Kansas psychologists urge removing blanket postdoctoral requirement to speed licensure

WICHITA (remote) — Dr. Jason Maloshek, president of the Kansas Psychological Association, told the Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board advisory committee that the state should stop requiring a universal postdoctoral year for psychology licensure when that year is not used to develop a specialty.

Maloshek said the training landscape has changed since the American Psychological Association first shaped model licensure standards and that many doctoral students already accumulate substantial practicum and internship hours before graduation. “If you have 1,800 to 2,000 hours of internship, their same practicum hours were sitting around the 1,500 to 1,800 hour experience,” he said, arguing that an additional mandatory postdoc year can be an unnecessary barrier to entering practice.

He described financial obstacles for trainees, saying internship stipends typically remain around $20,000–$30,000 and postdoctoral pay often does not approach the salary of a fully licensed psychologist. “Loan‑forgiveness plans don’t start until you’re licensed,” Maloshek added, saying that delay limits access to federal programs that help recruit clinicians to underserved areas.

The committee’s members followed with questions about how Kansas doctoral and practicum programs compare to other states. Maloshek and others gave ballpark figures for practicum direct hours (600–700 for many programs) and noted that many students exceed minimums, often approaching 1,800–2,000 total training hours. He also noted 18 states already allow licensure without a required postdoctoral year in some circumstances and cited neighboring Missouri as an example.

Committee members raised workforce arguments in support of flexibility. One advisory member who works in a rural area said there is a six‑ to 12‑month waiting list for psychological testing in parts of western Kansas and Reno County, describing long travel distances for certain evaluations. Several members said allowing licensure earlier in non‑specialty cases could improve retention and recruitment, especially for federally employed psychologists who rely on reciprocal licensing arrangements.

No formal regulatory change or board vote occurred at the meeting; the public comment and committee discussion were recorded for the board to consider. Executive Director David Fye said staff would follow up and bring proposals or clarifying language to future meetings and to the board when appropriate.

The advisory committee did not adopt a formal motion on the postdoctoral requirement at this meeting. The BSRB chair and staff invited further data and stakeholder feedback before any rule or statutory change is proposed to the board or legislature.