biology/brain and clinical psych

[brightness]

Hello all,
As many of you know...I really don't know what I'm doing. BUT, I've thought a great deal about clinical psychology. One of my main issues with clinical psych is that I have a huge interest in the biological determinants of behavior, and even in medication management. I think the clinical psych path is for me, but I also want to learn about the brain and I'd really love to be able to manage medication. How have some of you incorporated this interest into your career/education in clinical psych? I'd love some input.

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[Therapist4Chnge]

You can always go the health/neuro route, and then do the prescription privileges training. I think it really depends on what you want to focus on as a career when you get out. I debated between psychiatry and clinical psych, and chose the latter because my clinical interests out-weighed what I would have done as an MD.

My personal bias is that the RxP training provides the best of both worlds, but it really depends on what you want to do with it. If meds management is the majority of what you want to do, I'd suggest psychiatry. If you want to do more therapy, teaching, research, etc.....clinical may be the way to go.

-t

 

[havesomefaith]

Hello all,
As many of you know...I really don't know what I'm doing. BUT, I've thought a great deal about clinical psychology. One of my main issues with clinical psych is that I have a huge interest in the biological determinants of behavior, and even in medication management. I think the clinical psych path is for me, but I also want to learn about the brain and I'd really love to be able to manage medication. How have some of you incorporated this interest into your career/education in clinical psych? I'd love some input.

Hi brightness!
I just wanted to say, I think I might be lost in the same way as you
I've been interested in clinical psychology for as long as I can remember,
but after working at a counseling center for a couple years and spending
a lot of time at the psychiatric clinic that runs the center, I realize how important it is to understand the neurological and biological aspects of a client's behavior. Most of the counselors working in my country are therapists and they don't really have much experience working with severe cases and I looks to me like they rely too much on therapy alone. So for a while, I was seriously considering med school, but its not a
realistic option for me (I'm an international student). So now I'm thinking of 1) getting in clinical program with a neuropsych track, 2) masters in neurology (are there any? not sure) before clinical, or 3) doing a neurology/neuropsych post-doc.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

If I did it over again, I'd do more of a neuro focus. All of the neuro info has only strengthened my clinical skills and made sense of many things that otherwise would have seemed 'random'.

-t

 

[Psychman23]

Know of any clinical programs that give you both a health and neuro curriculuum? Sort of like a joint program?

Thanks.
D

 

[Kajukenbo]

Know of any clinical programs that give you both a health and neuro curriculuum? Sort of like a joint program?

Thanks.
D

[SIZE=-1]SDSU/UCSD has a Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology. Neuropsych and health psych are some of the specialties offered. Here is the link to the program: http://www.psychology.sdsu.edu/doctoral/[/SIZE]