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Clin Psych - a realistic option these days?

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  • 11-05-2016 2:53pm
    #1
    freudianck
    Registered Users Posts: 1 ✭


    Hi,

    I am looking for some realistic advice. I am in my late 30's, have a psychology degree and am considering clinical psychology as a future career. I would need to do a masters, research, assistant psych work and the rest and I am aware how competitive it is. The question I have is...are people getting onto the DClin Psych courses eventually, presuming they have the right experience/quals and are suitable? Or is it the case that even those with excellent experience etc. are not guaranteed a place eventually?

    What do people who give up on the process go on to do? Or do most who persevere succeed eventually? I guess I feel that if there is a big chance I may not succeed, perhaps it is not worth making a career change for. I'm asking because someone I know who is an experienced Clin Psych told me recently that he is telling people to have a 'plan B' as he doesn't think all will succeed, even though they are doing all the right things.

    Thanks!


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    #2
    JuliusCaesar
    Registered Users Posts: 4,882 ✭✭✭JuliusCaesar


    http://www.ucd.ie/t4cms/IrishClinicalTrainingProgrammes.pdf

    http://postgradireland.com/course/7008


    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055629832

    http://www.lenus.ie/hse/bitstream/10147/118070/1/Inpursuitclinicaltraining.pdf

    https://books.google.ie/books?id=u4aDPdw0Fi4C&pg=PA31&lpg=PA31&dq=How+many+applicants+for+how+many+Clinical+Psychology+places+in+Ireland&source=bl&ots=_XmN1Z5SOl&sig=2SGY7J9jX3jX0Zcc9Ruyb-pD1yk&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi5gfqwqdTMAhXKCsAKHYC_DdI4ChDoAQgzMAQ#v=onepage&q=How%20many%20applicants%20for%20how%20many%20Clinical%20Psychology%20places%20in%20Ireland&f=false Only 20-30% of applicants get places...


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    #3
    gcalvert91
    Registered Users Posts: 60 ✭✭gcalvert91


    freudianck wrote: »
    Hi,

    I am looking for some realistic advice. I am in my late 30's, have a psychology degree and am considering clinical psychology as a future career. I would need to do a masters, research, assistant psych work and the rest and I am aware how competitive it is. The question I have is...are people getting onto the DClin Psych courses eventually, presuming they have the right experience/quals and are suitable? Or is it the case that even those with excellent experience etc. are not guaranteed a place eventually?

    What do people who give up on the process go on to do? Or do most who persevere succeed eventually? I guess I feel that if there is a big chance I may not succeed, perhaps it is not worth making a career change for. I'm asking because someone I know who is an experienced Clin Psych told me recently that he is telling people to have a 'plan B' as he doesn't think all will succeed, even though they are doing all the right things.

    Thanks!

    The harsh reality is that many excellent candidates do not succeed in getting onto the DClinPsych courses. They are heavily oversubscribed and many candidates 'slip through the net'. Many of the people that I know who aspired to become Clinical Psychologists turned their attention to other endeavours (e.g. probation work, social work, youth work, etc.). Others are still trying to get onto the courses and work god-awful jobs that are loosely clinical and paid atrociously.

    Do not be deluded into believing the argument that perseverence will get you onto the course. It goes without saying that it takes considerable commitment, effort, and time to be successful; however, it is important to remain realistic.

    If you are considering a masters, I would recommend doing one that includes a clinical placement. If you're mobile, there are two masters courses in Scotland, during which you are employed as an associate psychologist throughout the year. One of my friends got onto one of the courses this year and she told me that she is being paid a salary of about 23K.

    MSc Psychological Therapy in Primary Care (Dundee/Stirling)
    The other MSc is taught at the University of Edinburgh, however, I cannot remember the name of it.


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    #4
    Faith
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,657 Mod ✭✭✭✭Faith


    It's an option, but it takes time. A masters is not necessary if you can prove academic competency in another way, either through extra training, experience or very high undergraduate grades. You don't need to work as both a research assistant and assistance psychologist. You need to show that you're comfortable with and able for research at a doctoral level. You also need at least a year of clinically relevant experience. So an RA post that involves clinical work would cover that base. Or else you can aim to work as an AP for a couple of years.

    I'm starting my training in September, 5 years after graduating from my psychology UG degree. It has been a long, hard path and if I didn't get on this year, I was going to give up. You need enormous resilience and patience. But nothing is guaranteed. Some people think they're cut out for this path, but aren't. Others get on with their first application and a minimum of experience. A huge amount of it, IMO, is your personality. You might have all of the experience, all of the knowledge, all of the skill... But sometimes that's not enough.

    If you want it, go for it. But it is absolutely a hard, and often demoralising, path!


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