Contacting PsyD Professors

[Psych101grad]

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I was wondering if its ok to email professors at psyd programs to express interest in their research even though pysd programs are not research oriented.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

Of course!

Research is still a (big) part of your education, so it would behoove you to find a good fit or maybe a couple options. When I was looking I definitely called around to find out who was doing what, and who was looking for people. Most of the profs were open to talking about their research. When I settled on a school I was able to start on a research team at the beginning of school, which was a great way to network and get to know people.

-t

 

[hayley44]

I am primarily applying to PhD programs, but there are a few PsyD programs that I find interesting and am considering applying to. My career goals are research and teaching, but I see myself doing some clinician work at some point. So my question is this - since my primary goals are research, most of my background is in research (I do have some clinical experience as well), and all my letters of recommendation are going to be about how dedicated I am to research - will PsyD schools consider me a serious candidate? Or will they assume I'm just a candidate throwing my application to some PsyD programs as back up? Do they accept people who are interested in careers in research, or only those with strict clinical goals?

And oppositely, if my goals are research and teaching, will I be happy with a PsyD?

THANKS!

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

I usually tell people if you primarily want to do research and teach....get a Ph.D. There are great PsyD programs, and faculty who can help shape you to be a researcher and professor, and there are quite a few PsyD's who teach and publish, but academia is very slow to change, and the vast majority of professors and researchers are still Ph.D's.

-t