neurologic

By and large, the PsyDs worth applying to offer funding. The ones that don't are more often associated with reputations of being diploma mills. Look at incoming class sizes. Some PsyDs have cohorts of 80+ students and offer poor funding if any, and then others have cohort sizes of 10 or less, and they offer more funding options. Quality, university-based PsyDs have a pretty commensurate research program to balanced PhD programs. For instance, I am at a funded university-based PsyD and I am spending my summer working on 3 separate manuscripts I am co-authoring (2 with faculty and 1 with a psychologist from my practicum site), as well as analyzing some pilot test data for my dissertation. During the semester, we spend at minimum 8-10 hours a week on lab related activities, but it usually comes out to more. 
Research is important for good clinical skills. If you don't know how to do the research, it is much more difficult to critique the research coming out and separating good science from junk science. Even if you aren't planning on a research career, having an in depth understanding of research methodology and statistics is going to go a long way when examining research on efficacy and effectiveness of treatment interventions and assessment tools, which inform good, evidence-based practice. 

Great advice & reflections so far.  Many of the points mentioned by @imemine @Modulus @Randi S are solid and don't require reiterating, however, I would like to elaborate a bit on one piece I think has been overlooked thus far, and that is clinical experience. I've also included some reflections from my own experience.
For some background, this was my second time applying to clinical psych PhD programs.  I was a drastically different candidate this time around and I can attribute that and my success to several key improvements I made in the two-year gap I took between application cycles.  I hope this is helpful & adds something to this thread!  I admittedly have many more tricks & reflections and I am happy to chat in more detail if anyone has questions-just PM me.  
2 Key Improvements worth noting: if you read nothing else, read this  
Clinical Experience!!! - I found as many ways as possible to get formal clinical experience.  If you are applying to CLINICAL psychology programs, the top programs that specialize in training scientist-practitioners want to see that you have experience working with some type of clinical population or in a clinical setting.  Candidates with substantial clinical experience absolutely have a leg up.  This can be in any area or with any population, as long as it's valid, relevant clinical experience.  There are creative ways of doing this--e.g., I work in a neuroscience lab based in a research hospital, and I put time into networking with the neuropsychologists connected to our unit which led to incredible opportunities to be involved in patient clinical care in ways I didn't think possible at my current level.  I loved it, I learned a ton, and as a bonus, it really impressed interviewers.    
Majorly beefed up my research experience - I took a full-time position in an academic hospital setting. I interviewed at several very highly competitive programs & in mingling with other candidates found that almost ALL of the most competitive candidates had full-time research experience outside of an undergrad, casual/volunteer position.  Not only does this demonstrate your skills in data collection, grants, data analysis (whatever the case), but this gives you a real life introduction to what a life in research would look like, and a chance to think about what type of questions you want to try to answer as a researcher--THAT'S what future PI's are looking for.    
Also of Note:
>> Fit, seriously, fit.  You don't realize it until you are in it, but fit it so powerful.  This is also not just fit, as in them accepting you, but also fit, as in you accepting them.  I have a quite specific clinical neuroscience/imaging/specific-clinical-population background that finding a good fit for while applying was a challenge, but during interviews I started to see where I would be happy and flourish and where I would feel confined and limited; that was very important for me.  One last thing to consider in this realm, specific to clinical psych people, do you want to be primarily a clinician (who conducts secondary research) or a researcher/academic? Choose your program wisely...         
>> Don't overlook the importance of your CV!  Your CV should be organized, succinct, detailed, and highlight all of your best features.  Send it out, have people read it, make comments, change things, and shape it up. My CV came up over & over again at interviews- POI's, interviewers, and students all referred to my CV.  Your CV should work in conjunction with your personal statement-don't be redundant.    
>> Another tip re: grades (GPA), GRE scores, & other formalities such as writing samples; these are the things that get you in the door-put the work into it.  Many top R1 programs receive between 300-650+ applications for, on average, 7 spots; they make cuts from the jump and that's just the way it goes.  If you score in the 70th+ percentile on the GRE you are in the clear & you can rest knowing your application should at least get reviewed- you owe it to your mental state & your wallet to ensure you get this far. 
