Accepted to Alternate Track

[473912]

I was recently accepted to a PsyD program. I'm very excited. We had to rank our track preferences, 1) Child/Adolescent 2) Forensic 3) Adult.... in my case.

I wanted to go into child psychology and look at self-image, and ego strength in building a functional adult, but I was accepted to the adult track. I suppose I could still study these things, but when it comes to adults, I'd like to study traits and correlations and lean closer to a psychological profiler type goal.

I'd like to hear from people who started wanting to study something specific and by chance or choice had to choose something else. How did that work out for you? Any regrets?

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[WisNeuro]

I switched focuses (PTSD/resilience to neuropsych) but I always stayed within my desired population for the most part, adults. If possible, you may want to still try to get plenty of adjunct child experiences to keep that avenue open for internship apps.

Also, with the goal of psychological profiler. You may want to speak with someone in the field. I actually interviewed an FBI profiler back in the day. The reality is far different than the hollywood perception. Also, there are not many of those jobs out there, and the majority get recruited rather than applied for the job.

 

[PsychScience]

I was recently accepted to a PsyD program. I'm very excited. We had to rank our track preferences, 1) Child/Adolescent 2) Forensic 3) Adult.... in my case.

I wanted to go into child psychology and look at self-image, and ego strength in building a functional adult, but I was accepted to the adult track. I suppose I could still study these things, but when it comes to adults, I'd like to study traits and correlations and lean closer to a psychological profiler type goal.

I'd like to hear from people who started wanting to study something specific and by chance or choice had to choose something else. How did that work out for you? Any regrets?

I have to be honest, I am somewhat surprised that a program would accept you for a track that sounds very different from your actual interests? Seems like it would be a disservice to you and the program...

This being said, I think plenty of people switch gears at some point in their training. For me, I started out wanting to do research on community-based interventions, particularly school-based, with children/family/teachers, but my interests switched to more hospital/pediatric settings and working with chronic illness/disability, particularly transition issues. It worked out well for me. I ended up getting a 2-year clinical/research post-doc in pediatric rehab, which I love and has been a phenomenal fit. My only regret is that I did not realize my interest in the area sooner.

However, I wonder if I would feel less enthusiastic if the change was forced upon me by an external force, like a program, rather than a natural progression of my interests? Additionally, I don't think my switch in interests was really that drastic. Although, I did know people in my program who made more dramatic changes, such as going from child to adult interests, switching from neuro to more clinical/therapeutic interests, so it happens. But again, the people I know who did change interests, did so out of their own initiative, which I think is an important point to consider.

 

[erg923]

I was recently accepted to a PsyD program. I'm very excited. We had to rank our track preferences, 1) Child/Adolescent 2) Forensic 3) Adult.... in my case.

I wanted to go into child psychology and look at self-image, and ego strength in building a functional adult, but I was accepted to the adult track. I suppose I could still study these things, but when it comes to adults, I'd like to study traits and correlations and lean closer to a psychological profiler type goal.

I'd like to hear from people who started wanting to study something specific and by chance or choice had to choose something else. How did that work out for you? Any regrets?

This is Psy.D program. How much researching in these very specific areas do you really think you are going to get? I would assume these tracks indicate your clinical focus and help to direct practicum, elective coursework, and maybe the dissertation.

 

[BuckeyeLove]

psychological profiler type goal

I would be wary about any program that promulgates this stuff while also saying they are teaching you psychological science. If anything, approach it as a skeptic. We have a hard enough time predicting violence with folks in a normal population with whom we have a thorough history, they are sitting right in front of us, while also using empirically derived risk factors. The people I've seen qualify themselves as "expert criminal profilers" often aren't saying anything that a laymen couldn't also infer. They also often tend to have lots of misses, but conveniently, people tend to only focus on the minority percentage of hits. I shudder thinking about the amount of Type II error that occurs with this stuff.

 

[ClinicalABA]

I have to be honest, I am somewhat surprised that a program would accept you for a track that sounds very different from your actual interests?

Actually, the original poster indicated that s/he ranked the adult track as a third choice. If (and it's a big if!) there were other options, than that would suggest that it's an area of some interest. If there are only 3 tracks, and you have to pick after acceptance and enrollment, then I'd be wary. Having come from a mentor model (where you apply to work with a specific faculty, concentrating in a specific area, and- assuming you meet basic program requirements- are accepted by that mentor), that would seem like a shaky proposition to me. If you are paying a lot (anything?) to do so, it's even worse.

That said (and in line with what's asked for in the OP)- During grad school, my clinical and research focus was behavioral gerontology. Average age of my dissertation subjects was 73. Currently, average age of my clients is ~30 months, and I don't have any older than 8. Now, there are some connections between the populations (severe behavior problems, non-verbal, caregiver consult), but it's quite a difference.

