Is it even a possibility?

[jmd13]

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Hey everyone.


I graduated this spring with a bachelor's degree in biology and the only research experience I have is through my undergraduate courses. I've had a lot of trouble deciding what career to pursue and have mostly battled between being a Physician and a Physical Therapist. However, I have recently become very interested in the Psy.D. I am not trying to ask a "what are my chances" type of question, but rather, is obtaining a Psy.D. even a possibility given my background? I only took 3 psych classes in college (general,abnormal, and developmental). I have searched the internet looking for info but I would really like some more personal and insightful opinions if you all are willing to help me out. Thanks so much 🙂

 

[erg923]

Hey everyone.


I graduated this spring with a bachelor's degree in biology and the only research experience I have is through my undergraduate courses. I've had a lot of trouble deciding what career to pursue and have mostly battled between being a Physician and a Physical Therapist. However, I have recently become very interested in the Psy.D. I am not trying to ask a "what are my chances" type of question, but rather, is obtaining a Psy.D. even a possibility given my background? I only took 3 psych classes in college (general,abnormal, and developmental). I have searched the internet looking for info but I would really like some more personal and insightful opinions if you all are willing to help me out. Thanks so much 🙂

Certain classes are prerequisite for grad school admission. So, with only 3 psych classes, you would certainly have to go back and take more psych classes

 

[WisNeuro]

If you have money to spend, there's a Psy.D program somewhere that will accept you. Good luck finding a job though if it isn't a handful of the top programs.

 

[G Costanza]

What about a PA? Not as much school and a better return financially. Also much more demand. People actually get recruited out of school. I can't imagine what that must be like.

 

[jmd13]

I have considered PA for a very long time and I think it's a great career but I ultimately came to the decision that for me personally, if I am going to go the medicine route I would rather become an MD/DO.

Does anyone know any PsyD programs that would accept applicants with only those 3 prerequisites? So far Pacific University is the only one I'm aware of, please correct me if I'm wrong on that. I know I can always go back and take more undergraduate psych classes. Is it correct that doing well on the GRE subject test would help make up for my lack of psych courses? I am also wondering about not having any field experience...

Thanks guys.

 

[CheetahGirl]

To the OP: Before you worry about field experience (search past SDN threads on volunteering) or GRE subject tests, look up various PsyD programs' requirements: You need to do well in several core classes (as erg923 said), specifically statistics and experimental psych classes. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO GET AROUND THIS. Some programs will consider you with 15 credits in psych (including the two I mentioned) regardless of your UG degree. (My Program Director always says English majors make excellent therapists b/c of their writing abilities & exposure to language). You will be retaught abnormal and developmental on a much deeper level (awesome courses though, right? They inspired me as an undergrad.).

Without these core classes (stats and experimental psych) and the base knowledge from these classes (regardless of the program you choose), you will be a poor consumer of scientific knowledge. I'm not being harsh but realistic. It is a fact that a doctoral degree in clinical psychology (whether it be PsyD or PhD) requires the ability to critically evaluate methods and procedures in the field...regardless of whether you want to go into research or not. Otherwise, as one of our SDNers commented in the past, you will be no more than a "life coach," shaman, or snake oil salesman. BEFORE entering graduate school, you need the base knowledge of why we choose the methods we do or else you will enter a program that is training you improperly/below acceptable standards, which could potentially harm a patient, rather than being therapeutic.

 

[Sendtrees]

If you look at admissions criteria for individual programs, you will see a pattern develop--most schools require certain core courses in psychology. When I decided to go to graduate school several years after graduating from college, I took a year of courses at a state U. The cost was a fraction of what my undergrad institution was per year. More importantly--the cost of that one year, during which I also joined a research lab, was a MINUTE FRACTION of buying a degree through whatever PsyD program would accept you with virtually no psychology background. Do not be short-sighted about this. Personally, if I were the type to stomach massive loans of the sort incurred in a PsyD program, I would prefer to get an MD and at least be paid a salary that gives me some hope of paying those loans back.

 

[rammerjammer]

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[chman]

I think before you get too set on the PsyD it would be helpful to know what your ultimate career goals are, what your financial expectations are, and how much you know about different options. If you have already taken the MCAT and have all the pre-reqs, it would probably be a a much better financial decision to become a practicing psychiatrist instead of getting a PsyD. While most don't do it primarily, there is no reason you can't do psychotherapy as a psychiatrist. You could get out of school, work for a few years to pay off med school debt, and then do whatever you want. Research, CBT, teach, etc. You won't have to worry about not getting placed for an internship as much, etc., and you know you will be able to repay your debt. It just has the most options (if you have already done the preliminary leg work of pre-reqs, MCAT, etc).

But again, it would be helpful to know what you want to do with a graduate degree and what you expect out of your career.

 

[chman]

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