First day as an assistant psychologist

[Anna09]

Hi all,

Happy new year

I am starting as an assistant psychologist next week and I am very excited but also very nervous.

So I was wondering what is the first day of an assistant psychologist like?

Thanks

[Lancelot]

I don't imagine you will be doing much. Often, it can be a slow start - getting ID cards, getting access to records, e-mails, being introduced to staff, reading policies and client notes, attend a team meeting if on.

Supervisors can be really varied on how organised they are. Some have cases you can shadow booked on first day whereas some seem surprised that you are there and did no preparation.

I have often sat at a desk with no instructions on what to do!

[lulabelle98]

Congrats on the new role!

I very much agree with Lancelot here - new jobs can feel slow to begin with, and it can very much depend on who you have as a supervisor. I've had an AP job where my supervisor wasn't even in for the first week so I had nothing planned in. I took the opportunity to get to know the team and shadowed as many people as I could. There was also a lot of time for reading! I've also had the opposite where the first 2 weeks of my new job were planned out for me.

I think one of the things I picked up from starting new roles is that you're not expected to do much at all for the first week at least. But that doesn't stop you from being proactive. Get to know the team and the service

Good luck! The nerves are natural, but remember you were hired for a reason