>> Finally, on interview day-yes, dress & act professionally (clinical programs are evaluating your capacity to be a professional, so demonstrate that), but don't be afraid to show your real self (within reason ?).  In addition to all of the important points made by other posters, I will just add a couple of thoughts  
Chat with other candidates, get to know their interests and backgrounds (even if you are interviewing to work with the same POI).  If you are both there, you are both qualified, there is no need to act as if they are your opponent.  I ran into a few people at multiple interviews & I have stayed in touch with some candidates I met along the way about acceptances, plans, etc.  THESE ARE YOUR COLLEAGUES!  Some may even be in your cohort.  Start making connections now.  As mentioned above, assume you are being evaluated throughout your entire interview (social events, lunches, everywhere--all the time).  Ask thoughtful questions, listen to current students when they talk, make small talk with other PI's during lunches (ask about their work, what it's like to live there..ect.)--showcase the many shining parts of your personality-it goes a long way.   **This process is definitely stressful & so much of it is out of the applicants control.  Find things about it that make you laugh or smile, find people to lean on and commiserate with when things get tough, i.e., peers who are also applying or recently admitted grad students.  Feel proud when you submit your apps- it's a lot of work!  Get excited about checking out new cities during interview time.  Take time to get a massage, or go to the park, or just shut your brain off when you need it (and you will need it!!!).  In fact, the question of how you cope with pressure and stress will come up at interviews, demonstrating that you have already started working out these skills is bonus! Lastly, good luck to all!  Remember, if it doesn't work out the first time, that's just an opportunity to come back 10x stronger the next time.      

Hi everyone, I hope that you are all doing well! I feel like I've learned so much from this past application cycle and wanted to share it just in case those applying next year (or beyond) can find it useful. Everyone who has commented on this post has made some great points that I will be echoing in my own post, so I hope that's okay! 
1. A low GRE score will NOT always lead to the rejection of your application. Now let me preface this by saying that I applied to a mix of programs (i.e., Developmental Psychology, Human Development, and Communications) with a low GRE score (149 V/148 Q) and fully expected my application to be thrown out immediately. I prepared quite a bit for the exam, but it never really panned out the way I was hoping for the two times that I took it. However, the rest of my application was pretty strong, so I think that helped me out a lot. The applicant profile for a few of the programs that I applied to consisted of GRE averages well into the 160s, so I thought that I had absolutely no chance. Definitely strive to get a high GRE score if you can, particularly if you are applying to competitive programs, but don't beat yourself up if that doesn't happen.
2. Quality of your research experience is important! The kind of research experience that you have when you apply is HUGE and really makes a difference. A little background about me is that I didn't start doing research until the summer before my senior year (really late compared to most applicants). This was mainly because I had no idea that you needed research experience to get into grad school (particularly PhD programs) and didn't find out until I entered a program as a sophomore that helps URM (and often first-gen, which I am as well) students with navigating the application process. Also, my undergrad institution never really promoted research as a thing to do. When I applied, I had two years of experience including an REU at a large R1 university and being a research assistant in an independent research lab. I also took basically two years off after I graduated to gain more experience because I knew there was no way that I could be a somewhat competitive applicant if I didn't. I was able to do my own projects on topics that I was interested in and got to be part of all aspects of the research process including manuscript writing (with my REU project). From what I heard during my interviews with faculty members, that initiative really stood out. Don't be afraid to take a few gap years! 
3. Get multiple people to read your application materials (especially SOP). Your statement of purpose is probably one of the most, if not the most, important piece of your application. Once you feel like you have a solid draft ready, send it to as many people as you can to get their feedback. For example, my grad student mentor from my REU program was instrumental in helping me fix my SOP. He told me that I should be letting the admissions committee and my POIs know about what I will bring to their research if I was in their program as opposed to just restating the work that they did. This would look like me saying "I want to work with Dr. Brown because she does research on minority youth development" vs. "I hope to expand on the work of Dr. Brown by looking at how racial stereotypes in the media affect minority youth". Out of the two options, I chose to do the latter for my SOPs and I think that helped them to stand out for the most part. 
