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Advancing Clinical Science: The PCSAS Blog

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  • University of Texas at Dallas Now Accredited by PCSAS

    At their review meeting on October 17, 2025 the PCSAS Review Committee voted to accredit (preliminary) the University of Texas at Dallas’ new clinical science program. The PCSAS Board of Directors concurred with that decision. UT-Dallas is the first program to be accredited under the new PCSAS Pathway Program. The program will begin admitting students for Fall 2026.

  • PCSAS Programs at the University of Pittsburg, University of Wisconsin, Duke University, University of Georgia, and Ohio State University Psychology are reaccredited.

    The PCSAS Review Committee has voted to reaccredited clinical science programs at the University of Pittsburgh (7/13/24), the University of Wisconsin (12|17|24), Duke University (2/4/25), the University of Georgia (5/15/25), and The Ohio State University Psychology (7/21/25). The PCSAS Board of Directors concurred with the five reaccreditation recommendations. Congratulations to those five stellar programs!

  • PCSAS signs on to a letter to the Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Regarding “Restoring the Gold Standard In Science”

    https://unitedsciencealliance.org/good-science-is-a-necessity

  • PCSAS Review Committee Releases a Report on the Quality of Clinical Training in PCSAS Programs.

  • Collecting Data from Underrepresented Populations: Considerations for Ethnic Minority Research

    The Importance of Ethnic Minority/Diversity Research Ethnic minority/diversity (EM/D) research is an often overlooked but crucial area of the psychological sciences. As psychologists, our goal is to develop an in-depth understanding of the human experience. To do this, researchers must examine which aspects of this experience are universal and which are context- and culture-dependent. This requires work that considers culture and context, from the conceptualization of the research question to how papers are written and disseminated. However, most research published…

  • Revise and Resubmit: Tips for Successful Response to Reviewer Feedback

    First off, congratulations on receiving a revise and resubmit! Before you do anything else (including reading the rest of this article) go treat yourself, whether that means grabbing a fancy coffee, going for a long walk with a good friend, or binge watching your favorite series on Netflix (go ahead, I’ll wait).  Okay, now that you’re ready to get started, here are some tips on how to effectively manage and respond to reviewer feedback.  As a graduate student myself, these…

  • Building positive community connections to facilitate trust and enrich research impact

    Building positive community connections to facilitate trust and enrich research impact

    The importance of building positive relationships between research institutions and community members to facilitate equitable, diverse, and impactful research has been increasingly recognized in recent years. However, while some fields have found success in increasing community engagement (e.g., public health, implementation science), psychology continues to lag behind in developing key community relationships (Collins et al., 2018; Rodriguez Espinosa & Verny, 2018; Wallerstein & Duran, 2010). This may be in part because community-based participatory research can be viewed as a stark…

  • Conducting transparent, accessible research as graduate students: Myths about Open Science

    Conducting transparent, accessible research as graduate students: Myths about Open Science

    Open science in psychology refers to transparent and collaborative practices prioritizing more accessibility and reproducibility in research processes. In the past decade, pre-registration has soared from a few-known initiatives to thousands per year (Simmons et al., 2021). Open science has gained popularity because researchers can frequently use this practice to gain more citations, form more collaborations, or develop their professional network (Colavizza et al., 2020). This transition comes with great benefits but also brings steep learning curves and unexpected challenges…

  • Resident or Intern? Recent Discourse on Reorganization of the Pre-Doctoral Internship

    The origins of the predoctoral internship in psychology date most officially to the 1940s, meaning that nearly a century of psychologists have navigated the intense process that stands between dissertation and doctorate (Morrow, 1946). Currently, psychology graduates enter the match in the year before their intended internship and are not eligible for conferral of the Ph.D. until completion of the internship year. However, this structure has led to many difficulties for students, and recent discourse has seen many calls for…

