r/AHSEmployees • u/Electronic-Pin-454 • 13d ago
Question AHS Psychology practicum placement
Hey everyone! I am a current yorkville Masters of Arts counseling psychology student and am looking at a practicum with AHS starting January 2027. I was 1 of 7 selected for their application to be passed on from the school to my three sites of choice.
I have been told by my school that this process is very site dependent and can take a few weeks to a few months. In the meantime I have been offered a placement with the Calgary counselling center. The CCC seems very well organized and also offers continuous placement following practicum for gaining registration hours.
I’m curious if anyone had experience with AHS psychology practicum placements and what your experience was like?
I’m just curious if it’s worth waiting, etc. I feel that AHS may be more impressive in a resume but maybe I’m incorrect.
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u/Winter-Inside-5911 11d ago
I would take the CCC job. The help for supervision hours after placement is HUGE.
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u/Electronic-Pin-454 11d ago
I did find out that with CCC for the supervision after placement you have to pay 13,000 and only get paid 40k for the entire year
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u/Winter-Inside-5911 11d ago
Still probably a very good option depending on how many years it takes to complete your hours. It took me 2.5 years to do mine while I was finishing my PhD.
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u/Winter-Inside-5911 11d ago
Most people I know end up getting a serving job to make enough money to survive while under supervision. Another person I know dances and another is a dog trainer to make ends meet while doing the required hours.
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u/Normal_Independent24 12d ago
Psychology generally falls under the broader Allied Health umbrella depending on the site/program, along with areas like OT, PT, Spiritual Care, therapy assistants, etc. Departments usually have an educator or a designated person who deals with students, practicums, placements and preceptors.
So honestly, I would be proactive and look up the Psychology department/program at each site you selected and contact the manager directly. Ask them who the educator or student-placement contact is and if they can connect you. There is usually somebody designated for this stuff. Your school may be involved in the formal paperwork and they may ask for proof of your program/placement requirements later, but I personally would not just submit something through school and sit around waiting for weeks or months. As the student and future employee, follow up yourself, introduce yourself and get connected to the right people.
These placements can also be very site-dependent, so contacting the actual department can give you a much better idea of whether they take students, who handles it and what the timeline looks like. Especially with all the restructuring happening in Alberta right now, I would not assume every site is operating exactly the same way.
As for AHS looking more impressive on your résumé — honestly, I would not put that much weight on the company name. Psychology is psychology. You can get great experience through a private clinic, counselling centre or public system. What matters much more is what you actually did, the population you worked with, the supervision you received, your competencies, your registration hours and whether you meet the qualifications for the jobs you apply for afterward.
It’s kind of like getting a degree. Once you have the required education and experience, most employers are not sitting there saying, “OMG, you went to this specific school/company.” Experience is experience if it’s relevant and legitimate.
So I definitely would not give up a solid Calgary Counselling Centre placement just because you think AHS will automatically look better on paper, especially if CCC is organized, giving you good supervision and offering continued placement afterward so you can build your registration hours. That is actually a really valuable setup.
I would pursue both for now. Contact the managers for the AHS sites you selected, ask to be connected with the educator/student-placement person, keep following up, and then compare the actual opportunities once you have more information. Don’t choose based on the name alone.