Back from a brief hiatus

Hi Everyone,

My apologies for not writing much on the blog lately - I have been amidst a multiple state move and trying to get my life settled at my new post-doc.

I have some how managed to (barely) keep up with my study schedule using PsychPrep. I've actually been surprised at my test scores and have remained on par for where I should be, regardless of my minimal study time and adjusting to a new job.

Also, the winds appear to be changing as to where I will be applying for licensure. I originally was going to apply with Iowa since they have no written or oral exam beyond the EPPP. You pass = you're done and licensed. Now though, I have been told by those applying for jobs that being licensed prior to completing post-doc could be a serious advantage, and I am looking at applying in Ohio, one of the many "new law" states that allows pre-internship hours to count towards licensure. (If anyone has feedback on this, please comment!) I'm not sure yet whether this is do-able since the documentation my academic program may not be sufficient, but hopefully I can press forward. Either way, I am still looking to take the EPPP in November.

I'm hoping to do some more upcoming posts on additional resources for EPPP studying, ABPP, applying for licensure in a "new law" state, and my process in completing my application with the National Register. What would you like to hear more about?

Practice Tests

Hi All,

I had a suspicion that this might happen, but the practice tests have been taken down due to possible copyright issues, as warned to me by moderators of Yahoo's EPPP group. I think it's a bit unfair since people can instead sell copies of these same tests to multiple individuals and make money doing it, but unfortunately there is nothing I can do about this, and I am not looking for any legal trouble.

Test Questions

I've been busy studying using my materials from PsychPrep, including their online tests. I have been tracking my progress over time, and I am already surprised at how many improvements I have made. Since I have only gotten through 4 sections of study materials, I don't believe this is because I know more content. I believe it's because I know how to answer test questions better. Here are some of the common errors I noticed I was making at the beginning, but have remedied over time with continued practice.

1. Read the ENTIRE question and ALL of the answers. So many times, I think when we think we know what the question is asking, and we miss some key words. Same deal with the possible answers - I read one that sounded good and kind of ignored the rest. Now, when I look at answers, I try to figure out how the question would have to be reworded to make this answer correct, or what concepts the distractor items are referring to that make them incorrect.

2. Carefully read the EXACT wording of the questions. I got burned sooo many times initially because I did not read into the importance of a single word. From undergrad, we might have remembered those terms as "always" or "never", but now you have to look even harder at the one word that could potentially be the difference between the right and wrong answer. At times I feel like the people who write these exam questions enjoy finding little ways to throw you off course.

3. Use common sense. In reading a question which concepts are a completely mystery to you (which I am sure will happen to anyone taking the EPPP), take some time to think and remember what you even remotely know about this particular subject, and what common sense would tell you from what you know. While this is no guarantee, it's better than guessing blindly.

4. With ethics questions, I visualize myself in the potential dilemma and I answer what I would instinctively do in that situation. Ethics are about avoiding those "icky" situations we don't want to find ourselves in, and most of us have a pretty good conscience. Again, it's no absolute winning strategy, but I find when I trust my judgment and experiences as a clinician already, I pick the correct answer most of the time. Especially with ethics questions, the situation presented to you will not likely match up with any ethics standard you would find in the APA ethics code.

5. Read and master explanations when you get questions wrong. Hopefully, this should be obvious, but I think the MASTERY part is key. Take the time after you answer the question to read it through until it seems clear and you could explain it in your own words to someone not in psychology.

Overall, I do agree with most that the practice exams are invaluable tools in teaching you HOW to take the EPPP. While the content is equally important, we all know that some people are better test takers than others due to those particular skills.

Got a study strategy you would like to add? Comment below!

Ethics and Updates

Well, I know it's been a while - I have currently been out traveling to multiple states for moving and to check out homes for my new post-doc in Ohio. Basically, I have spent 24 hours in a vehicle over the past 10 days. But now that I am back, it's back to getting on the EPPP studying train!

This past week or so I have been reviewing ethics - which I would recommend if you don't have copies of the ethics codes or maybe even some of the supplemental ethics codes, please refer to the Free Study Materials Page under the Ethics section.

Practice tests have been quite the learning experience. I'm finding myself questioning my intuitive guess, which always turns out to be correct after I changed it. My challenge is finding a balance between reading through each question and set of answers throughly, without over-reading into the question. On to continuing my practice test for this week...

Biological Bases of the Brain Study Apps

Here again, on my love for technology, is a post about using educational apps about the brain for study purposes. (As you probably have guessed, I just reached that particular portion of my study materials.) I'm a more visual person (or "right-brained" in study terms) and have always appreciated having a visual aid to accompany lecture or study materials. Since most study materials for the EPPP do not offer that (or it's very basic, if that), here are some cool apps for your phone or iPad that can help you master all of those portions of the brain that might be more difficult to visualize.

Screenshot from 3D Brain App

3D Brain (Free!!) - is a free app (iOS and Android) that outlines basic brain structures, and allows you to move them around in 3D space using your fingers. Its very basic, but also very free! I found so far it seems to do the job pretty well in identifying structures.


