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Minority Fellowship Program
General Application
Information
This document provides you with instructions for completing the
AAMFT/MFP application. Please review the instructions carefully and
thoroughly. Following the instructions will help you put together
the very best application possible. At all times, use language that
is clear and concise and use typed instead of hand-written
responses. As a precaution, and for your own future reference,
please keep a photocopy of all original material that you send to us.
Students receiving
support under the AAMFT/MFP program will be required to document
that they received some training, or exposure to,
substance abuse issues (treatment,
prevention, or research). In addition, and consistent with the
mission of the MFP to help improve services provided to minorities
and underserved populations students receiving support under this
program will be required to document that they received some
training or exposure to cultural competency (services, theory, or
research). Training or exposure in substance abuse and cultural
competency can be in the form of courses, seminars, practica,
workshops, research, etc. The training or exposure should first be
sought through the Fellow’s training program, department, or
university. However, the MFP can also work with the Fellow and the
university to ensure that the training/exposure is made available.
In summary, each Fellow must be able to document the following (A-D)
upon completion of his/her doctoral training requirements:
A.
Training or exposure to delivering
services to ethnic minorities with mental health and substance abuse
disorders.
B.
Training or exposure to cultural
competency.
C.
Training or exposure to at least
ONE of the following:
(1) adults with serious mental
illness,
(2) children with serious emotional
disturbance,
(3) older adults,
(4) rural populations,
(5) mental health services research or
treatment research.
D.
A substantive paper, published
article, master’s thesis, or doctoral dissertation documenting a
grasp of important treatment or research issues related to A, B, or
C. This work may be completed through the course of your university
training or supplemental training methods.
A full list of
requirements for all fellows will be available soon.
List of Required
Materials
A complete MFP
application includes the following documents.
q
Brief Cover Letter (no more than 1
page).
q
Application Form (click
here)
q
Two Essays
q
Curriculum Vita/Resume
q
Three recommendation letters
(with Recommendation Forms - click
here to download the Recommendation Form)
q
Official Transcripts
q
GRE Scores
q
Supplemental Information (if
applicable)
Mail ALL
material to:
Minority Fellowship Program
American Association of Marriage and
Family Therapy
112 S. Alfred Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 253-0473 Ofc.
(703) 253-0508 Fax
aajamu@aamft.org Email
DEADLINE – March
14, 2008
TIPS FOR APPLICANTS
1)
You must submit 1 copy of
each document, UNBOUND.
2)
We strongly encourage you to begin
preparing your application as early as possible.
3)
Consult with your advisor or mentor
while preparing your application. Your advisor can provide you with
valuable suggestions and guidance.
4)
Share the application instructions
with your advisor, mentor, and others who will be submitting letters
on your behalf so they will know the requirements.
5)
Application forms can be downloaded
from our web site at
http://www.aamft.org/about/MFP/AAMFT-MFP%20Application.pdf
6)
It is best if you prepare ALL your
material and send it in at the same time … in the same envelop. We
understand that this may not be possible when forwarding transcripts
and GRE scores. Also, some who submit letters on your behalf may be
uncomfortable giving letters to you. However, in those cases, we
ask that you show them the instructions for completing this
application in hopes they will become willing to entrust you with
their letters of recommendation.
7)
Photocopy all original documents
submitted to us and retain a copy for your own records.
8)
Make note of the MFP address
(mailing and e-mail) and phone number.
9)
If you contact our office for
assistance with preparing your application, please make note of the
date you contacted us, the question you asked or assistance you
sought, and write down the name of the person to whom you spoke.
AAMFT-MFP APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
1)
APPLICATION FORM:
Complete the application form in its entirety. Answer each question
completely using separate sheets of paper if necessary and do not
answer questions by simply referring to your vita. We encourage you
to type your application if possible.
Questions 1-6:
Self-explanatory
Question 7:
This question is based on self-definition and identification.
Everyone must respond to the question related to ethnicity/race.
More than one response is permitted.
Question 8:
If you are a permanent resident alien with an alien registration
card, please photocopy the card on a separate sheet of paper and
attach it to the application. Individuals on temporary or student
visas are not eligible.
Question 9:
Please list the colleges/universities you have attended in the order
of the most recent to those earlier in your academic career (e.g.
whatever university/school you are attending now should be your
first listing). Do not list colleges you attended for less than one
year. You may limit your list to those attended within the last 10
years.
Question 10:
Master's only programs are those in which your training ends upon
completion of the master's degree. They are sometimes referred to
as terminal master's degree programs.
Question 11-13:
Program Area refers to the major area of study within your
department. (e.g. marriage and family therapy, clinical, counseling,
developmental, etc…). Doctoral/Master’s Type – you should
select the type of doctoral degree or master’s degree you are
pursuing.
Question 14: Be sure to indicate whether your GPA is
calculated on a 4-point scale
Questions 15: Self-explanatory.
Question 16-20:
If you will be listing publications, presentations, honors, etc … it
is important to furnish the full citations or references on a
separate sheet of paper. You may include articles that are “in
press”, but you may not include work in progress or under review.
You may not direct the reader to refer to your curriculum vita for
this information. This information should be typed.
