Journal of clinical psychology
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Doctoral students in professional psychology face broad challenges, such as changing market demands and increased competition for careers in traditional practice settings. To prepare for these demands, students must decide how much and when to specialize, if at all, predoctorally. Complicating matters, students in single practice area programs (clinical, counseling, or school) may risk becoming insulated within the culture of their practice area, which can limit exposure and understanding of the larger practice field. ⋯ One training model that is sensitive to these student needs and concerns is the Combined-Integrated (C-I) model. An exploratory study of C-I student and graduate opinions, experiences, and aspirations revealed that C-I students value breadth of training, diversity of experience, and professional flexibility, and that they experience diverse training opportunities and socialization experiences. Implications of these results vis-à-vis the larger framework of student concerns are examined.