4. Organization is key! The grad school application process can be very long and stressful, especially if you are applying to multiple programs like I did (8). I believe that the main reason why I didn't get completely overwhelmed is because I stayed organized. Some of the resources that I used were Trello and Microsoft Excel. When I started researching programs, I created a detailed spreadsheet on Excel that included application fee amounts, whether the program offered a fee waiver, necessary application materials, etc. It was nice to have all of the information in one place instead of having to go back to the program website each time to find the info that I was looking for. To keep track of whether my letter writers submitted their LORs and when I uploaded different aspects of my application (e.g., SOP, personal statement, writing sample), I used Trello. This is a great tool to use as you can keep a running checklist going of when everything gets sent in, so you don't have to worry about something missing from your application.
5. Apply for fellowships! Don't be afraid to put yourself out there when it comes to applying for fellowships. Admissions committees like to see that you are trying to get external funding and you never know, you could actually get it! I went back and forth on whether it was a good idea for me to apply for the NSF GRFP because I didn't think I had a chance at all. I decided to just go for it and I ended up getting honorable mention! Also, since the GRFP application was due before PhD applications, I was able to use those essays as a template for the ones I wrote for grad school. If you feel like you can put together a solid application, why not do it and see what happens? You could surprise yourself.
6. Interviews are not as bad as you think they will be. I know that the thought of being interviewed by a faculty member can cause a lot of stress and anxiety because of various reasons. You have no idea what questions you will be asked, you don't know if you are answering the questions in a way that shows that you know what you're talking about, and you don't know what impression your interviewer has of you. I went in to my interviews thinking that I would be grilled about everything that I have ever done, but it was the total opposite! I actually really enjoyed all of my interviews because they felt more like conversations. I never got a trick question or one that I couldn't answer, which I was quite surprised about. My advice for interviews would be to definitely prepare (maybe even overprepare) for all of them. Once you get your interview schedule, be sure to know a bit about the work that each of your interviewers do. For your POIs, you should definitely know most of the work they do and have read at least one article of theirs. For non-POIs, I would say to read abstracts of their work instead. By doing this, you will be able to show them that you took the time to actually do research on them and will also be able to steer the conversation in a new direction. My other advice for interviews would be this: HAVE QUESTIONS READY! The main thing that you will hear over and over is whether you have questions, so you need to have some! I created a master list of interview questions that I compiled from r/gradadmissions on Reddit, posts on GradCafe, and ones that I thought of myself and split them up into three sections. One section included questions that I wanted to ask my POIs specifically, the other section had questions for non-POIs, and the last section was for questions that I wanted to ask grad students. I was told at all of my interviews that I had very thought-provoking questions and I think that really helped me stand out as an applicant! I also made "profiles" for each faculty member that I interviewed with that included their picture, their research interests, some info about a project or article that I liked of theirs, and a few questions that I wanted to ask them. You definitely don't have to do this, but I used those when I didn't want to go through my long list of interview questions as a kind of "snapshot". Overall, when interviewing, just be yourself and everything will turn out fine! 
7. Trust your gut. This is a HUGE one. If you go to an interview/recruitment weekend and don't feel great vibes about the program, lean into that. My top program ended up changing quite a few times because my original #1 didn't give me the best feelings when I went there. One of the things that I did when I went on visit weekends was that at the end of each one, I wrote a little blurb related to how I felt about each school and that really helped me to come to terms with which program was the best fit for me. The program that I will be attending in the Fall is definitely not the one I thought I would be going to, but it is the one that is for sure the best fit for me and my goals. Don't be surprised if your top school becomes the last school on your list and vice versa. Being able to speak with students in each program was very beneficial in helping me make my final decision, so don't be afraid to talk to them! 
