LPC vs MFT - GA vs CA

[nwrath]

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I currently live in Georgia and have applied to a CACREP MS Community Counseling program in Atlanta which will lead to an LPC. I have also applied to two Counseling Psych programs which lead to MFT in California.

I would like to go to school in California for the experience and diversity - however, I'm concerned about getting licensed in Georgia in the future, and whether I will get an MFT or LPC upon my return. I have taken a look at the Georgia State board for Licensing requirements, and the school programs in CA seem to meet these, however, GA offers both the LPC and MFT license. Oddly, it seems like it might be easier to get licensed as an LPC in GA from the MFT programs in CA. I have contacted the GA Board, but can not get a hold of anyone who can assure me that the programs in CA will lead to either an LPC or MFT in GA.

My concern is which license to go for - what difference will this make on the future of my career? My ultimate goal is private practice, but I would also like the opportunity to get a PhD or PsyD and one day teach at a university.

 

[CAMFTi]

Hi,

I just moved from CA to GA and am having a hard time figuring out if my degree/hours transfer. Did you ever find out how the process of a CA degree works towards licensure as an MFT or LPC in Georgia?

Let me know.

 

[wigflip]

My ultimate goal is private practice, but I would also like the opportunity to get a PhD or PsyD and one day teach at a university.

You'll probably want a PhD from a funded psych program if you want to "teach" at a university--much harder to get academic jobs with the PsyD. If what you really mean by "teach" is teaching only--i.e. working as a low-status part time adjunct instructor with no benefits--you might be able to do that with a masters or PsyD. But if you want a full time, tenure track position at a university, your first priority will be producing and publishing research, as well as securing grants. Teaching is secondary at best. You'll need a PhD for that unless you want a position at a professional school, and even those institutions mostly hire PhDs.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

You'll probably want a PhD from a funded psych program if you want to "teach" at a university--much harder to get academic jobs with the PsyD. If what you really mean by "teach" is teaching only--i.e. working as a low-status part time adjunct instructor with no benefits--you might be able to do that with a masters or PsyD. But if you want a full time, tenure track position at a university, your first priority will be producing and publishing research, as well as securing grants. Teaching is secondary at best. You'll need a PhD for that unless you want a position at a professional school, and even those institutions mostly hire PhDs.

🙄

Really?

There are Psy.Ds at solid university programs & affiliated med programs. I'm at a top R1, and there are two of us that are PsyDs. I also know Psy.D. faculty at Brown, UPenn Med, Harvard Med, etc. We are in the minority, but that is a FAR cry from "low-status part time adjunct instructor". 🙄 Please stop posting crap like this on the forum, as it isn't remotely accurate.

OP....pursuing a Ph.D. is the way to go if you know you want to go into academia and you know you want a career in research. Ph.D programs tend to have more research opportunities on average than university-based Psy.D. programs. You are also more likely to find top-tier stats classes/mentors at a Ph.D. program.

 

[wigflip]

🙄

Really?

There are Psy.Ds at solid university programs & affiliated med programs. I'm at a top R1, and there are two of us that are PsyDs. I also know Psy.D. faculty at Brown, UPenn Med, Harvard Med, etc. We are in the minority, but that is a FAR cry from "low-status part time adjunct instructor". 🙄 Please stop posting crap like this on the forum, as it isn't remotely accurate.

First of all--my apologies T4C--not meant as a slam against the PsyD degree at all, esp as that is the degree I'm most likely to get if family constraints permit me to move beyond masters level training. There was a strong bias against the PsyD degree (as well as masters level practitioners, doctoral level practitioners of all kinds, and applied research, period) at my UG institution. I derailed the career I actually wanted because I bought into that academic snobbery, but I don't any more.

I think we're fundamentally in agreement though--if OP wants a university T-T job, pursuing the PhD IS the safest option. I don't doubt that PsyDs DO get T-T jobs and FT research jobs (though I suspect your neuro track helps in this regard, no?), but it's much more rare.

Nor do I doubt that some PsyDs have prestigious positions nationwide. But I've put some time into researching this within my geographic constraints, and I'm just not seeing PsyDs as anything but adjuncts or FT in PsyD programs (more free-standing than university based).

 

[wigflip]

🙄

Really?

We are in the minority, but that is a FAR cry from "low-status part time adjunct instructor". 🙄 Please stop posting crap like this on the forum, as it isn't remotely accurate.

I do think it's important to tease out the differences in "teaching positions." Most undergrads and people coming out of undergrad don't understand the economic structure of universities or that many of their beloved undergrad "profs" were actually part timers who are paid a fraction of what tenure track faculty are paid to teach the same classes (when they can't escape doing so). It's not a snobbery issue--it's a social justice issue. The problem isn't having low status in the ranking sense, it's being TREATED as someone with low-status. An email "joke" recently went around a prestigious East coast U--you may have seen it--email linked to a video about 3D copying. The smug text cruelly suggested that the department should use 3D copiers to produce adjuncts.

From my experience, even many seasoned PhD students don't even really "get it" until it's too late (they're deep into a PhD program). One of my friends was adjuncting at very prestigious U where s/he got his/her doctorate, and his/her TAs were clustered up in a gang, bitching about their low pay. Adjunct Pal told them straight up--"You are making a LOT more money to TA than I am to teach." This was sobering news for the TAs. They actually didn't know how poorly adjuncts are paid. (But with the academic job market as it is, they're sure to find out firsthand).

Can teaching as an adjunct be rewarding? Perhaps. But it's something to do "for love," not prestige or money. On a site that's particularly preoccupied with remuneration (and complaints about starting salaries that exceed what folks in other disciplines typically receive after putting in perhaps even more years of study and training)*, it's worth bringing up working conditions and making suggestions about how to avoid getting screwed. How tragic would it be if someone undertook doctoral study (rather than simply receiving masters training) to fulfill a vague future goal of "teaching" without understanding what that entails, and what paths are more likely to lead to success in this area?

*I realize that this is more characteristic of the doc forum. Still, I just found an ad for a T-T job for PhD holder: 4/4 teaching load, $30,000--a salary which many MSWs would find to be low.

 

[wigflip]

My concern is which license to go for - what difference will this make on the future of my career? My ultimate goal is private practice, but I would also like the opportunity to get a PhD or PsyD and one day teach at a university.

OP, I realize you're asking about MFT vs. LPC, and thread has morphed a bit (partly in response to your question about what best to do now to lay a foundation for the future). But you might find this useful for your long term goals: this older thread discusses the relative merit of the PsyD for university teaching. In particular take a look at posts #5 (Jon Snow), #6 (psychanon), and #7 (Therapist4Change).

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=345120