How To Get Experience In Clinical Psychology

What You Can Do

Psychologists who provide clinical or counseling services are trained in a range of techniques and theoretical approaches, making hospitals, schools, counseling centers, group or private health care practices and hospital systems all good places to launch a career. Some psychologists working in clinical practice choose to specialize in treating those with chronic illnesses such as obesity or diabetes others specialize in treating people with specific psychological disorders, such as anxiety, schizophrenia or depression. Others work with school children who have learning disabilities or in college counseling centers to promote wellness and academic success.

If you are passionate about working with special populations like children, the economically disadvantaged or seniors, you might consider looking at community-based organizations that work with these groups.

If You Have Already Completed A Master’s Degree

The majority of our students enter our program without prior graduate training and complete both a masters and doctoral degree in our program. Occasionally, however, we admit students who have already completed a masters degree in a related field . In these cases, students typically need to complete all of our clinically-oriented masters course work before beginning doctoral studies. Typically they do not have to repeat a masters thesis. Although there is variability in how admission is handled at the administrative level, the more common path is for a student to be admitted into the masters program, complete masters level coursework , and then be accelerated into the doctoral program without earning a second masters degree. For example, applicants who have already have a Masters degree in Psychology or a closely-related field are required to apply to the Clinical Masters program and complete all the course work from the Masters portion of the program. Your thesis would be reviewed, but assuming that it is an empirical study you would get credit for that and not have to do another one. Once the course work is completed and depending on a variety of factors, 12 to 18 months later you would be accelerated to the doctoral program without earning a masters degree.

What Clinical Psychologists Do

Psychologists help people from all backgrounds and treat human problems common to many of us. They help people overcome depression, anger and anxiety. They also treat chronic conditions that interfere with their clients lives or physical health.

Clinical psychologists teach people to cope with stressful situations, overcome addictions, improve their relationships with their husband, wife or parents, and break through barriers that keep people from reaching their potential. They also give psychological tests to evaluate cognitive strengths and weaknesses, personality characteristics, and more.

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Areas Of Expertise In The Clinical Psychology Field

• Health psychologists study the behavioral attributes of mental and physical health in adult patients.

  Focus Areas

• Worrisome thoughts/beliefs
• stress

Health psychologists often have a biopsychosocial approach when treating patients, incorporating an extensive understanding of how biological and social factors can impact psychological health.

Common Job Titles

• Counseling Health Psychologist

Consistent, ongoing treatment includes a variety of psychotherapy and behavioral modification methods to improve symptoms. Child psychologists typically work closely with parents and teachers to incorporate collaborative therapy for patients.

Common Job Titles

• Attending Psychologist Children and Adolescents
• School Psychologist Children and Adolescents

This experimental topic examines the progress and symptoms of common neurological disorders to develop treatments and advance further research.

Common Job Titles

• Neuropsychology Specialist

Common Job Titles

• Geriatric Psychologist

Ten Tips For Aspiring Clinical Psychologists

The competition to become a Clinical Psychologist is fierce. In the UK, the constituent parts of the training are a three-year undergraduate degree which is accredited by the British Psychological Society , and a three-year taught Clinical Psychology doctorate. The doctorate is full-time candidates are employed by the NHS and complete a series of six-month placements in addition to coursework and a research project.

Psychology undergraduate students self-fund their degrees and as such, courses have flexibility about the number of students they can enrol. Psychology is consistently the second most popular degree in the UK, with an estimated 13,000 graduating each year. However, until recently, the only places offered on the doctorate were NHS funded, and therefore carefully regulated. Between 2012 and 2018, doctorate courses enrolled around 590 students per year altogether just 15% of the total number of applicants. While three courses now include self-funded places, these come with a price tag of £20k+ a year, putting them out of reach of most graduates.

Here, I offer 10 tips for aspiring Clinical Psychologists:

Please note that unfortunately I am unable to offer personalised career advice.

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Consider Primary Care Options

Another fantastic way to gain clinical experience is to consider working in primary care in a support role. There are plenty of supporting roles that you could pursue in a primary care facility or organization and gain clinical and medical experience that you can use throughout your career. Primary care is becoming an increasingly important part of the healthcare industry as the baby boomer generation ages and begins to seek new care in numbers never seen before. As this generation ages and begins to attend doctor appointments with more regularity, these healthcare roles will become a vital aspect and opportunity for passionate individuals to gain clinical experience and medical experience. Whether it’s assisting with the day to day routine, or taking on more responsibility in the healthcare environment, there is a role for everyone in a primary care office or organization. In addition, getting hired in these roles is a lot less stringent than other positions or methods we’ve outlined to gain clinical experience.

