Training Topics

1
Training Topics

• Qualifications
• Process of applying for and gaining admission
• Alternatives to clinical psychology training
• Program content
• Similarities differencesPh.D. vs. PsyD

2
Qualifications

• Major in psychology (or equivalent)
• Lab psych course and/or elementary stats,
  abnormal course
• Good grades, GRE scores
• Research experience (for Ph.D. programs)
• Clinical experience desirable, but not common

3
Application/Admission Process

• Multi-application strategy!
• APA and privately published books on
  required/typical GPA/GRE scores, program emphases
• Grades typically 3.33.5 required (Ph.D.), 3.0
  (PsyD)

4
Application/Admission, contd

• GRE 600 required (at MN) on each part TOEFL
  used instead of GRE-V for foreign institution
  (non-English) grads
• Research experience (authorship of
  publications/presentations helpful but not
  essential for Ph.D.)
• Clinical (-like) experience, e.g., working with
  homeless, is a plus

5
Application Personal Statement

• Dont get too artsy/creative
• VERY IMPORTANT thoughtfully to address
• Career goals
• Program selection (match) (for Ph.D. programs
  this is essential)
• Emphasize research interests (Ph.D.), clinical
  interests (PsyD)
• Often asked why you want to go into psychology,
  or how you got interestedgive sensible answers

6
Letters of Recommendation

• Get 2 or more (of 3 required) from psychologists
• Get professors that know you well, especially
  ones with whom you did research (if applying to
  Ph.D. programs), people with whom you had some
  kind of human-services type contact (if applying
  to PsyD programs)

7
Interview

• Many schools require this
• Midwest programs less likely to require interview
• Campus visit if possible a very good idea, in any
  case
• Some competitive Ph.D. programs will pay
  promising applicants to come visit, prior to
  making decision whether to accept admission

8
Chances of Admission

• Cant calculate accurate odds, across all
  programs applied to (because theres no national
  match)
• Recent Ph.D. U of MN, 200 applicants, admit
  maybe 12 (8 accept) 54 in program at any one
  time
• Recent PsyD Argosy U (MSPP), 185 applicants,
  admit 85 (54 accept) 337 in program

9
Alternatives

• Try again next year
• Do something to improve credentials, e.g.,
  research experience with publications
• Easier fields to enter
• PsyD (if Ph.D. was first choice)
• Counseling psychology Ph.D.
• Masters level psychology programs, but
  opportunity limits, due to problems with
• Licensure in many states
• Third party reimbursement

10
Alternatives, contd

• MD psychiatry (about 50 admission to med school,
  if you apply)
• Social work MSW, LICSW
• Family Social Science (or other program leading
  to Ph.D., LMFT)
• Chemical dependency counselor (BA-level training
  available)

11
Choosing Program

• There is no best program, any will do (or at
  least any accredited one)
• Reputation relatively unimportant, in long run,
  given training quality acceptable to you
• Training foci (e.g., MN severe psycho-pathology,
  Vanderbilt therapy research)
• Specific faculty interests (Ph.D. programs)
• Funding, geography, significant others plans,
  etc.

12
Ph.D./PsyD Common Program Content

• Didactic coursework 23 years
• Close relationship with advisor (esp. Ph.D.)
• Comprehensive (preliminary) exams
• Multiple practica
• Predoctoral internship

13
Typical Coursework

• Intellectual Assessment (e.g., Wechsler Adult
  Intelligence Scale)
• Neuropsychological Assessment (screening level
  only)
• Objective Personality Assessment (e.g., MMPI-2)
• Many programs require Projectives (e.g.,
  Rorschach), others have elective, relatively few
  offer no projectives training

14
More Typical Courses

• Descriptive Psychopathology (DSM) may be
  combined with interviewing
• Experimental Psychopathology/Research in
  Psychopathology
• Psychotherapy Research (chiefly outcomes)
• Psychotherapy Techniques
• Ethics
• Research Design/Intermediate Statistics, Advanced
  Statistics

15
Specific Ph.D. Program Content

• Research work with advisor
• May require MA thesis
• Prospectus (plan) research dissertation
• Funding
• Usually 4 years covered (fellowship, RA, TA)
  with tuition remission, most fees paid modest
  stipend (i.e., you wont get rich)

16
Specific PsyD Program Features

• Usually more required courses than Ph.D.
• More required practica, more practica overall
  than Ph.D. (1.52X)
• Final comprehensive/integration paper (clinical
  research review with theoretical focus, not
  original research)
• Funding a problem MSPP 13,000 per year
  (figures several years old), few fellowships or
  substantial scholarships