Becoming an LPC after getting your masters, while your in your Ph.D. program

[neuropsyance]

Hey everybody,

My Ph.D. program just set up a new mentor program, where you get matched with a past graduate who is working in the area. I met my mentor (awesome guy!) and we had a pretty good discussion and I got a lot of answers to a lot of questions. He gave me some interesting advice I had never heard before though. Just wondering how common practice it is, and if you all think it is worth doing...

He said that once I have enough post-masters hours, I should become an LPC, so that when I start my external placement at hospitals, I can bill for them (and also on internship).

Is this a good idea?

Would I be able to get paid at these external placements if I did this?

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[edieb]

I am sorry, but that is downright silly advice: No internship is going to let you bill for your services. Getting an LPC might make you more competitive at a few internship sites (only because THEY want to bill for your services). however, IMO it is not worth the money or time to pursue this

 

[stigmata]

200% agree

 

[pingouin]

I just don't understand how you'd get the post-masters hours you need for licensure while enrolled in a PhD program.

Check your state's rules/regs, but in my state, masters-level licensure hours (LPC and LCSW) require that

1. You accrue a minimum of 3000 supervised work hours within 24-48 months (allows for part-time employment)
2. Eligible work hours must be through PAID employment, not volunteer work
3. Eligible work hours must not be part of the requirements for another educational program

Anything done for the PhD program would be ineligible, and I struggle to see how anyone who's in a rigorous clinical psych program could concurrently hold down 20+ hours of LPC-eligible work per week for any length of time.

 

[neuropsyance]

This is exactly why I wanted to run it by others.

 

[Neuropsych2be]

Actually if you can swing it, it might be a good idea. It would probably help you during that post-doc year where you need supervision prior to getting a license as a psychologist. If you can do billable work as an LPC, getting that post-doc supervision may be much easier. Since I had a terminal masters prior to doing my Ph.D. program I will probably go for an LPC so I am less liley to get caught in the post-doc trap of trying to get the supervision hours without being able to do any billable activity. I probably won't help too much for practicum or internship. No practicum or internship site will allow you to bill independently for services you provide at their facility.

 

[aagman01]

Are you sure what you wrote is applicable to everyone? My understanding is that LPC requirements vary by state.

I just don't understand how you'd get the post-masters hours you need for licensure while enrolled in a PhD program.

Check your state's rules/regs, but in my state, masters-level licensure hours (LPC and LCSW) require that

1. You accrue a minimum of 3000 supervised work hours within 24-48 months (allows for part-time employment)
2. Eligible work hours must be through PAID employment, not volunteer work
3. Eligible work hours must not be part of the requirements for another educational program

Anything done for the PhD program would be ineligible, and I struggle to see how anyone who's in a rigorous clinical psych program could concurrently hold down 20+ hours of LPC-eligible work per week for any length of time.

 

[neuropsyance]

Are you sure what you wrote is applicable to everyone? My understanding is that LPC requirements vary by state.

They do for sure. I'm trying to find the requirements for Wisconsin, but haven't been able to yet. I might consider this to help me with the whole getting supervised hours thing after the Ph.D.

Anybody have a website or something that lists requirements for various states?

I'm pretty skeptical that it's even possible or plausible, not too mention I plan on doing a post-doc anyways. So what'd be the point.

 

[pingouin]

Are you sure what you wrote is applicable to everyone? My understanding is that LPC requirements vary by state.

I just don't understand how you'd get the post-masters hours you need for licensure while enrolled in a PhD program.

Check your state's rules/regs, but in my state, masters-level licensure hours (LPC and LCSW) require that

1. You accrue a minimum of 3000 supervised work hours within 24-48 months (allows for part-time employment)
2. Eligible work hours must be through PAID employment, not volunteer work
3. Eligible work hours must not be part of the requirements for another educational program

Anything done for the PhD program would be ineligible, and I struggle to see how anyone who's in a rigorous clinical psych program could concurrently hold down 20+ hours of LPC-eligible work per week for any length of time.

see bolded from my original post

 

[erg923]

Even if you could do this at a practicum site, (which you cant, I guarantee) I dont understand the point or advantage. You dont get any of that money...you're not in private practice!

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

It would make sense if you were in your 5th year, working on your dissertation, and you had a license and wanted to see a few people for side money...but I don't see how you could get hired and count any hours because it'd be "double dipping" training hours for one degree while also counting them as billable licensed hours for another.