firm are fierce litigators with experience defending clients from all sorts of charges. They don't just practice in the courtroom, though. They've dealt with all types of judicial proceedings, including residency defenses.
The Lento Law Firm Can Help
“Psychologist” is a position in the public trust. The one thing that can doom a career faster than any other? An allegation of misconduct during your residency.
There's too much at risk to ever take such an allegation lightly. You need the best help you can find—someone who knows the law, who has a background in representing students and trainees, and who has experience helping professionals defend themselves. In short, you need an attorney from the Lento Law Firm.
If you're facing disciplinary action for any reason, find out exactly what the Lento Law Firm can do for you. Contact the Lento Law Firm today at 888-535-3686 or use our automated online form.
