PsyD students secure competitive internship placements through national match

Kansas City University (KCU) clinical psychology doctoral students achieved a 100 percent match rate in this year’s national internship cycle—an important milestone on their path to becoming licensed psychologists. Students gathered to celebrate and share where their next chapter will take them after securing placements through the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC) Match. 

The APPIC Match is a highly competitive and essential component of doctoral training in health service psychology pairing doctoral students with internship sites across the country that meet rigorous standards for supervised clinical experience.

The Class of 2026 secured internships in six states—Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Virginia and North Dakota—and in a wide range of placements.

“I am excited to intern at the Southeast Human Service Center because of the mental health services they offer to a diverse population. The city they are located in is a designated refugee relocation site, and I look forward to providing assessment and therapy services while expanding my clinical skills,” said fourth-year PsyD student Maria Aaron.

“We’re incredibly proud of our students as they build on the foundation of their training and step into their year-long, full-time internships,” added Amy Sickel, PsyD, director of clinical psychology training and assistant professor of Health Service Psychology. “This year was especially competitive, with more applicants than available placements nationwide. Despite those challenges, every one of our students successfully matched—and that’s truly something to celebrate.”

The internship year provides immersive clinical training in a variety of settings — including hospitals, community mental health centers, university counseling centers and specialized clinics. These experiences sharpen skills in psychological assessment, therapy, consultation and interprofessional collaboration.

Congratulations to our students and faculty on this important achievement, and for advancing KCU’s mission of improving the well-being of the communities we serve.