PhD/PsyD Is it worth pursuing neuropsychology after an unrelated bachelor’s?

[danidoodle]

Hi everyone, I’ve recently been going back and forth between phrsuong occupational therapy or pursuing neuropsychology.
I completed a bachelor’s degree in December in Business Management, but during my junior year had realized this was not the path I wanted to follow. I decided to take the prerequisite classes and apply to OT school. I’ve spent this past semester taking some prerequisites, shadowing OTs, and started a job at a school with ABA therapy.
From these experiences, I think neuropsychology is a better fit for the type of job I would like, but am nervous about switching over at this point.
What would be the best path for me to pursue a career in neuropsychology? Apply for a masters or second bachelors? I am also concerned about the rigor of the programs, but have received advice from friends that this may be “imposter syndrome”. I think this career option perfectly fits the area I would like to be working in, but I am just nervous about starting to work toward it so late.
Any advice or insight on this field would be greatly appreciated! ☺️

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[WisNeuro]

Hi everyone, I’ve recently been going back and forth between phrsuong occupational therapy or pursuing neuropsychology.
I completed a bachelor’s degree in December in Business Management, but during my junior year had realized this was not the path I wanted to follow. I decided to take the prerequisite classes and apply to OT school. I’ve spent this past semester taking some prerequisites, shadowing OTs, and started a job at a school with ABA therapy.
From these experiences, I think neuropsychology is a better fit for the type of job I would like, but am nervous about switching over at this point.
What would be the best path for me to pursue a career in neuropsychology? Apply for a masters or second bachelors? I am also concerned about the rigor of the programs, but have received advice from friends that this may be “imposter syndrome”. I think this career option perfectly fits the area I would like to be working in, but I am just nervous about starting to work toward it so late.
Any advice or insight on this field would be greatly appreciated! ☺️

You'll need to have the pre-requisites that many clinical psych programs require. Also, I am assuming you don't have much of a research background, which is even more important for neuro heavy things than gen clinical psych, so you may need a good masters program that can meet those two requirements, or some classes and some adjunctive research exposure of some sort. What is it exactly that you want to do for a career?

 

[danidoodle]

You'll need to have the pre-requisites that many clinical psych programs require. Also, I am assuming you don't have much of a research background, which is even more important for neuro heavy things than gen clinical psych, so you may need a good masters program that can meet those two requirements, or some classes and some adjunctive research exposure of some sort. What is it exactly that you want to do for a career?

My idea has been to work with kids with learning disabilities and be the person evaluating children to figure out where the deficit is - so diagnosing, and then coming up with ideas to help the child succeed. I've been headed in the direction of occupational therapy, but I am not sure that really fits the diagnoses side that I am interested in, and it seems like most OTs are not trained specifically in learning disabilities.

 

[WisNeuro]

My idea has been to work with kids with learning disabilities and be the person evaluating children to figure out where the deficit is - so diagnosing, and then coming up with ideas to help the child succeed. I've been headed in the direction of occupational therapy, but I am not sure that really fits the diagnoses side that I am interested in, and it seems like most OTs are not trained specifically in learning disabilities.

If that's the area you want to be in, pediatric neuropsychology can definitely be within that area, but it's a slight bit of overkill. I'd also look into school psychology. If you don't want to see a broader range of patients in a clinical setting, I'd go the shorter route that focuses on that. Most of us neuropsychologists are generalists in either adults or peds. Also, we generally just see the patients a few times and send them off to other professionals for the treatment side of things. What you describe is much closer to the day to day of a school psych than a neuropsych.

 

[danidoodle]

If that's the area you want to be in, pediatric neuropsychology can definitely be within that area, but it's a slight bit of overkill. I'd also look into school psychology. If you don't want to see a broader range of patients in a clinical setting, I'd go the shorter route that focuses on that. Most of us neuropsychologists are generalists in either adults or peds. Also, we generally just see the patients a few times and send them off to other professionals for the treatment side of things. What you describe is much closer to the day to day of a school psych than a neuropsych.

