MSW to PhD

[lily_pad]

I’m an MSW graduate student concentrating on clinical social work. I originally chose that path because I was confident that I just wanted to do private practice and I also didn’t have all the requisites required to apply for a clinical psych program.

Recently, I’ve been feeling more like a clinical psych PhD may have been the better choice not because I want to do research but because I’d like to potentially do a higher level of care in clinic/hospital settings that (I think) are mostly reserved for psychologists. It seems like therapists with social work training when working in an interdisciplinary team mostly do case management but perhaps that’s just the case for entry level positions. Would it be worth it to go back to get a clinical psych degree just so I can do more advanced clinical work with patients? Thanks in advance.

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[summerbabe]

It seems like therapists with social work training when working in an interdisciplinary team mostly do case management but perhaps that’s just the case for entry level positions. Would it be worth it to go back to get a clinical psych degree just so I can do more advanced clinical work with patients? Thanks in advance.

There are plenty of social workers who are doing very 'advanced' therapy and plenty who only do case management. It's a matter of what each position demands and what each individual wants to focus on.

On hospital based interdisciplinary teams, it's likely that social workers may focus on case management but it's very likely that same hospital employs other social workers to do 26-30 hours a week of individual outpatient therapy.

If you look at 'experts' for any specific evidence based psychotherapy, there are plenty of master's level subject experts/trainers/consultants out there because they have put in the time to hone their skill overall and in that specific treatment.

I think you'd be much better off looking for therapy focused jobs and attending advanced trainings for therapies that you are interested in, rather than spend 5-8 years getting a PhD (assuming you don't need any prep work to be competitive).

 

[chicandtoughness]

Recently, I’ve been feeling more like a clinical psych PhD may have been the better choice not because I want to do research but because I’d like to potentially do a higher level of care in clinic/hospital settings that (I think) are mostly reserved for psychologists.

I've been working in hospitals for over 6 years, this is unfortunately not true anymore. Hospital systems have learned that billing psychologists and masters level therapists brings in about the same amount of money, but masters level therapists are cheaper to hire. (Or, if you’re in a structured program like PHP, it’s all billed inclusive anyways!) Hence, most of the therapists in HLOCs are still LCSWs, LMHCs, LMFTs, etc.

I'm not sure which state you're in, but getting your independent LCSW/LICSW will get you that higher level of care/advanced therapeutic experience you so want. There is absolutely no need to start from scratch and get a psych PhD.