Brain Tutor 3D (Free!!) - Provides images of the brain using MRI imaging from multiple views. It also gives information for certain areas of the brain in terms of its parts, location, and function. The images on this app don't look the best, like someone took MRI images and then used Microsoft paint to color in the parts that are labeled. Brain Tutor 3D HD is also available for $1.99, and looks a little bit cleaner and provides more detailed images of the brain. 

Pocket Brain ($14.99) - Obviously, this one is very expensive in contrast to free or $1.99. It appears to be designed more for our friends in the medical field, but there is still potentially some use. It has comprehensive imaging and information about the brain, 3D rotating brain with 9 layers of interactivity, interactive clinical cases, multiple quizes, and the ability to add your own notes to the app. Here is an additional review of this app. 

Another study material that can be handy, and if you enjoyed coloring books as a child (and secretly love doing it now) is "The Human Brain Coloring Book". Just as a warning, this book is designed for anatomy students, so it is probably more comprehensive than for our purposes, but you can always take the color the pages that fit your study needs. Otherwise, just find some diagrams of various parts of the brain online, and pull out those colored pencils! 

Licensure Mobility

Do you know where you are planning to be a practitioner? How about five years from now? Ten?

Licensure mobility is becoming more and more important to early career psychologists as we work through post-doc and into our professional careers. More recently, there has been the establishment of "banking" organizations that collect your paperwork for licensure and keep it "banked" for you so that you can easily apply to another state for licensure at any time. Not only does this make it easier for applying for licensure, but it also safe keeps everything in case you cannot get a hold of your previous supervisors, or they might be deceased. Essentially, it keeps all of your paperwork from graduate school, internship, your EPPP score, and post-doc, that you would need to apply for licensure in any state or province. All you have to do is let them know where you are applying, and they will work with that state or province to make sure they get the paperwork they need to complete your application.

There are two organizations that are the best known for this: The National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology, and the ASPPB's Psychology Licensure Universal System (PLUS).

The National Register costs between $150-$170 total to use their services, with no renewal fees for storage. In addition, they also offer scholarships for graduate students and early career psychologists that waive this fee (I got one!). Scholarships are typically announced in Fall and Spring. To apply for the register, complete the application online, and can begin compiling your paperwork after the completion of internship (and your degree).

ASPPB's PLUS service is relatively new (just announced this month), and is currently being piloted. This appears to be the new version of ASPPB's licensure mobility program. The cost of this program looks to be around $300, with no renewal fees. However, they also offer the certification of professional qualification in psychology (CPQ), which is granting you this credential to prove that you have met all of the qualifications of licensure, skipping the need to send materials to your jurisdiction. This qualification costs $200 for an initial fee, and $100 for a renewal fee every 2 years.

DO NOTE that not all jurisdictions allow the use of credentialing or banking services (including ASPPB's CPQ credential) as a part of applying for licensure. Additionally, some states may accept documentation from one banking service but not the other. If you are considering applying for a banking or credentialing service and know the range of jurisdictions that could be a possibility for you, look on their websites for which ones accept their documentation services. I can assure you that most states accept both of these services, but there are always some exceptions.

However, this is something to consider when you pass the EPPP and can have the score sent to additional places besides the jurisdiction you are applying to be a psychologist with. Food for thought!

Stage 1: Neuroticism

I have been studying for the EPPP these past couple of weeks using study materials from Academic Review, and I am finding myself feeling incredibly overwhelmed with the amount of material. This is not to bash the materials, I'm just realizing they don't work very well for me personally. I'm finding myself creating insane amounts of flashcards after also trying outlines - either of which I am not finding to be helpful in absorbing the dense material. I've decided to look at other study programs, specifically PsychPrep's program, which seems to present more condensed materials, and more prescribed program of study.

PsychPrep offers a free introductory package to those interested in getting a taste of their materials, including 1 section from learning/behavioral theory study materials, a set of mp3 tracks to listen to the associated lecture material, and the mp3 tracks and lecture materials for their free study strategies workshop offered in California (that normally the rest of us wouldn't be able to get to).

After listening to the study strategies workshop, I identified with a lot of the faults in my current study habits, like doing endless amounts of flashcards or outlines that don't help you absorb the materials. At this point, I am planning on using PsychPrep's program to get through the rest of my studying process. They can be a bit pricey, but I don't know a set of materials that isn't at this point, and additionally you can still receive some return when you sell the materials after you pass the EPPP, which I don't believe is hard to do considering all of the used EPPP study materials I replied to and they told me the materials were already sold.

Either way, if you can sample study materials, you might be able to get a feel for what is best for you. Most study material companies have return policies on their materials, so you should be able to purchase and give it a try. If it's not for you, return them and find a system that works best for your study method! In addition to PsychPrep, the Taylor Method also offers an online trial of their materials. If you are considering either of these methods, they are worth a try before you buy!