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[RemyArgo]

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Here's the story.

I'm in a transitory period, a crossroads, and I'm weighing going to the psych field after completing the whole of pre-med/clinical exposure. My undergrad was in psych (3.67) and I decided to pursue the pre-med route to keep my options open. Now that that's been done, I have the time to consider what subject area/lifestyle/etcetc appeals more to me. The subjects while in undergrad that interested me most was in cognition, specifically a class in memory and amnesia, and cognitive neuroscience, although the social/clinical aspect of psychology does interest me.

Anyhow, long story short, can anyone in the field/training to go into the field give feedback/your stories, mainly in terms of fulfillment, intellectual interest, rigours of the field, etc etc ? Basically, how much do you enjoy what you're doing, why do you enjoy it, why/how did you decide to do what you do, etc.?

Thanks so much!

 

[RemyArgo]

Also, while I do realize that this Q is vague and takes some of your time, it would really help by giving me a broader base of information to work with and, consequently, help base decisions on. Basically, you'd really help a possible, future ...co-? out.

Arrows towards additional resources are also appreciated!

 

[RemyArgo]

arg. sorry, but also to give y'all a better idea of what i'm looking for....
academic(/research-oriented) vs clinical, venues/possible uses of a Masters vs psyD, vs phD. Time, $, fulfillment, etc
etc

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

There have been a number of threads on here (and in the Psy.D. / Ph.D forum), though you'll need to search for them....as I don't think the topic has come up in a few months.

In general, each degree is different (scope, length, etc), so it can be hard to try and compare directly. A lot of it goes to what you want to do as a career, and then figuring out what type of degree you need to get there.

 

[2BeAProfessor]

COnsider this: (this is paraphrased research findings by a management professor)
People work for three reasons
Job - for making money
Career - where they accomplish goals and want to reach a peak
Passion - where their work gives them lifelong fulfillment.

Now, consider this:
When you do a type of work enough, you become happy doing it...i.e. you create happiness in the work environment you're in - so you are satisfied at the end of the day~!
(look up one of the TED talks on youtube by Daniel Gilbert - he has about three and you'll know what I mean by saying "synthetic happiness")

 

[RemyArgo]

I'll agree with your first two postulates. People do work in jobs for the money and a the idea of a career does necessitate creating and achieving salient end points. But, I'll also have to say that the idea of a goal in the context of a career is "necessary, but not sufficient." (As SO many profs. say.) And I really have to disagree with that definition of passion. Especially when you (not necessarily you) derive happiness as part of the process. (And I won't even touch that point because that gets into a WHOLE other argument).

Consider this-
You have a job. Let's go with the assumption that you receive just compensation for your work. (Which - OGOD - I don't) You do it well and do it enough so that it becomes "programmed"/second nature/ingrained. It ceases to be interesting. A defining characteristic of passion is the absence of the desired object, be it skills, a feeling, or a bagel. (The things necessary for "achieving goals") Once that objective is achieved, then you possess it. Thus goes passion.

Let's even say that your job is constant in its inconsistency. Random ****in' chaos, like a red light party. Eventually, a pattern of commonality will emerge, since you, as the employed even if its self-employment, are given a title or role around which all assignments are based. I make this assumption because a role within a defined infrastructure (the said "job) will be given to you (and hopefully it'll be based around your interests and temperament). It is your center in that particular area. Eventually, that role will be exhausted. The actual tasks you are given may never cease, but the pre-defined skills, temperament, etc. necessary to complete those tasks will eventually (hopefully) be obtained. Unless you're not trying. But that simply means that your role doesn't suit you (by whatever parameters you choose).

Now, I'm not saying that happiness, passion and career are mutually exclusive. By no means. I'm just objecting to your assessment of this situation; the implication that repetition and success will bring happiness; and your definition of happiness, even within that context.



ANYHOW, a more specific question -

Cognitive psychology. Memory formation. Any recs. for schools/programs/info ?

Backstory- I had an amazing experience in this old class o mine- Memory and Amnesia. The professor worked with Project Innocence and "specialized" in, I believe, the role of the hippocampus in memory formation. Great stuff. Sparked an interest in the area of memory formation. That and I also seem to have an interest in the P2P sort of model of memory activation (i forgot the exact term). sorry for the vague statements, but its been a few years since I've been in.

Thanks!

 

[RemyArgo]

Also - going back to the original question - this is probably a better way to put it

I have a broad spectrum of interests that goes beyond academia and I want to interact with the "real" world. And I suppose in some helpful way. But I also don't wanna spend a lifetime simply researching. Nothing against it by any means - I just need "activity" and activity tied to interests. (Maybe I just want it all, MWAHAHAHAHA) I guess I just wanna figure the mentality of those already in the field to better understand what to expect within a specific, given field, and to figure if it suits me/I suit it.

Thanks again!

 

[RemyArgo]

I'll agree with your first two postulates. People do work in jobs for the money and a the idea of a career does necessitate creating and achieving salient end points. But, I'll also have to say that the idea of a goal in the context of a career is "necessary, but not sufficient." (As SO many profs. say.) And I really have to disagree with that definition of passion. Especially when you (not necessarily you) derive happiness as part of the process. (And I won't even touch that point because that gets into a WHOLE other argument).

Consider this-
You have a job. Let's go with the assumption that you receive just compensation for your work. (Which - OGOD - I don't) You do it well and do it enough so that it becomes "programmed"/second nature/ingrained. It ceases to be interesting. A defining characteristic of passion is the absence of the desired object, be it skills, a feeling, or a bagel. (The things necessary for "achieving goals") Once that objective is achieved, then you possess it. Thus goes passion.

Let's even say that your job is constant in its inconsistency. Random ****in' chaos, like a red light party. Eventually, a pattern of commonality will emerge, since you, as the employed even if its self-employment, are given a title or role around which all assignments are based. I make this assumption because a role within a defined infrastructure (the said "job) will be given to you (and hopefully it'll be based around your interests and temperament). It is your center in that particular area. Eventually, that role will be exhausted. The actual tasks you are given may never cease, but the pre-defined skills, temperament, etc. necessary to complete those tasks will eventually (hopefully) be obtained. Unless you're not trying. But that simply means that your role doesn't suit you (by whatever parameters you choose).

Now, I'm not saying that happiness, passion and career are mutually exclusive. By no means. I'm just objecting to your assessment of this situation; the implication that repetition and success will bring happiness; and your definition of happiness, even within that context.



ANYHOW, a more specific question -

Cognitive psychology. Memory formation. Any recs. for schools/programs/info ?

Backstory- I had an amazing experience in this old class o mine- Memory and Amnesia. The professor worked with Project Innocence and "specialized" in, I believe, the role of the hippocampus in memory formation. Great stuff. Sparked an interest in the area of memory formation. That and I also seem to have an interest in the P2P sort of model of memory activation (i forgot the exact term). sorry for the vague statements, but its been a few years since I've been in.

Thanks!