Disappointment on many fronts:
1 - PhDs are paid barely anymore than a social worker. In fact social workers in the homeless programs are paid more than PhDs. In fact, PhDs are paid less than master's level nurses...
2 - Despite what was stated in the last APA Monitor about psychologists having "similar salary structures" to MDs in the V.A. system this is not even remotely the case. The psychiatrists at my facility make $150/hour, have their rents paid for, etc. I make barely $30/hour
3 - PhDs receive inferior benefits to physicians and nurses, both of whom receive more time off/vacation leave, etc.
4 + - There is no access to any research articles, books, etc. There are no real clinical meetings other than a meeting once/week to go over bureaucratic red tape or case management issues. The V.A. where I work is completely devoid of any intellectual stimulation. Also, despite the fact that the DoD is actively recrutiing prescribing psychologists and paying them equivalent to psychiatrists (as they should be) the V.A. still resists medical psychologists. This despite the fact of an 8 month (Literally) wait to see a prescriber at my facility
I recently interviewed at several medical schools for faculty positions and faculty at each school said something to the sort of 'unless you are at the beginning of your career or you move to the V.A. at the end of your career, you must be either a problem employee [VA employees never get fired] or an inferior clinician. I was skeptical but, at least at my V.A., I can now see this is true...
4:5 psychologists at my facility are almost all done with our clnical psychopharmacology degrees so I think this speaks to the fact that I am not isolated in my unhappiness with my V.A. experience.