How Will My Psychology Internship Or Practicum Help Me

Not only do psychologists need to understand theory, diagnosis criteria, and treatment options, but they must also know how to build trusting relationships with each client. Because professional interpersonal skills are difficult to teach in a classroom setting, students are given the opportunity to hone them in internships and practicums. Furthermore, these experiences allow learners to see what happens behind the scenes, which helps to smooth the transition from school work to a professional role.

Internships also help students gain professional contacts in addition to offering clarification regarding which area of psychology students want to spend their careers in. To get the most out of an internship or practicum, the degree candidate should set specific goals. Students who struggle with knowing what questions to ask can make it their mission to work on that aspect.

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Why Study Clinical Psychology

Studying clinical psychology can help prepare you for a career as a clinical psychologist. Clinical psychologists receive specialized training so they can diagnose and treat mental, emotional and behavioral illnesses. Rather than prescribing medications, clinical psychologists use techniques like psychoanalytic therapy to help their patients. In addition to treating patients, clinical psychologists may participate in research and testing projects. They may also choose to teach psychology.

According to the American Psychological Association, clinical psychologists can choose from many career opportunities. Some may choose to focus on treating certain problems, like work stress or chronic conditions. Clinical psychologists may open up their own private practices, or they may work in settings like hospitals, courts, schools, the military and more. Psychologists can also choose to work with certain populations, like children, trauma survivors or veterans.

Starting your private practice could have its own benefits. When you open a private practice, you enjoy greater autonomy than you would have working at a group practice. Youll be able to set your own schedule, decide where to locate the practice, and determine the practices specialty. Theres a great deal of pride that can go along with starting your own practice, and being in charge of your own business can be freeing.

How Long Will My Internship Or Practicum Last

The length of a students pre-professional experience program varies depending on the schools requirements, the employers needs, and the degree level. A recent study of psychology program directors found that the average desired length of a practicum is 1,094 hours. However, there is no agreed-upon minimum for practicums within the psychology community. Depending on the specific area of psychology, an internship can last between six months and two years.

The area of psychology the student is studying is a factor that determines the length of the internship or practicum. The Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia requires students to complete at least 1,900 hours of supervised clinical experience in one year, which is the equivalent of a full-time job. In contrast, requires school counseling students to work 20 hours per week for 15 weeks in a school setting to earn internship credit.

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Complete Your Internship Or Practicum Hours

In order to graduate from your program, you will need to complete an extensive internship, known in many programs as your practicum. This is a set number of hours shadowing and working under a practicing clinical psychologist, designed to give you hands-on experience in the field. The number of hours varies by program, though 1,500 to 1,600 is standard. Note that the number of hours specified by the program wont always match the number of hours specified by the state in which you want to work, so make sure to check.

Take The Examination For Professional Practice In Psychology

The Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology is a licensing exam developed by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards . It is used in most U.S. states as well as most Canadian provinces. Before taking it, check with the state in which you hope to practice to make sure that your scores will be good there. Also check to make sure you know the minimum required scores so you can study accordingly.

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Types Of Clinical Psychology Programs

Becoming a clinical psychologist a psychologist that specializes in research and/or treatment of mental health involves a variety of graduate training routes. These can occur at the doctoral or masters levels . Here we overview several of the major routes for becoming a clinical psychologist.1

PhD in Clinical Psychology

The doctoral degree, earned over approximately 4-6 years , equips its recipient to conduct research, teach, and/or work as a practicing clinician. It is the most versatile of the degrees that can be earned in clinical psychology. PhD programs in clinical psychology are heavily research-focused and are typically designed around a scientist-practitioner model which idealizes the ability to both conduct research and practice. Among all graduate programs, clinical psychology doctoral programs are among the most difficult to get into admission rates are lower than that of law school, medical school, or other research-based graduate programs .1 Clinical psychology PhD programs typically provide funding to graduate students, however, thus making this route less financially burdensome.

PsyD in Clinical Psychology

Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology, Counseling Psychology, or Social Work

Apply To A Doctoral Degree Program

This may include either a Ph.D. or a PsyD program. These are similar in that theyre both terminal degrees, and both can prepare you to become a clinical psychologist. However, there are some main differences between the two:

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• A PhD or Doctor of Philosophy is more geared toward research and academia. It is perfect for those who want to teach, run studies and write papers.
• A PsyD or Doctor of Psychology is ideal for those who want to interface with patients and medical teams every day. It is geared toward those who want to be in the field.

