Research

[eagle4life]

My understanding is research experience is of great importance when applying to Phd Clinical Psychology programs. My question is if the type of research that an undergraduate has done will negatively affect their chances of getting in. I have been an RA at my university since my freshman year but most of it is social psychology research and has no clinical basis whatsoever. Will this hurt my chances in any way?

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[bmedclinic]

Probably not alot. Sure, they'd love it if you had been a RA for a great clinical trial. But honestly, what you take from that experience is what's important. If from that experience, you learned how to be a researcher, but all the while knew you wanted to do clinical work and clinical research, no one will have a problem at all. My undergrad experience was in metacognition, and as best I recall no one ever asked me about why I had that experience instead of clinical experience.

 

[bmedclinic]

Also, see the post-bac research continuity in grad school thread. Basically the same types of responses in there, though.