Question 21:
The very best types of letters of recommendation come from faculty
who are familiar with your academic work and research potential. If
you are already in a doctoral program, you must include a letter
from your advisor.
Enter the name(s) and contact information
of your advisor(s) who will be submitting a recommendation in
section A. If you do not yet have an advisor, leave this section
blank. Enter the names and contact information of all recommenders
who are not your advisor(s) in section B.
Question 22:
If you have previously received an Alternate or Honorable Mention
status letter from MFP, indicate which status you received and the
year you received it.
Question 23:
If you have NOT taken the GRE, or if you no longer have access to
your GRE scores, include a statement on a continuation page
explaining why you have not taken the GRE or why you no longer have
access to the scores.
Question 24-25:
Self-explanatory.
2)
Essays: This is the most
important part of your application. You will need to write two
brief essays. Essay #1 should focus on your specific training
interests and career goals. Essay #2 should focus on your choice of
university, training program, and advisor/mentor, and how your
choice relates to minority mental health or your specific training
interests and career goals.
Size and spacing requirements for all
essays are as follows:
single-spaced with a blank line between paragraphs; one inch margins
(left, right, top, bottom); and a 12 point font size. Essays not
meeting these requirements will not be favorably reviewed.
Essay #1:
Training Interests and career goals.
Please write an essay not to exceed
four typed pages (not including a cover page and bibliography if
necessary) which describes how your interests and career goals in
MFT will contribute to the major objectives of the MFP Mental
Health and Substance Abuse Services program. The major goals of the
program are to increase the availability of culturally
competent mental health and substance abuse services
provided to minorities and underserved populations and to increase
the general knowledge of issues related to minority/underserved
population mental health and substance abuse treatment or
prevention. Describe how your training, research interests, and
career goals will contribute to these objectives. This is your
opportunity to introduce yourself and your area of interest and
describe how you will contribute to the mental health well-being of
ethnic minorities. In your essay, you should discuss your current
interests in marriage and family therapy and/or other areas of
mental health and detail your related experiences and training to
date. You do not have to be an expert in your particular area of
interest, but you should certainly impart some sense of enthusiasm
or commitment to that area, as well as an understanding of basic
issues.
Essay #2:
training setting. Please
write an essay not to exceed four typed pages (not including
cover letter and bibliography if necessary) which describes why you
selected the program you are now attending, or to which you are
applying. You also should provide a rationale for your choice of
advisor or mentor at your university. Identify specific faculty,
resources, and training available to you which will provide you with
training relevant to minority mental health and substance abuse
prevention or treatment and research, or the specific training
interests and career goals you described in your “training interests
and career goals” essay. Your essay should make a convincing
argument that you will receive training related to minority mental
health treatment and that your advisor (or the faculty you would
like to work with) has the resources and expertise to guide you in
this area.
For those applicants
who are currently applying to several programs, please select your
top two training site choices and direct your response to those
particular programs.
3) Curriculum
Vita/RESUME:
A curriculum vita/resume is a short account of one’s qualifications,
training, career experiences, publications, professional
presentations, etc.
4) THREE RECOMMENDATION
LETTERS: Your
recommendation letters should be completed using the Recommendation
Forms (click here for
form). You should complete the top portions of the forms
and forward them to three people most familiar with your academic
accomplishments and/or experiences that demonstrate your ability and
interest in pursuing a doctorate in a COAMFTE accredited doctoral
marriage and family therapy program. If you are in a doctoral
program, one of your letters will need to come from your advisor.
Individuals providing recommendation letters are asked to include a
letter on professional letterhead to accompany the recommendation
form. Please ask your recommenders to sign and seal their
letters in an envelope and return them to you so that you may send
in your letters with the rest of your application material on time.
(A cautionary note: Missing recommendation letters account
for most incomplete MFP applications! Start early working
diligently with your recommenders to get them in on time.)
Deadline: March 14, 2008.
5)
TRANSCRIPTS: Please forward transcripts for any
college/university you attended for at least a full academic year
within the last 10 years. Please have your official transcripts
forwarded or delivered in a sealed envelope. The most important
thing is that we receive at least one official transcript. At least
one copy must be official with a raised seal or official marking
used by the college/university. If you will ask your university to
mail your transcripts to us, you should request that transcripts be
mailed directly to the AAMFT office:
Minority Fellowship Program
American Association of Marriage and
Family Therapy
112 S. Alfred Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 253-0473 Ofc.
(703) 253-0508 Fax
DEADLINE – March 14, 2008
6) GRADUATE
RECORD EXAM SCORES: Please have your GRE scores forwarded to
AAMFT/MFP or send photocopies of your GRE scores. While GRE scores
are not used to select fellows, they help us evaluate the
effectiveness of our selection criteria, and the relevance of these
scores to successful graduate school completion. Most importantly,
they are required for the completion of your MFP application. Your
GRE scores should be mailed to the MFP office:
Minority Fellowship Program
American Association of Marriage and
Family Therapy
112 S. Alfred Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 253-0473 Ofc.
(703) 253-0508 Fax
DEADLINE – March 14, 2008
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