  • How To Incorporate Tools From Organizational Skills Training Into Your Life As A Graduate Student

    by Shannon Grogans, M.A., & Nicholas Marsh, M.A., University of Maryland The transition from being an undergraduate or post-baccalaureate research coordinator into one’s clinical psychology doctoral program can be an overwhelming task for individuals. Prospective doctoral students are typically highly successful and motivated; however, more support is likely needed for many during their transition. In fact, research has demonstrated that 50% of doctoral students experience psychological distress and a third of doctoral students are at risk for a common psychiatric…

  • The Greatest Barrier to Open Access: The Pay to Play Model of Academic Publishing

    The Greatest Barrier to Open Access: The Pay to Play Model of Academic Publishing

    by Thomas Harrison, M.A., Stony Brook University The concept of increasing scientific communication originates in academic publishing in 1665 (Fyfe, 2015). Indeed, the longest running scientific journal, the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society was founded to embody empirical philosophy set forth by Sir Frances Bacon (The Royal Publishing Society, n.dab). Here, the sole goal was to increase scientific communication and understanding. As time passed, features similar to the publication process today emerged including, peer-review, language translation, submission in solely…

  • A Brief Report of Digital Therapy Platforms

    A Brief Report of Digital Therapy Platforms

    by Vansh Bansal, M.A., Virginia Tech When the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted the traditional provision of psychological services, telehealth sessions became the “new normal:” one large provider, for example, shifted from near-zero to over a thousand telehealth visits per day (Woski et al., 2020). This newfound need for virtual care, coupled with disproportionate lack of mental health resources in rural areas as compared to metropolitan areas (Andrilla et al., 2018), opened a door for digital therapy providers. These companies primarily use…

  • Dear Therapists: An Interview with Lori Gottlieb on Navigating Graduate School and Beyond

    Dear Therapists: An Interview with Lori Gottlieb on Navigating Graduate School and Beyond

    by Madeline Pike, M.A., Temple University Lori Gottlieb is a psychotherapist, New York Times bestselling author of “Maybe You Should Talk to Someone” and “Marry Him,” TED Speaker, co-host of the popular “Dear Therapists” podcast, and “Dear Therapist” columnist for The Atlantic. Her books have sold over one million copies worldwide. In her work, Lori blends her clinical experience with the latest research and cultural developments to help people live better lives. As a clinical science trainee, I recently had…

  • The History and Future of Preparing for Predoctoral Internship Programs

    The History and Future of Preparing for Predoctoral Internship Programs

    Gabriella Memba, M.A., University at Buffalo Coming from a clinical science background, I approached the predoctoral internship application process as I would a research paper. I spent days upon days scouring the internet and speaking with my colleagues and mentors in an effort to learn as much as I could about the Do’s and Don’ts of preparing for internship. Based on my research, I saw there was a general consensus in recommendations for new applicants.  However, I quickly realized that…

  • The Workday Creep and Your Sleep: Addressing Technology, Communication, and Sleep Health for Graduate Students and Trainees

    The Workday Creep and Your Sleep: Addressing Technology, Communication, and Sleep Health for Graduate Students and Trainees

    By Samantha Nagy, M.A., University of Arizona Modern communication methods such as email can make exchange of information easier and more convenient, but it can also blur the lines between work and personal time, particularly for graduate students. Laptops and smartphones are easily accessed in the bed, which can negatively impact sleep duration and quality (Lastella et al., 2020; Twenge et al., 2019). This, combined with the sometimes irregular work hours increasingly seen in academia, can lead to graduate students…

  • University of Pittsburgh is Reaccredited

    On July 3, 2024, the PCSAS Review Committee voted to reaccredit the clinical science program at the University of Pittsburgh. The PCSAS Board of Directors endorsed the RC’s vote. Congratulations to our colleagues at Pitt!

  • University of Rochester Now Accredited by PCSAS

    In a meeting held on May 22, 2024, the PCSAS Review Committee voted to grant accreditation to the University of Rochester’s clinical science program. The PCSAS Board of Directors endorsed that decision. The University of Rochester becomes the 48th program to be recognized by PCSAS. We welcome our colleagues from Rochester to the PCSAS family.