8. Be proud of yourself! Last, but not least, be proud of yourself! Applying to grad school is not an easy task by any means and if you are able to prepare even one application, that's amazing! Even if the application cycle doesn't go the way you want it to, you should still be proud of everything that you have accomplished up to this point! I never thought this cycle would go well for me, but I'm so grateful that it did. I don't think it has really sunk in yet that I will be headed to a PhD program in a few months. If no one ever tells you that they are proud of you, I just want to say that I'm proud of you! You are putting yourself out there and that in itself is a great achievement. 
I apologize for this long wall of text, but I hope that what I wrote is helpful! 

My two cents from applying to clinical psychology programs FOUR times and having a wholly different experience this time around:
Selecting Programs Apply to the maximum number of programs for which: You can make a compelling argument for research fit with a faculty member (see below for further fit discussion). You can honestly imagine yourself attending. Do not overthink this one, but don't under-think it either. If you find yourself considering something as a "safety", but when you imagine yourself only getting that offer, you feel like you would consider reapplying, you might want to drop that one from your list. Your individual budget/finances allow. If possible, do not geographically limit yourself. Apply to fully-funded, accredited (APA and/or PCSAS) programs. If you stray from this advice, your mileage may vary and the rest may not apply. Attempt not to "pre-rank" the programs in your mind, either by your own assessment of who/what/where you think you'll like, or by relying on some external ranking system. PhD programs are not "ranked" like undergraduate programs.  Beyond funding, consider the research productivity (quantity and quality) of the particular lab you are entering and the post-docs/tenure-track positions achieved by recent grads. Review program and faculty websites to ensure your intended mentors are considering taking students this round. Unless the faculty member’s web page specifically says they do not want applicants to reach out, send a brief, polite e-mail expressing your interest in applying (and/or inquiring as to whether they are reviewing applications for their lab).  If you find yourself at a conference or talk with faculty members to whom you are applying, you may make a polite, quick introduction there instead (or additionally). You want your name to ring a bell when they read applications. Applications and Interviews Fit is everything.  Research fit. Do your research on your research interest. As others have said above, there is a huge difference between a candidate who can talk about how they want to work with "kids with anxiety" or "study drug use", and a candidate who is familiar with the specific literature in their area of interest (especially that of the faculty member to whom they are applying to work with). It is even better if you can prove your ability to conduct research in this specific area. (More on that in a later section.)  Re-iterating from above, but don't apply to programs you (or others) perceive to be "high-rank" or "prestigious". Apply to work with individual mentors who happen to be employed by specific institutions. Consider the fit of "your list". This is something that I personally really struggled with in my previous application cycles. While it made sense to me why I was applying to so many "different" programs/mentors (I was originally interested in the forensic area, which is admittedly not as well defined as others), I know that it made it harder to tell a clear story about what I saw next in my life. Don't present yourself at a fork in the road--know which path you're traveling down. If an interviewer (or application) asks you to list other programs you are applying to, you want them to say "Oh yeah, that makes sense, my colleague so-and-so is there." Personality and attitude. You will be spending more (waking) time with the folks in your lab than probably anyone else in your life for the next 4-6 years, so both your potential mentors and lab mates are considering this. They want a sure thing. This means walking a fine line so that you're not too stiff and formal and hard to read, but also that you avoid any sort of faux pas.  Be you. Don't be afraid to mention hobbies or interests outside of academia. There are labs/mentors out there who really want someone who has no life outside of their research, but if that isn't you, don't pretend it is. Don't be formal, don't be informal. Be appropriately collegial.  Be the best version of you. My recommendation is to talk to those who know you best. Ask about how you present yourself. Ask for honest feedback about things you typically do and say that may not bother them, but that they can probably see as red flags. My friends and mentor both heard from me, "Be completely honest. Is there anything you see me do or say that you want to say, 'Oh no don't do that in an interview!', even if you really think I know better than to do that." The answer will hopefully be something small, like "you wring your hands when you're nervous" or "sometimes you talk too quickly", but even if it's big business, you'd rather know sooner than later.  