how did you become a psychologist??

I'm considering a career change to Occupational Psychology so sincere
thanks to everyone who posted here. Just read through the thread and all the info is very useful, plus I am going to check out the various websites etc suggested.

If anyone can help me with some advice about my own circumstances though, I'd be very grateful.

I have a first degree in business studies and have taken a year out to do an HR research masters which I'm completing this month. Unexpectedly I now have a place at another uni to do a full-time taught masters in occupational psychology during '09/'10 and have been told informally that next year I should have no problem being accepted by my current uni to do a part-time Phd in occupational psychology. I will need to return to full-time work next summer. I've been an HR practitioner in multinationals for more than ten years and enjoy the job, so I'm unsure whether to proceed as indicated above, stay in HR and leverage higher level roles off my improved qualifications, or specialise in occupational psychology. The parts of HR that are encompassed by occupational psychology are the parts of the job that I prefer and have a real aptitude for. Also, I've really enjoyed doing the research masters and its been a great learning curve for attempting further research.

For the moment I'm not overly concerned about which career path to take as I don't have to make any decisions soon, but I'd really welcome any advice or thoughts from anyone working in my areas of interest - HR or occupational psychology. No doubt at some point, I'll have this discussion with the occ psy faculty during the coming year, but any insights from practitioners would be good too.

Thanks!

hi i am looking to see if anyone can help me to find out how i can become a psychologist and where to start and career opportunity's, i would especially like to know really what is the first step to becoming a psychologist

Hi this question is for Gibs if he is still on here 8 years later haha- or anyone else who has pertinent information- I'm an American living in Dublin for almost 3 years. I am considering doing a Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology at a university in Chicago but was wondering if after the degree I could return to Dublin to fulfil licensure requirements here or if I would have had to have a post-graduate degree here in Ireland to have the degree be applicable?

JuliusCaesar wrote: »

Your best bet is to ring PSI - the Psychological Society of Ireland - to see if they have any reciprocal agreements with Licencing authorities in the States, and what their process is for recognising foreign degrees.

Thank you JuliusCaesar, I did ask PSI and they said since they aren't a regulatory body for psychologists in Ireland I actually would need to go to the Department of Health, that is if I wanted to work in the Irish Public Health sector. I sent them a message asking also about licensure, like if it would be possible once I obtain my Masters to do the practical hours here in Dublin. I also asked if all practicing psychologists in Ireland are regulated under them- I assume there is the Public Health Sector and then private practice? I just wasn't sure if there was an overall regulatory system that psychologists who want to practice would need to go through before seeking employment through any sector.
Thanks again so much for your help!

Erikajbraun wrote: »

I did ask PSI and they said since they aren't a regulatory body for psychologists in Ireland I actually would need to go to the Department of Health

Did you get onto CORU? And did they give you a reply?

Labarbapostiza wrote: »

My belief is that everyone in psychotherapy and psychiatry, have come, because they have a wound that just will not heal.

:rolleyes:
And sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

Only another month and a bit 'till September

It used to be The-September-that-never-ends now its will-September-ever-hurry-up

There must be other ways to become a registered psychologist with PSI because not all of them have done doctorates in counselling psychology. And it says in the accreditation guidelines that time spent as an 'Assistant Psychologist' do not count as experience. So I'm presuming there are other routes. A PhD for example.

Having a basic (bachelor of arts) degree in psychology does not make you a psychologist. You can however obtain graduate membership with the PSI with such a degree.

Assistant-psychologist posts are ideal experience to show your dedication to the field of psychology and are seen as the best route to take in order to gain access to clinical training programmes (Doctor of Clinical Psychology). Of course, just having assistant-psych posts doesn't automatically grant you passage to a DClinPsy course. You have to apply, interview and be successful.

Old-school clinical psychologists wont have a Doctorate because they didn't need them back in the day. Nowadays, if you dont have a doctorate in clinical psychology then you cannot practice as a clinical psychologist. There are other doctorates you can do such as counselling/educational/forensic psychology. In Ireland, you can train an an Educational psych without a doctorate but in the UK you must have the Doctoral training.

A PhD is a research doctorate so this is a good degree if you want to be a research/academic psychologist. In my training, some of my classmates had already done a PhD and then went on to do the clinical training doctorate (DClinPsy). This is not the norm but obviously the University looked on their experience favourably. It's very impressive but you dont really need a PhD to get into clinical training. A masters will definitely help though. Competition for places is very much alive and well.

Hope this makes things a bit clearer.