PhD in Psychology?

[zellantus]

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if anyone has info on MSTP programs that will let you do your phD in psychology? Is this a common or very uncommon thing? And since it's not a "hard science" field, is there no NIH funding?

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[Neuronix]

In general, there are going to be few spots nationally for this program. Two good questions for you are: can you sell the type of research you want to do in a neuroscience or other department? Also, how do you see yourself integrating the research you want to do with the MD? I think we can help you better if we know a bit more about your proposed path.

 

[SigPi]

In general, there are going to be few spots nationally for this program. Two good questions for you are: can you sell the type of research you want to do in a neuroscience or other department? Also, how do you see yourself integrating the research you want to do with the MD? I think we can help you better if we know a bit more about your proposed path.

The university of illinois will let you do an MD/PhD program in anything, essentially. A guy who taught my MCAT prep class was doing his in some history field.

 

[Neuronix]

The key here is that there are few spots nationally. The University of Pennsylvania will also allow you to get your PhD in a diverse choice of departments, including at least one student here in Psychology, however this is the exception--not the rule. The vast majority of students at any fully-funded MD/PhD program are in basic science, and there are usually a handful outside of that at the few programs that will allow it, including at the University of Illinois.

What's important is for the so far unresponsive op to really consider whether he or she wants to fight the uphill battle to get one of these spots.

 

[zellantus]

The key here is that there are few spots nationally. The University of Pennsylvania will also allow you to get your PhD in a diverse choice of departments, including at least one student here in Psychology, however this is the exception--not the rule. The vast majority of students at any fully-funded MD/PhD program are in basic science, and there are usually a handful outside of that at the few programs that will allow it, including at the University of Illinois.

What's important is for the so far unresponsive op to really consider whether he or she wants to fight the uphill battle to get one of these spots.

I was mostly just curious about the general availability of psychology in an MSTP, which by the look of it, seems a bit scarce. I haven't done any psych research before, as I'm just starting out as a non-science post-bacc. But psych and cogsci were strong interests of mine in college (before I ultimately decided to do film), and sounds quite exciting to me to study those things in conjunction with medicine. I don't have a "master plan" of exactly how I want to combine the dual degrees...exactly what type of research I'd be doing, etc. Actually, I'm curious if any of you guys know what kind of research people in MSTPs w/ psychology do? Also, what is the availability of social science MSTPs? If I decide to do an MSTP, I'd want it to be in some type of investigative social science.

 

[Neuronix]

If you'd like to start a MD/PhD program you'll need research experience. You won't even know if you like research until you've done it for awhile. Most programs are looking for someone who has done at least one year, usually two, of research on top of their usual studies. I don't know how to answer most of your questions, except to say again that MD/PhD in social science is rare and would be an uphill battle. Again, get involved as soon as possible in social science research if you're serious about this. In at least another year you can think about where to apply.

 

[beetlerum]

Study medical decision making, maybe? Check out the MD/PhD student in Carnegie Mellon's social and decision sciences program.

 

[3Xhelix]

Study medical decision making, maybe? Check out the MD/PhD student in Carnegie Mellon's social and decision sciences program.

FYI: SLU has an MD/PhD in medical ethics

 

[PsyDr]

sorry, its not going to be an easy route.


as l;ong as you are going for a couseling or clincial psych phd, th minium requirements are 4 yrs (and that's super fast).

psychologists aare requyired to do clerkships and residecnies, so despite your possile ability to speed through th eclasses, you will not be able to complete the clerkships in under 4 years.

 

[Jorje286]

I think it depends on what area in psychology you're interested in. Lots (if not most) universities put cognitive and behavioral neuroscience under the psychology department. From the responses to the thread I opened related to cognitive and behavioral neuroscience, there seem to be quite a few opportunities in that domain in MD/PHD programs.