Scores open doors, but your CV is the key. I think everyone knows that you need to have a good GPA and GRE to get into grad school--but this is really only important in the first stage of application review. I think (hope) it will become less important there too--and have seen movement towards that as programs begin to realize that these scores (especially those from standardized tests) do not uniformly reflect potential to succeed in graduate school and have systematic biases that work against individuals who have already been marginalized in other ways (i.e. racial minorities, low SES).  Some universities say that they holistically review all applications and have no strict cut-offs. This might be nominally true, but I don’t think it changes the base advice. If one of these scores is particularly low, you're going to want to have an explanation if asked in an interview. You additionally will want at least one of your letter writers to be able to speak specifically to how it is not a true reflection of your performance and potential (more to come below). This is one place where connecting with faculty before submitting your application can also help—essentially you want to have a reason to be pulled from the initial pile of applications into the smaller pile that undergoes full review.  More important in showing your ability to be a productive, successful graduate student is proof that you are already producing and succeeding. While it is possible to gain admission to a Clinical Psychology PhD program without presentations or publications, applicant pools are becoming increasingly, almost impossibly competitive. The vast majority of fellow applicants on my [ten] interviews this season were Master’s degree students/recipients or laboratory managers/research staff in positions which allowed for independent research contribution. Choose your letter writers wisely.  Anyone can write a nice, positive letter that suggests you’re a relatively stable, capable human. Do not include more than 1 letter of this generic quality. For at least two of your letters, you want a writer who can and will go above and beyond to provide specific examples that show your potential and indicate true enthusiasm for your future career. Relatedly, do not choose writers solely based on the prestige of their position or institution, or even their eminence in the field if they cannot speak specifically about you. The admissions committee is reviewing your CV, not theirs. For example, you should choose the pre-tenure, direct supervisor for your undergraduate honors project instead of the famous emeritus professor whose class you took alongside 250 other students.  I’ve got lots of insights on this, but these are the main points. Feel free to PM me with any questions about this grueling process.

As a faculty member, this week has been overwhelming and chaotic for us all. Given how scared and uncertain students (and faculty) have felt this week, having recently learned of the existence of GradCafe it occurred to me that hearing from a faculty member might be helpful to some of you and so I planned to start a post expressing my support. However, upon seeing this thread, I wanted to address the initial poster's concern first and then share my thoughts (albeit - I am just one perspective).
My university, like so many, has moved to online-only instruction until mid-April, at minimum. I teach a graduate cognitive assessment class. Even if it were possible to teach test administration online (which I doubt anyone could do well - I certainly cannot), my students have to share some test kits with each other plus given the interactive nature of cognitive testing, it would be impossible for my students to administer a test battery and not touch objects that the testee also touches. #WAISIVCOVID19Outbreak is not the hashtag I want to follow my students or I, because we have an obligation to, above all else, do no harm. The skills-based aspect of my course will be on hold until we can resume in-person instruction. That means I, and my students, will need to be flexible regarding making up the missed classes, but I am willing to give up part of my summer to make sure my students are prepared in the way they need to be.
Let's hope that we're out of the woods by August! That said, as current students, prospective students, and students who will be entering a program in Fall 2020 - it is not your job to worry about how the COVID-19 crisis will affect your education. I understand may of you will worry, and that's okay - but your professors are and will do everything they can to make sure your education continues as planned.
All that said, I hope everyone is okay. For those of you who had to leave campus abruptly, I am sorry. For those of you who had spring-break plans cancelled, I am sorry. For anyone who is scared - you are not alone. For anyone who is angry about this disruption - you are not alone. I can only imagine how hard it must be to be a student or future student right now. Most (I want to believe all of ) your professors are doing the best they can. I realize that may not feel like enough, but it's the best we can do right now. Please take care of yourselves and if you are feeling anxious about the fall, do reach out to current faculty or POIs. We're here.