Okay thank you so much for the suggestions! I will definitely look into school psychology - that sounds like it may be more what I am looking for.

 

[PsyDr]

My idea has been to work with kids with learning disabilities and be the person evaluating children to figure out where the deficit is - so diagnosing, and then coming up with ideas to help the child succeed. I've been headed in the direction of occupational therapy, but I am not sure that really fits the diagnoses side that I am interested in, and it seems like most OTs are not trained specifically in learning disabilities.

There are no classes listed in that area for any OT curricula I am aware of.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

Relatedly, there's also the option of pursuing pediatric clinical or counseling psychology, getting training on psychoeducational assessment, and going from there. You wouldn't be working in schools, but you could assess for learning disorders (and other neurodevelopmental disorders) and, if desired, follow-up with kiddos and their parents afterward. However, as you aren't in the schools themselves, and as these services typically aren't covered by insurance, you'd be working with a restricted population of folks (i.e., those with means for these services). I imagine most folks who do this round out their practice via other means (e.g., consultation, teaching, treating and assessing myriad other non-LD conditions, etc.).

And you are correct--to the best of my knowledge, what you've stated as your interests (particularly the assessment aspect) would be outside the scope of OT.

 

[SchoolPsycho]

I agree that school psychology might be a good fit. At the masters/specialist level you can do this sort of work and get into the working world in just a few years. Look at nasponline.org to see if it sounds like you'd enjoy it. Lots of job openings all over the place.

 

[Graduate Student]

Is it possible to become a neuropsychologist by obtaining a Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology?

 

[AcronymAllergy]

A degree in cognitive psychology is not licensable, so unless the person attends a recertification program, then in the applied sense, no.

 

[Graduate Student]

How about attending a post-doctoral fellowship that focuses on neuropsychology with a Ph.D. in Cognitive psychology? In other words, is it possible for me to apply to a post-doctoral fellowship that focuses on neurospcyh by having a degree in cognitive psych?

 

[AcronymAllergy]

Generally, no. A neuropsych fellowship is going to require a license-eligible degree (i.e., clinical, counseling, and for some postdocs, school). Additionally, a fellowship in and of itself will not make you license-eligible. So if a person found a neuropsych fellowship that did accept them with a cog psych degree, by completion, they still would not be eligible to be licensed.

This in many ways stems from the fact that a neuropsychologist is a psychologist first. It's somewhat like asking if a person who earns a doctorate in neuroscience could enter a residency for psychiatry and become a psychiatrist.

 

[Graduate Student]

Thank you so much for your time. One more question: can a cognitive psychologist work with a clinical population (e.g., those who have suffered from trauma)? Or even at a rehabilitation center?

 

[AcronymAllergy]

In a clinical sense, no. In a research sense, yes. But a hospital may instead hire a clinical/counseling psychologist if the sole purpose is to have someone involved in study design/implementation, unless they have something like a dedicated neuroscience institute.

 

[Graduate Student]

I am a little confused on the specialties that one can choose for a post-doc? Can someone who has a Ph.D. in cognitive psychology or related fields such as perception/sensation/behavioral neuroscience apply for a post-doctorate fellowship in Rehabilitation Psychology or Sleep Psychology?

 

[AcronymAllergy]

Each postdoc is going to be a bit different. But rehab and sleep psych both tend to be fairly clinically-oriented fields, so I would imagine most if not all of those postdocs, like neuropsychology, are going to require license-eligible degrees, which cognitive psychology is not.

I'm not nearly as well-informed on non-clinical research-oriented postdocs, which I would imagine are the ones cognitive psych folks look into.

My short answer would be: if you want to work with patients in any clinical context, the most straightforward way to do so is to get a degree in clinical/counseling psych. School psych can be an option as well, depending on the program and if you plan ahead.

 

[deleted343839]

I am a little confused on the specialties that one can choose for a post-doc? Can someone who has a Ph.D. in cognitive psychology or related fields such as perception/sensation/behavioral neuroscience apply for a post-doctorate fellowship in Rehabilitation Psychology or Sleep Psychology?

