Professional development is an important component to the 4+2 and 5+1 internships and in fact, it is integral to the ongoing practice as a psychologist. In an evolving profession, professional development helps psychologists to maintain, improve and broaden their knowledge, gain competence, and develop the qualities expected in their professional practice.

Professional development during internships involves practice-based learning activities focused on achieving the core competencies. At PPH we have designed professional development to specifically promote your development as a provisional psychologist.

We cover topics that we think are essential to practice as a psychologist, and mirror the 8 areas of competency allowing you to also prepare for the National Psychology Exam. For example Ethics, Intervention (working with children and adults), and Assessment. You will be provided with practical resources to complement your training.

Other topics include but are not limited to;...

It is a requirement of both 4+2 and 5+1 internships that supervisors must oversee the development of all the skills and knowledge required for Assessment and Measurement. By the end of the internship, the provisional psychologist must achieve proficiency in the administration, scoring and interpretation and reporting of different psychological tests and instruments chosen from the national psychology examination curriculum.

For the 4+2 Internship, provisional psychologists must competently administer, score, interpret and report on nine psychometric assessments. These must include:

• one adult test of intelligence
• one child test of intelligence
• one specialised test of memory
• two standardised personality tests, and
• four other tests selected from the National psychology examination curriculum.

The PsyBA requires each assessment be administered, scored and interpreted as many times as necessary to achieve competence, with a minimum of at least 2 administrations directly observed by the...

Supervision is an interactive process between a provisional psychologist and a supervisor. It provides the provisional psychologist with a professionally stimulating and supportive opportunity for growth. Supervision of the provisional psychologist’s professional practice during the internship period is completed by Board-Approved Supervisors. 

The purpose of supervision is to guide and provide feedback on the provisional psychologist’s practice and to assess personal, professional and educational development in the context of their experience of providing safe, appropriate and high-quality care to clients. Supervision involves a mentoring relationship in which the supervisor provides supportive direction, facilitative activities, and instructive critique to help provisional psychologists to achieve their professional goals. In particular, the supervisor oversees the provisional psychologist’s application of procedures and tasks to help them achieve the eight...

You’ve done it! Congratulations! You’ve landed a job to help you secure your provisional registration. Now what? At this point, there are a few things you need to sort out - and quickly! 

This is when we recommend you contact us at Provisional Psychologist Hub to avoid delays in the application process for provisional registration.

Look at how much supervision is required for your role (e.g. full-time is 2 hours per week, part-time is 1.5 hours) and secure your principal supervisor and secondary supervisors. You may need to source either one or both supervisors externally to your work role if there are no Board Approved Supervisors provided at your employer. We can help you with that at Provisional Psychologist Hub (PPH).

Secondly, complete all paperwork for your application for provisional registration and for your internship program plan. PPH can assist you with navigating the application process and provide you with guidance when completing your;

• ...

Congratulations on landing an interview! You’ve stood out from the crowd and you’ve been shortlisted for an interview. So what now? 

Our biggest tip… dress professionally! It’s better to be overdressed and then moderate your attire at a later stage based on the organisations code of conduct and workplace dress code. First impressions count so demonstrate that you take the role seriously.

Equally as important to your first impression is demonstrating that you have researched the company/service/organisation. Knowing what that organisation is about and what role you are interviewing for is imperative.

Prepare questions for your prospective employer. This demonstrates that you have done some research and you are keen and motivated for the role that you are applying for. If you are not 100% clear on the hours required and the expected workload – ask! You may also discover questions after the initial interview that you can ask if you successfully make...

Finding Psychological Practice is the key piece of the application process that will allow you to apply to the Psychology Board of Australia for Provisional Registration.

So where do I find Psychological practice? What should I be looking for?

Psychological practise settings may include the following:

• clinical, counselling
• organisations,
• neuropsychological,
• health,
• education and developmental,
• community,
• sport and exercise
• forensic

Workplaces where psychological practice is conducted includes:

• corporations
• educational settings
• government departments
• health, welfare and community agencies,
• group private practices
• non-profit organisations

There are lots of different types of psychological practice and lots of different types of workplace settings. The key here is that there are lots of different ways and places to find psychological practice so broaden your search.

Psychological practice involves direct client contact and client-related activities of a psychological...

As part of your application for General Registration as a Psychologist, you will need to supply AHPRA with your curriculum vitae. There is a standard format that you should follow (available here https://www.ahpra.gov.au/Registration/Registration-Process/Standard-Format-for-Curriculum-Vitae.aspx).

We have been employers of Provisional Psychologists and General Psychologists for many years now so here are some of our tips for a resume or curriculum vitae that stands out from the crowd which is the purpose of your CV! Get yourself shortlisted and get to the next step – the interview. But first things first…

Set yourself up for success. As part of your provisional registration journey, we recommend setting up your resume as per the APHRA format and adding to and updating it as you progress through your internship.

It’s a great idea to have a professional curriculum vitae that includes relevant industry information that sits apart from a resume...

Welcome to PPH! You have met Leza and now I would like to introduce myself and share some of my experiences throughout my career in psychology. Thank you for joining us, I am Susie Upton, a fully registered psychologist, Board Approved Supervisor and co-owner of Child Aware a counselling and psychology service. I am excited to share PPH with you and hopefully support you on your pathway to full registration.

I completed the 4+2 pathway over 10 years ago and learnt so much during this time! I have had great supervisors along the way, however nothing prepared me for the challenges early career psychologists face when working on the frontline with clients that are vulnerable, high risk and experiencing severe mental health issues. Part of my motivation to become a board approved supervisor and shared value of Leza and mine is the importance of support when working in psychology.

One of the most defining moments of my early career was the first time I needed to call an ambulance for a...

Hello and Welcome to the Provisional Psychologist Hub (PPH)! PPH is founded by myself, Leza Sullivan and Susie Upton, Psychologists, Board Approved Supervisors and Psychology Practice Owners. Both Susie and myself completed the 4+2 pathway to become fully registered psychologists. We remember only to well how hard that journey was to full registration but equally we know how valuable the learning experience is (although it felt like the steepest learning curve!).

I remember so vividly my first client – an adult male with a diagnosis of schizophrenia who was on court ordered medication following criminal charges for arson. To say I was overwhelmed was an understatement. I remember saying to my supervisor – ‘what do I do, I don’t even know what I am suppose to ask at intake!’ I remember the look of concern in her eyes – like ‘what do you mean you don’t know what to do at intake’. I felt completely unprepared for this role, a role...