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How Long Does It Take To Become A Clinical Psychologist

Because clinical psychologists need specialized training and must meet multiple education requirements, it can take long to become one. Clinical psychologists will need undergraduate and doctoral degrees. These requirements take eight to 12 years to complete, depending on the specific programs you enroll in and whether you study on a full- or part-time basis.

Licensure For Clinical Psychologists

Licensing requirements vary by state, although all candidates should consider general points as they prepare for licensure. Individuals interested in starting the licensing process can begin by reviewing the requirements of their states specific licensing board.

State licensing boards typically require candidates to hold a minimum of a doctoral degree in psychology from a regionally accredited college or university. Some states also require the psychology program to hold accreditation from the American Psychological Association or another related programmatic accrediting agency.

Across the nation, all states require applicants to complete and pass the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology to demonstrate their competencies in core psychology areas, including social and biological bases of behavior, assessment, and diagnosis.

Along with the educational criteria and exam requirement, candidates for psychology licensure must complete a specific amount of supervised clinical hours, determined by their states licensing board.

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Complete Supervised Work Hours

Even after you have your license and have landed a job as a clinical psychologist, you still require oversight from a working professional. For many states, this is around 2,000 hours, though it varies: For example, Michigan requires 6,000 supervised hours, whereas California requires 3,000 hours, says the American Psychological Association. To be on the safe side, Students should accrue 2,000 hours during an internship and 2,000 hours during a postdoc, on average, to meet state requirements.

While there are a lot of boxes to check, the path to a clinical psychology career is relatively streamlined and simple, so dont wait to start the process today. And always feel free to reach out if you have any questions that we can answer to speed you on your way to career success!

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What Relevant Work Experience Would I Need

It is often very competitive to obtain a place on a postgraduate course in Clinical Psychology fewer than 5 per cent of applicants are successful each year. At Southampton, the average number of applicants per place is 24.

Work experience may be just as important to a postgraduate selector as your degree. It proves that you are committed to the particular area and makes you stand out from the crowd.

It is often difficult to find work alongside a qualified Clinical Psychologist until you have graduated. You should think about the type of environment that Clinical Psychologists work in, and the type of people they work with, in order to complete relevant work experience. Undergraduates will often need to complete voluntary work before they can obtain paid work.Sometimes its challenging to find work experience in a social or health care setting. If this is the case, shadowing someone to find out more about their job would be useful or even arranging a meeting with them to discuss what their career entails. The BPS allows you to search for psychologists in your area.The following points include examples of relevant work experience some include jobs in the local area.

• Southern Health welcomes volunteers or individuals wanting to obtain short-term work experience.

• Local volunteering at hospitals in Southampton

• The Royal South Hants Hospital offers voluntary work for the League of Friends, volunteers run a small coffee shop and go out onto the wards to sell items.

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Will I Get Academic Credit For My Internship Or Practicum

Schools that require students to complete a practicum or internship usually give college credit for the experience. Often, students must turn in regular assignments to a supervising professor to get the college credit they need. Other times, the learner only has to show proof of attendance. Internships often work in much the same way. However, sometimes the licensure candidate completes an internship after earning a doctorate. In this case, the learner does not receive college credit and instead completes requirements that the state issues for licensure.

In Which Type Of Setting Will I Work

Because internships and practicums offer practical experience for a resume, it is important for psychology students to choose a program aligned with their career goals. Someone looking to work in substance abuse facilities should try to get an internship is a similar setting. Students can choose from a host of different settings, including private practices, hospitals, correctional facilities, rehabilitation facilities, and out-patient clinics. Degree candidates taking courses online can often complete their school psychology internships close to home rather than the school.

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Applying To Clinical Psychology Programs

Applying to clinical psychology programs involves many of the same steps as other psychology graduate programs. The application timelines are also the same or similar. Thus, the same resources and tips that we provide on this website for those topics apply to clinical psychology applications. However, there are a variety of different types of clinical programs to choose from, students should take relevant coursework in clinical psychology, and they might need to demonstrate not just research experience, but clinical experience as well. Here we further explore those issues.

Complete Your Undergraduate And Graduate Degrees

Most programs require that you already have a masters degree in order to apply. Some are okay with just a bachelors degree, while others wrap in the masters to the program so that you graduate with both masters and doctoral degrees. It all depends on the program. No matter what, though, you will need an undergraduate degree with a range of relevant prerequisites, so check program requirements to see what they are.

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