No, first you would need a clinically oriented Ph.D., or complete a clinical respecialization program.

For all clinical specialties, whether it's geropsychology, neuropsychology, sleep, rehab, etc., the sequence of training is like a funnel, starting with broad, general clinical/counseling/[maybe school] training and followed by greater focus and specialization. Without the clinical foundation you would be unprepared to enter postdoctoral training in a clinical specialty. A postdoc is expected to function pretty autonomously as a clinician, and a Ph.D. in a non-clinical area of psychology would not be able to do this at all.

For what it's worth, all of the neuro/sleep/rehab faculty and fellows I've ever known, even if they are mainly research-focused, have had clinical doctoral degrees.

 

[psych.meout]

I am a little confused on the specialties that one can choose for a post-doc? Can someone who has a Ph.D. in cognitive psychology or related fields such as perception/sensation/behavioral neuroscience apply for a post-doctorate fellowship in Rehabilitation Psychology or Sleep Psychology?

It might be more helpful if you provided more information as to what exactly your interests and goals are here instead of talking about things in abstraction.

E.g., are you interested in how to specialize in a particular area of research or are you looking for a way to enter into clinical practice from a cognitive psych PhD program?

 

[NeuroPsychosis]

Each postdoc is going to be a bit different. But rehab and sleep psych both tend to be fairly clinically-oriented fields, so I would imagine most if not all of those postdocs, like neuropsychology, are going to require license-eligible degrees, which cognitive psychology is not.

I'm not nearly as well-informed on non-clinical research-oriented postdocs, which I would imagine are the ones cognitive psych folks look into.

My short answer would be: if you want to work with patients in any clinical context, the most straightforward way to do so is to get a degree in clinical/counseling psych. School psych can be an option as well, depending on the program and if you plan ahead.

I am currently in process of applying to clinical Psychology doctoral programs, but I am still ripped between the PsyD vs PhD thing. I understand both of their functions really well, but I am having trouble figuring out the employment outlook. Are you PsyD or a PhD holder? and which do you advice is more respected in the field?

 

[deleted343839]

I am currently in process of applying to clinical Psychology doctoral programs, but I am still ripped between the PsyD vs PhD thing. I understand both of their functions really well, but I am having trouble figuring out the employment outlook. Are you PsyD or a PhD holder? and which do you advice is more respected in the field?

Functionally there is probably not as much difference as you think. The problem is a large number of weak to mediocre PsyD programs, not the degree itself. However, to my knowledge the stronger foundational programs for neuropsych training are PhD programs. In a competitive field like neuropsychology, future employers will look closely at the overall quality of your training.

This forum is chock full of PsyD v. PhD discussions; I recommend searching for more threads on this topic if you’re still unclear. Also, keep in mind that anything you read about the degree from a for-profit school’s web site is best thought of as advertising copy.

 

[WisNeuro]

What MamaPhD said. There are about 15ish PsyD programs that I automatically do not consider applicants from due to their reputations, both local and national, and maybe about 3-4PhD programs that I summarily bypass when reviewing applications. I also refuse to consider applicants for internship/postdoc in neuropsychology without meaningful research involvement and production of some sort. I'm not alone in my views. Whichever route you go, make sure they have good outcomes, give you solid training in clinical work and research and that will prepare you for the field.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

I am currently in process of applying to clinical Psychology doctoral programs, but I am still ripped between the PsyD vs PhD thing. I understand both of their functions really well, but I am having trouble figuring out the employment outlook. Are you PsyD or a PhD holder? and which do you advice is more respected in the field?

To answer your question: I have a PhD. I would second what was said above RE: the PsyD vs. PhD decision. The program you attend and what you do while you're there will, in the majority of instances, be more important than the degree type received. And once you're on the job market a few years, it tends to matter even less. In some corners is there still some holdout of bias against the PsyD degree? Probably, but it's not commonplace.