 
 

I feel like I have a good idea of what is important to me in a program in addition to the basics like funding information, but I'd like to start a thread to crowd source questions to ask oneself before accepting or declining offers. 
Input from current students regarding questions you wish you had asked or factors you should have considered are especially appreciated.
A list to get us started --
Funding including amount, duration, requirements and benefits.
Fees and Costs including uncovered program fees and health insurance.
Advisor Fit including mentorship style, availability, and research interests.
Location including cost of living, housing options, and amenities.
Program Fit including clinical vs. research balance, available coursework, and program length/expectations.
Outcomes including publication rate, conference presentations, internship match, post doc, and jobs.
Those are some big obvious ones to me, but please add yours!

I just got a really positive response on interview for being honest and saying that while I seek a research career I do find the idea of clinical work to be exciting, but that I had never done anything of the sort so I wasn't sure what my skills would be like or how I would find it in practice.
I was explicitly told that this was a good answer and they were very skeptical when clients came in talking about how good they'd be at clinical work and how much they were going to like it unless they had explicit experience providing treatment before.
Note: This was a program on the Clinical Science model so others may be better for advice for more balanced or clinically-oriented programs.

I can't offer any interview advice, as I'm still an undergrad myself, but I can recommend some papers on SEM and IRT that I read for an undergrad stats class and was able to understand with some work. For SEM: Formulating Clinical Research Hypotheses as Structural Equation Models: A Conceptual Overview (Hoyle & Smith, 1994) and Childhood Social Withdrawal, Interpersonal Impairment and Young Adult Depression: A Mediational Model (Katz et al., 2011). For IRT: An Introduction to Item Response Theory Using the Need for Cognition Scale (Edwards, 2009) and An Item Response Theory Analysis of the Subjective Happiness Scale (O'Connor et al., 2015). The first paper for each explains the concepts and the second paper was used as an example of how SEM or IRT could be applied. Let me know if you can't access the papers or if you need clarification on some points (I'm a bit rusty on the concepts now but I took detailed notes that made a lot of sense at the time). Good luck at your interview!

I'm ducking in to wish all applicants good luck during this interview season! I’m a faculty member, and I have now observed a number of application cycles at multiple institutions, including my own graduate program. I haven’t yet cracked the code to reducing the stress for my own trainees as they apply to doctoral programs, but because the ambiguity of the process can be the most stress-inducing, I thought I’d share some information that my trainees often find helpful. Long post ahead, and, disclaimer, the below is my opinion based on my experience and observation over the years and should not be used as the last word on the interview process.
Things that befuddle, annoy, and/or freak out applicants during the interview season:
Thing 1: I was not invited to interview at programs that are low on my list - now I’m really worried that I’m not competitive. (Sometimes followed by: but I got an interview at my top choice, so clearly lower list program should have interviewed me).
Sanity check: One of the main reasons those programs were lower on your own list is because you perceived a lesser fit with them. The faculty reviewing applications also see that lesser fit compared with other applicants, and we know that a weak fit is a recipe for unhappiness for everyone! It’s not that you aren’t qualified, it’s just a fit thing combined with the number of other applicants to that program/person that year.
Thing 2: I had stratospheric GRE scores and GPA, 28 years of RA experience, and 337 publications/presentations, but I didn’t get an interview to Program X (or any interviews).
Sanity check: You all are a talented and successful lot with outstanding experience and evidence of productivity. Every year I am amazed by the quality of our applicant pool. There are four main possibilities here, none of which are particularly reassuring, but hopefully all of which help you think about this logically.
First, the number one error I hear from applicants is that they assume that their stellar records will automatically assure them an interview, which is just not consistent with the numbers. Yes, you have an amazing record and application, but so do the other 300 people applying for 18 interview slots (and 5 offers) in that program this year.
Second, applicants often apply to the “name brand” programs, seduced by perceived prestige and figuring that the strength of their scores/CVs will overcome a lack of fit. It won’t, and it shouldn’t (see comment above about unhappiness).
