Are you ready to start your 5+1 Internship? 

At COPP, we've helped hundreds of interns become psychologists, and we'd like to think we have a fair amount of expertise in all things related to Provisional Registration.

To help you on your way, here's our list of "Internship Essentials" – also known as “all those items that are very important but tend to get overlooked”.

Maintain your obligations - Professional Indemnity Insurance

A current Professional Indemnity Insurance policy must be in place while you hold registration with AHPRA. This is one of your obligations as a registered health professional, under law. Check with your employer if their policy will cover your practice or not. Discuss insurance with your Supervisor, and make sure you have appropriate cover.

Maintain your registration - keep an eye on your renewal date

A psychologist's registration lasts for one year, after which it must be renewed. As a one-year pathway, it is reasonable to expect that you will apply for full general registration approximately 12 months after you commence your internship. However, the timing at the end of your program may overlap with your renewal period. Keep an eye on this! Make a note of your date of first registration and your registration renewal date in 12 months' time. Mark it on the calendar.

Expect to receive a renewal notification from the Board, and ensure that you complete it (and pay the fee) on time if you are not yet fully registered. Remember your Supervisor must sign your renewal if you are provisionally registered, so allow time for them to complete this. Failure to renew can mean you lose your registration and need to stop working until it is re-instated, which is inconvenient, costs money, and can take some time. 

Maintain your obligations- Notify of any changes 

It is also your legal obligation to notify the Psychology Board of any changes that occur. You need to notify AHPRA when you:

• change email address
• change work role
• change your Supervisor
• change your work or home address.

You are also obligated to notify of any changes that impact your capacity to practice (such as health status or complaints). If something has changed and you are not sure who to notify, having access to support from people who have answers is critical – our support staff have dealt with many situations over the years and can help you through it.

Plan for success - be responsible for your own learning

The 5+1 internship pathway is an intensive undertaking. Effective time management and self-organisation are key to success during this program. Set up good systems and practices now - they will not only see you through the year ahead smoothly, but will carry you into your professional life post-registration for early career success. Self-knowledge and self-assessment are key skills for psychologists, so if you know that you struggle with planning and organising, talk with us and/or your Supervisor about strategies that may help. 

What's next?

Talk to us today to find out about our comprehensive Psychologist Registration Programs, including our 5+1 program and our bespoke 4+2 completion program.