PhD/PsyD Professional conference & internship interviews: To attend or not to attend

[CheetahGirl]

Hello Everyone,
I'm looking for some opinions. There is a major professional conference next weekend several states away. Conveniently, I have a transportation to this conference (which I did not pre-register for so there's no financial loss if I don't attend), but it would take a lot of negotiation and coordinating with family members for me to attend.

Background: The society holding the conference is one that directly relates to my dissertation. I plan to target the publication connected with this society when my dissertation is complete (as first-authored work). I also want to submit to this society's meeting next year when my data collection is complete.

To those who are in or have completed the internship process (but I'm open to hearing from others as well)...

Question: Do you think making the sacrifices to attend this conference will help out during internship interviews? I feel comfortable with presenting myself as is...but, will attending this conference significantly help demonstrate that I'm a forwarding thinking-focused researcher (in addition to being a thoughtful clinician)? I really want to go because I will submit to this conference next year, but again the sacrifices for me to attend will be a somewhat stressful on others (mainly my husband and mother-in-law for childcare). Also, most of the internship sites I applied to are highly competitive, in major medical centers, and only half are research-heavy sites. I'm really hoping for interviews at the two VAs I applied to and several sites that require less than 45-hours per week because I believe the research-heavy sites are more than 45-hours per week (but I applied to them anyway).

To attend or not to attend...that is the question. I have to decide by Tuesday.

Thank you, anyone, for your input!
CheetahGirl

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[cara susanna]

YMMV, but I made the decision not to attend my usual conference this year (despite the fact that many of my sites are having socials there, to which internship applicants are invited). Assuming that we're fortunate with regards to interview invitations, we will have to travel a lot this year as it is. I would only attend if I had the opportunity to present a paper.

 

[PsychPhDone]

I don't know the answer for sure, but I will say that I'm going to ABCT this year, and it was recommended I attend the internship events I was invited to though it likely would not make a huge impact on interview status. It was suggested I go for the extra opportunity to get a feel for the people involved with the program. I'm going to the conference because I'm presenting and figure I will take advantage of the opportunity to meet internship-involved people while I'm there, but outside the context of these organized events and maybe some overlap in presentation (and even within that context), I doubt I'll be making much of an impact on interview status. Unless you're going to meet anyone there, I don't know that merely attending a conference will change anything on your apps.

 

[researchgirl]

Since I'm currently applying I don't really know - but, I would think that attending a conference this month will not significantly change the likelihood that you will get internship interviews or change the way internship sites will view you. At best, I think meeting you in person may lead a site to look over your application more closely, or be a "tie breaker" if they are on the fence.

 

[Ollie123]

Only way I think it could make a difference is if this is a VERY small conference, you are confident people with significant sway over the internship decision at some sites you applied will be present, and you are confident you will get a lot of 1 on 1 face time with them and can use it well.

If this is just "Should I go to SBM/ABCT/etc." I can't imagine it mattering. Especially if you aren't presenting anything. By the time internship rolls around everyone has been to a ton of conferences already anyways so one more won't make a difference. It won't make a bit of difference in whether or not you can publish your dissertation in that society's journal (if that's what you were saying - I couldn't tell).

 

[CheetahGirl]

Thank you all for your replies everyone! I'm not presenting and I seriously doubt I'll be networking with regards to internship sites (all my sites are local and this conference is few states away).

Based on the comments and my gut feeling, it seems like I will most likely not attend...I'll continue to weigh the pros & cons, and mull over the travel expensives.

Thanks again!