Third, applicants often mistake “more” for “better”, without regard for the actual skills and knowledge. Most of us definitely are looking for quality over quantity in your CV. Middle author of 6 authors on 9 publications/presentations is good, and we like to see that level of involvement, but one 1st author paper/presentation at professional conference is more meaningful. More labs is not necessarily better than one lab with really solid breadth and depth of skills learned. In your CV and statement I’m especially looking for evidence of advanced understanding (appropriate to the level of training) of the research process and the research questions conceptually, not just a laundry list of every task you ever did as an RA.
Fourth, and this is a tricky one - if there is something about you or your performance (e.g., in your lab) that might lead your letter writers to hedge a bit in their letters, we can read that as a red flag and, given we have the luxury of a large number of applicants, put that application off to the side. You already should be asking writers if they are willing to write “a strong letter”, rather than just a letter, and making sure to ask your mentors for feedback on where you stand with regard to the qualities of a strong applicant.
Thing 3: Why are all of the applications due on Dec 1??
Sanity check: This is usually a Graduate School deadline, because the relevant staff need to process the applications for all departments in the Graduate School before sending the applications to the relevant departments. Early December is a sweet spot that gives the staff time to process literally thousands of applications before the chaos of end of semester + holidays.
Thing 4: If the applications are due Dec 1, why does it take so long to hear about interviews?? Similarly, why do some programs make interview offers early, but I don’t hear from others until much later?
Sanity check: It is surprisingly difficult to find time for a committee to meet, so some programs find the time earlier and others later. It also takes varying amounts of time for the Graduate Schools to send applications to departments/programs. At my current institution we basically have most of them within a few days of the deadline, whereas at my last institution it usually took about 10 days to 2 weeks, which then lands faculty in the end of semester/finals, followed by the holidays. Then once we have the applications we need time to review them, which usually involves multiple faculty reviewing each of a very large number of applications. Note also that you WANT the faculty not to rush that review process.
Thing 5: Why do these programs seem to schedule interviews on the same days??
Sanity check: There are only so many days available for interviewing. Most programs understandably choose Mondays or Fridays, and there are far more programs than Mondays and Fridays between the end of January and the end of most (not all) interviews toward the end of February. Google CUDCP application tools (freely available calendar maintained by the Council of University Directors of Clinical Psychology, which is not connected to me in any way and is not commercial) to see the schedule of most clinical program interviews.
Thing 6: I have an interview scheduling conflict, and I’m really worried that Program B will think I’m not interested because I can’t attend their interview.
Sanity check: We completely understand that strong applicants will have multiple interviews (one year I had a trainee who had 13 interviews), and that there will be overlap in dates. We also understand that accepting an interview prior to our invitation isn’t a reflection of your interest in the program. We’ll do what we can to schedule an alternative informal interview in person, or via video or phone call.
Thing 7: I wasn’t invited to interview/wasn’t given an offer, but it took a long time to get an official rejection??
Sanity check: Mostly this is a program-level or Grad School level thing. Sending an official rejection generally is an administrative process that might be automated through the Grad School or the program, and many programs will wait until they have their list of applicants who have accepted before officially closing the applicant pool and generating rejection emails/letters. Sometimes it’s just not prioritizing the applicants, but I think that’s the minority.
Thing 8: I wasn’t interviewed/didn’t get an offer. Can I contact the program/POI to ask for feedback on my application?
Sanity check: This is just my opinion, but I wouldn’t. Your current mentor/PI should be able to tell you where any weaknesses are in your application, thus the only thing the applied-to program/POI could tell you was that the other applicants were a better fit, which doesn’t really help you at all. Also, and very importantly, note that faculty at some institutions are prohibited from providing such feedback given it takes only one litigious applicant to try to make the case that there was some illegal flaw in the selection process.
Post-interview Things
Thing 9: The interview day was 2 weeks ago. Why haven’t I heard yet?
