Linking with Liaisons program evaluation: A Women in Neuropsychology of the Society for Clinical Neuropsychology (APA division 40) initiative to assist clinical psychology graduate applicants.

Abstract

Objective: Admission to doctoral programs that provide clinical neuropsychology training is highly competitive. The Women in Neuropsychology committee (WIN: Society for Clinical Neuropsychology [SCN], American Psychological Association [APA] Division 40), in collaboration with New2Neuropsychology (N2N), created the Linking with Liaisons (LwL) initiative, the first neuropsychology-focused graduate application cycle initiative. LwL aimed to foster the advancement of underrepresented, minoritized, and repeat applicants through the 2024 doctoral graduate school application cycle in the USA and Canada.

Method: Applications were matched with neuropsychology liaisons who reviewed application materials and conducted mock interviews. Additionally, applicants received informational sessions on the application process and interviewing. We present descriptive and qualitative survey data collected from 23 applicants and 17 liaisons.

Results: Overall, the LwL initiative was rated very highly by both applicants and liaisons for communication, making applicants feel prepared, and offering a unique opportunity.

Conclusion: Linking with Liaisons successfully engaged the targeted applicant pool, and findings support the feasibility and participant satisfaction with this initiative's format. To date, the success of programs such as the LwL initiative reinforces the importance of developing similar programs to strengthen recruitment and retention of individuals from underrepresented and minoritized groups in the field of clinical neuropsychology.