How much research/experience do I need to get into a Univ. PsyD program?

[BX1959]

In general, how much research experience and/or volunteer experience is required to get into a PsyD program?

I was a psych major in college, but I don't have any clinical research/volunteer experience to show for -- not even a thesis. What can/should I do in order to get ready to enter a university-based PsyD program in Fall 2016? (GREs: 169 verbal + 160 math; GPA from Middlebury = 3.63.) Oh, and is the psych GRE generally required?

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[Cheetah89]

I'm heading to a university-based PsyD next year and I have 3 years of research experience, two years of clinical experience. However, I think I could have gotten in with much less than this. It did help me get a great scholarship, though, so if you're applying to places that offer any merit-based funding, it could help.

I would suggest looking at the program websites and descriptions because they usually explain a bit about what they're looking for in their applicants. PsyD programs, even university programs, seem to be much more variable than PhDs in what they expect in terms of research involvement. I think in general, any good PsyD will want to see that youve at least gotten your feet wet in the research scene (for example, a semester volunteering in a lab).

Your grades and GREs are great! You'll definitely make any cut offs with those scores. And each program will vary in terms of the Psych GRE, but most of the places I applied did not require it.

Good luck!

 

[BX1959]

Thanks for the info, that's very helpful. Alas, I graduated back in 2013, so I'm not sure how I could build up research experience at this point. I should be able to build up clinical volunteer experience pretty fast, though -- there are lots of hospitals in the area.

At this point, I'm very much on the fence between psychiatry and clinical psychology. I never thought I would say this, but it seems that psychiatry is the simpler path, and perhaps even the easier path! (It just happens to be a much longer path.) It looks like I'll need a few years to prepare for either program -- either through research for the PsyD/PhD, or through a post-bacc for the MD.

 

[elizabethrota]

I will be beginning a PsyD program in the fall, here's my info:

Research Experience: 1 1/2 years as an RA in a physiology/addiction lab
Clinical Experience: 1 semester (Sept-Dec) internship in an acute inpatient unit for adolescents in crisis (where I basically just shadowed, but my supervisor let me contribute to group therapy and write mock core assessments of patients once I became comfortable)
Undergrad psych GPA: 4.0
Undergrad overall GPA: 3.7
GRE scores: 160 verbal, 155 math, and 4.0 writing
Psych GRE: 630
Entering the program right from undergrad

I applied to 8 PsyD program, got interviews from 6, and then was offered admission to 5 (2 of which I was originally placed high on the waitlist for, but ended up getting offers)

So as you can see, I got in with way lower GRE scores than you. I think a lot of it has to do with which schools you apply to (like whether or not they're within your "reach" so to speak) and how you sell yourself. I got help from people in my research lab with my CV and personal statements, and one person who interviewed me told me I had very strong letters so I'm sure those helped a lot. If it helps, I applied to Rutgers, Loyola Maryland, Immaculata, Chestnut Hill, George Washington, Marywood, Widener, and La Salle. I got rejected from Rutgers and Loyola, offered interviews everywhere else. I didn't get into Marywood (I got food poisoning on the day of the interview so I asked them to remove me from the applicant pool because I already decided on what school I wanted to attend), and I got waitlisted at Widener and La Salle but was then offered admission to both. Not all of these schools required the Psych GRE (I forget which ones did).

My guess is that there are SO many factors that determine whether or not you get into a school, but I think you definitely need some experience so that they know you're serious. I know one girl who went on an interview and they were basically like "how do you know you want to enter this field if you have no experience in it?"--that's gotta be a tough situation to be in.

Sorry I wrote a novel, but I know how stressful applying is so I hope that this helps!

 

[473912]

My story is similar to Cheetah89. Starting a Uni PsyD program. I had one year of research experience but almost 10 years of experience in a clinical medical setting. I know some have gotten in with much less, but I'm sure it helped me get my scholarship. Good luck!

 

[AcronymAllergy]

Thanks for the info, that's very helpful. Alas, I graduated back in 2013, so I'm not sure how I could build up research experience at this point. I should be able to build up clinical volunteer experience pretty fast, though -- there are lots of hospitals in the area.

At this point, I'm very much on the fence between psychiatry and clinical psychology. I never thought I would say this, but it seems that psychiatry is the simpler path, and perhaps even the easier path! (It just happens to be a much longer path.) It looks like I'll need a few years to prepare for either program -- either through research for the PsyD/PhD, or through a post-bacc for the MD.

Actually, not really, at least not if you're just counting direct training time (and not the time you'd need to do the post-bacc work). Psychiatry = 4 years med school + 4 years residency; psychology, on average = 4-5 years grad school + 1 year internship + 1 year post-doc (depending on state and specialty, if any).

 

[kestrelcry]

Thanks for the info, that's very helpful. Alas, I graduated back in 2013, so I'm not sure how I could build up research experience at this point. I should be able to build up clinical volunteer experience pretty fast, though -- there are lots of hospitals in the area.

I actually got 98.90% of my research experience years after I'd graduated from undergraduate. I volunteered in a lab where they were doing research in my interest area and was eventually hired as a research coordinator. I'm not saying that it's easy to find those opportunities or that it's necessarily what you should do, just that being out of undergrad is not necessarily a non-starter on the research front.

 

[smalltownpsych]

Thanks for the info, that's very helpful. Alas, I graduated back in 2013, so I'm not sure how I could build up research experience at this point. I should be able to build up clinical volunteer experience pretty fast, though -- there are lots of hospitals in the area.

At this point, I'm very much on the fence between psychiatry and clinical psychology. I never thought I would say this, but it seems that psychiatry is the simpler path, and perhaps even the easier path! (It just happens to be a much longer path.) It looks like I'll need a few years to prepare for either program -- either through research for the PsyD/PhD, or through a post-bacc for the MD.

Actually, not really, at least not if you're just counting direct training time (and not the time you'd need to do the post-bacc work). Psychiatry = 4 years med school + 4 years residency; psychology, on average = 4-5 years grad school + 1 year internship + 1 year post-doc (depending on state and specialty, if any).

Also, factoring in the time to get research experience before the doctoral program either as a research assistant or a Master's degree or a possible delay in dissertation during the doctoral program (mine took an extra year) and it could be even longer. From the time I got my BA in 1999, it took me until 2010 to get my license to practice. If I had to do it all over, I don't know if I would shoot for med school first or not. The truth is that the option didn't really cross my mind because I was clear since about 1995 that I wanted to be a clinical psychologist even though I didn't know how to go about achieving that and there was no SDN to help either!

 

[Doctor Eliza]

There is how long grad school takes theoretically, on paper and how long it ends up actually taking. My experience was similar to smalltownpsych in terms of time to licensure. It is not a short path by any means!