Sanity check: Programs want to make their offers as early and as quickly as possible (this is also why you shouldn’t contact a program post-interview about your status). Usually there needs to be another faculty/admissions committee meeting post-interview, which might take a little time to schedule, and also there might be a few remaining Zoom/Skype interviews lagging behind. We aren’t sitting on this information; once we know who we want to make offers to, we’ll be in touch immediately.
Thing 10: I thought my interview went really well - I had great discussions and rapport with the POI and the students, and I can really see myself there, but I was rejected/waitlisted.
Sanity check: You probably did interview really well! Unfortunately we faculty often find ourselves in the position of having fewer slots than outstanding interviewees. It’s a numbers thing, and again not necessarily a reflection on you or your interview performance.
Thing 11: I have received multiple offers. Can I hold onto 2-3 offers for a while because it feels nice?
Sanity check: Technically you can. But it would be extremely inconsiderate to the waitlisted applicants at the programs whose offers you don’t intend to accept. You generally would know at that point which offer you prefer, and although you still might be waiting to hear from another program, the considerate and ethical thing to do is to decline the offer(s) you know you won’t accept, and only hold one at a time.
Thing 12: Should I buy my student host a thank you gift/card?
Sanity check: Not at all necessary, and I wouldn’t - you have already spent enough money on interview travel! An emailed thank you is appreciated and more than enough.
Thing 13: Should I send my POI a thank you card?
Sanity check: Nope. Again an email is more than enough.
 
Good luck, everyone! If this year doesn’t work out for you, don’t give up, and if it does, congratulations and best wishes with your program!

I can empathize with how challenging it is to know what the best route is and how to strengthen your CV while economizing your time as much as you can!
With regard to your first question about a postgrad certificate/diploma to improve your grades - I think this is a great idea, especially if you take some courses you don't have. Eventually, you will need to take a social psych class anyways to fulfill the breadth requirements for registering as a psychologist. Maybe look into what courses you may be missing and will need in order to register, and use this time to get them out of the way before you start a grad program as well as boosting your GPA. A BSc doesn't ultimately matter when applying to clinical programs - plenty of people get in with BAs (myself included).
For your second question about doing a PhD in the UK and then coming back to do an additional PhD - this is a challenging decision.I will say that it is exceedingly uncommon in Canada to do a terminal clinical MSc/MA. Most programs are set up with the expectation that you continue on to your PhD after completing your masters. I'm not sure based on your post if you are mostly interested in clinical work or clinical research? Your decision between your PhD in the UK and a clinical psych program should ultimately come down to what you are most interested in doing research-wise. I don't think there is any reason to continue with your PhD in the UK if you ultimately want out of research in the end, since that won't get you doing clinical work. I think it is also unnecessary to do all the research involved in a clinical PhD if all you want to do is practice, since there are other options for working with the populations you want to work with that don't involve (as much) research. That being said, the truth of clinical programs is that most of those who graduate from them end up working in clinical practice and not in research. I think this is a fact that many ignore because of the research intensity during programs.
Taken together, in my opinion, you should consider taking some breadth psych courses you need to register (e.g., social psych, history of psych, etc.) and get your GPA up. This will not be a waste of time, as you will need to take these courses eventually if you want to be a clinical psychologist. Then, apply and see what happens. Your CV is otherwise stellar and I have no doubt someone would want to take you as a student so long as you meet the GPA cutoff. If you go through your first application cycle without success, reassess again what you want to do and go from there. 

I wanted to go to med school at first. 
I chose to do a PhD instead for a few reasons. Mainly, I wasn’t that interested in prescribing meds and really wanted to do psychological assessment. I think I’d struggle to get through med school because I’m only interested in a few areas of medicine, and I would miss the research component of grad school. I also like my sleep schedule so I wouldn’t be able to handle night shifts or working days on end haha 
You should really consider the financial aspect. Obviously you’ll have far less debt coming from a PhD program than MD, but you’ll also make much less. If I was more into meds/psychopharmacology, the higher salary would very appealing.