 

[PsychScience]

Actually, the original poster indicated that s/he ranked the adult track as a third choice. If (and it's a big if!) there were other options, than that would suggest that it's an area of some interest. If there are only 3 tracks, and you have to pick after acceptance and enrollment, then I'd be wary.

That's a good point, I will readily admit I am unfamiliar with the idea of "ranking" tracks for graduate school. I simply read it as their 3rd and last interest.

 

[473912]

Oh yeah. I know profilers aren't all the glamor you see on TV, but I still find it fascinating! I'd like to talk one to get a better idea. I imagine there's tons of type-2, but that's everywhere, like you said. You research and do the best you can.

The program doesn't have a specific psych profiler track, it's just something I might want to nudge my adult track towards. There are 7 tracks I think (adult, child, forensic, health, organizational, neuro, and latino/bilingual). I got my third choice, so it's not a drastic switch completely out of my range of interests. If I was chosen for neuropsych, health, or bilingual track, I'd likely go elsewhere.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

Be aware that "tracks" tend to be 95% marketing…so don't get too caught up in one over another.

 

[WisNeuro]

Yeah, tracks mean nothing to most internship/postdoc selection committees. The quality of prac placements and scholarly activity are much more important from my experiences.

 

[473912]

Be aware that "tracks" tend to be 95% marketing…so don't get too caught up in one over another.

It certainly looks that way, now that I look at it. The practicum and intern sites are different I'm sure, but the course map is the same for everyone until last two trimesters in the 4th year.

 

[smalltownpsych]

You might want to start looking ahead at how best to set yourself up for an APA internship as it looks like about a 50/50 chance at that program.

 

[473912]

You might want to start looking ahead at how best to set yourself up for an APA internship as it looks like about a 50/50 chance at that program.

Will do.

 

[smalltownpsych]

One thing I would suggest, as I went to a professional school as well, is to make sure that for your dissertation that you do some actual original research. I have seen others dance around answering this question since they did not conduct original research whereas I can discuss my research and the findings cogently and clearly and that keeps doors open for me. Having that experience also makes me a better psychologist IMO.

 

[473912]

One thing I would suggest, as I went to a professional school as well, is to make sure that for your dissertation that you do some actual original research. I have seen others dance around answering this question since they did not conduct original research whereas I can discuss my research and the findings cogently and clearly and that keeps doors open for me. Having that experience also makes me a better psychologist IMO.

Makes perfect sense. I've interviewed with other programs where you do no research. I'm a huge fan of research, almost to the point where I wish I got into a PhD program. How much of a feather in your cap is it to be published prior to internship?

 

[erg923]

Makes perfect sense. I've interviewed with other programs where you do no research. I'm a huge fan of research, almost to the point where I wish I got into a PhD program. How much of a feather in your cap is it to be published prior to internship?

It will help, as you are competing with phd students vor internship where publishing during your training it the norm.

 

[futureapppsy2]

It will help, as you are competing with phd students vor internship where publishing during your training it the norm.

Eh, I don't know if I would exactly say publishing is the "norm" for PhD students either. The most recent appic data we have indicates that two-thirds of PhD students have one or more publications at internship app time, with most of them having 1-2. It's definitely a great and important skill to have, but it's not like most PhD students are producing multiple (or even 1 pub) a year during grad school.

 

[psychgirl77]

Grad school is often what you make of it. I started out in one specific area, but became interested in another completely different area, so I took classes and completed practicum placements in both areas. When it came time for internship I applied to both types of sites as well as ones that were more specific to only one of my interests. I ended up doing well at getting interviews at both types of sites, likely because I had the classes/practicums to back up both choices and tell a story in my cover letters that was cohesive and meant that I didn't look scattered. I didn't feel like I was held back at all by changing gears during grad school. So if there is a specific area you want to go into, just end up taking the classes/practica that you need to get there. In some cases this may mean taking more classes than other students. Do you know if you can take child classes or forensic classes in addition to the adult classes? If so, you could do that and tailor your clinical experiences to match the type of internship sites you want to apply to in the future.

 

[473912]

Do you know if you can take child classes or forensic classes in addition to the adult classes? If so, you could do that and tailor your clinical experiences to match the type of internship sites you want to apply to in the future.

I think I can. I haven't gotten the full scoop on things like that yet, but I'll look into it. Thanks.

 

[erg923]

The program doesn't have a specific psych profiler track, it's just something I might want to nudge my adult track towards. There are 7 tracks I think (adult, child, forensic, health, organizational, neuro, and latino/bilingual). I got my third choice, so it's not a drastic switch completely out of my range of interests. If I was chosen for neuropsych, health, or bilingual track, I'd likely go elsewhere.

In reality, psychologists are not profilers and profilers are not psychologists (usually seasoned law enforcment agents with additional training).