  • Emory University Reaccredited

    On May 22, 2024, the PCSAS Review Committee voted to reaccredit Emory University. The PCSAS Board of Directors endorsed the RC’s vote. Congratulations to our colleagues at Emory!

  • Can Natural Language-based Artificial Intelligence Systems Address Psychopathology?

    Can Natural Language-based Artificial Intelligence Systems Address Psychopathology?

    By Alexander Williams, M.S., Northwestern University Despite a proliferation of evidence-based practices (e.g., Hollon et al., 2006; Tolin, 2010), there is no compelling evidence that mental health problems have decreased in prevalence in recent decades. Indeed, at least among adolescents, the available evidence more frequently points to the increasing prevalence of psychological distress, depression, and suicide-related outcomes (Twenge et al., 2019). As a field, clinical psychology faces several more difficult realities. One is that most who struggle with these clinical problems do not…

  • General Advice and Experience Creating an External Practicum Site

    General Advice and Experience Creating an External Practicum Site

    By Samantha Dashineau, M.S., Purdue University Students in clinical psychology programs may choose to create their own external practicum experiences for a variety of reasons. For me, the internal clinic in my program did not accept clients with eating disorders, which meant I was not able to work with a clinical population of interest during internal practicum. Furthermore, when I began looking at external practicum sites that my program had an established relationship with, none treated clients with eating disorders. Gaining…

  • Underpaid and Overworked: Lessons Learned from the UC Graduate Student Strike

    Underpaid and Overworked: Lessons Learned from the UC Graduate Student Strike

    By Anna Porter, M.A., University of Missouri-Columbia On December 23rd, 2022, the University of California system and 36,000 graduate student workers reached an agreement, effectively ending the largest higher education strike in the U.S. This historic six-week strike resulted in several beneficial changes for graduate workers, including increased pay, childcare reimbursement, expanded paid leave, and campus fee remissions. The success of the UC graduate student workers is especially notable given that graduate students have traditionally been barred from collective bargaining rights. In…

  • PCSAS Review Committee Releases a Study Concerning the Characteristics of PCSAS Students Applying for Internship and Predictors of Match Outcomes 

    The PCSAS Review Committee (RC) frequently is asked whether normative data are available for characteristics of PCSAS-accredited programs, their current students, their graduates, and their faculty. One of the most common requests is for normative data at the time of internship application, including students’ clinical hours, productivity, etc. Thus, as a part of the Annual Report process in the fall of 2022, the RC asked DCTs to provide the clinical hours and CVs of all students applying for internship. In…

  • University of Miami now accredited by PCSAS

    In a February meeting, the PCSAS Review Committee voted to grant accreditation to the University of Miami’s clinical science program. The PCSAS Board of Directors endorsed that decision. The University of Miami becomes the 47th program to be recognized by PCSAS. We welcome our colleagues from the University of Miami to the PCSAS family.

  • Time to Change: Financial Challenges and Alternatives to the Clinical Internship System

    Time to Change: Financial Challenges and Alternatives to the Clinical Internship System

    By Matt Matoni, M.A., Temple University The clinical internship has long been fundamental to clinical psychology training programs. It provides a unique opportunity to directly apply what we have learned over the past years and gain new training from clinical experts in a chosen area. Moreover, the supervised training and service provision is critical to accreditation and licensure processes. The importance of the internship is clear, particularly for those pursuing a clinical career.  However, in this opinion piece I argue that…

  • Treatment Considerations for Clinicians Working with Clients During the Transition to Parenthood

    Treatment Considerations for Clinicians Working with Clients During the Transition to Parenthood

    By Shannon Savell, M.A., University of Virginia For many, the experience of the transition to parenthood feels starkly different from traditional media portrayal or colloquially how it is described as a time of immense joy and purpose and deepened love between partners. This is why it may be shocking to some that despite being a highly anticipated milestone for many couples, previous research suggests that nearly 70% of couples experience a sharp decline in romantic satisfaction after the birth of the…