Please Help! I chose the wrong career!

[Aritzy]

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Hello!

I am a graduate student in a microbiology/immunology/veterinary pathobiology PhD program. I am finishing up my second year in the program, and have come to realize that, as a career, I don't think that this field is for me. I kind of rushed into this field, as I was able to acquire an undergraduate position as a research technician in a microbiology/molecular biology laboratory, which opened a lot of doors into my graduate career and actually made getting into this program very easy.

However, I have never really been passionate about it. I have always been far more interested in psychology and sociology. My interest is mostly in social/inter- and intra-personal relationship/personality areas of psychology, but most specifically I am interested in the possibility of being a marriage and family therapist, with an emphasis on couples counseling.

I have decided get a masters rather than a PhD in microbiology/immunology, with the hopes of applying for a psychology graduate program to start aiming my life in the direction I want it to go. As my fiance and I both attend the University of Missouri, I hope to begin a graduate career in their psychology graduate program's social/personality area program. I have contacted the graduate student services department and the professor in who's lab I would like to do my graduate research with the hopes of obtaining some information about acceptance requirements. However, I have not acquired any really useful information, so far.

I was hoping that maybe I could get some input and my fiance said that this forum was the place to go! I have at least 4 years of biomedical research experience under my belt, 2 years of graduate school coursework (microbiology) with a 3.2 graduate GPA, and a decent GRE score. My background is mostly that of a biomedical researcher, however, I have had intro to sociology and statistics for psychology majors, and I have worked as a secretary in the office of a licensed psychiatrist. I know that this is hardly any experience for applying to a graduate program in psychology, and that is where I would like some input. In your opinion, what are my chances of being accepted to the program? Would a better option/goal be to complete another bachelor's degree (BS in psychology) before applying? If not obtaining a full bachelor's degree, are there some "unofficial but understood-to-be-required" classes that I should take before applying? Is the program I am applying for the correct path I should take in order to accomplish my goal of becoming a marriage and family/couples therapist?

Please help me! I am so lost! I really appreciate your input! Thank you so much!

 

[aequitasveritas]

It sounds like your career goals are more aimed at practice rather than research. If you'd like to mainly practice then you may want to consider a Psy.D program; some of which may have less stringent admission requirements per your undergrad courses/degree. Then again, there are also MFT programs out there that have much much less admission standards and your class quandary may not be an issue there.

1. Personality Assesment, Independent Practice, Research, Teaching= PhD Clincal or Counseling psych. Very competitive admissions in most programs.

2. " minus the (quantitative) research and teaching (generally but not a rule)= Psy.D. Less competitive admission but there are some very competitive programs.

3. Marriage Counseling but none of the rest = MFT.

You're also a perfect victim for predatory programs since you seem to be looking to switch life tracks quickly. Be careful of less reknown programs or online universities...they'd be happy to just take your money.

I wouldnt recommend getting a second undergrad degree...diminishing returns my man...we ain't gettin any younger. You may need to take some core classes before entrance though: test and measures, methods, abnormal etc.

Take a look through these threads and you may find some useful viewpoints.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

University of Missouri Kansas City has a good clinical program, though I'm not sure if U of M Columbia has a program. Finding a strong research match is important, even if you want to be a clinician, so look for people in your research area.

 

[justme08]

...but most specifically I am interested in the possibility of being a marriage and family therapist, with an emphasis on couples counseling.

...I hope to begin a graduate career in their psychology graduate program's social/personality area program.

If you are looking at a PhD and it's not in Clinical or Counseling Psychology; i.e., it's in Social Psychology, then it's likely a research degree and not a practice degree. Make sure the program you're looking at is for a Clinical PhD but perhaps with a concentration or a track in Social.

 

[krisrox]

If you are looking at a PhD and it's not in Clinical or Counseling Psychology; i.e., it's in Social Psychology, then it's likely a research degree and not a practice degree. Make sure the program you're looking at is for a Clinical PhD but perhaps with a concentration or a track in Social.

You can do marital counseling with a PhD in clinical; my mentor currently does it. You may also want to consider an MSW for that, though.

 

[PsychGraduate]

Hello!

I am a graduate student in a microbiology/immunology/veterinary pathobiology PhD program. I am finishing up my second year in the program, and have come to realize that, as a career, I don't think that this field is for me. I kind of rushed into this field, as I was able to acquire an undergraduate position as a research technician in a microbiology/molecular biology laboratory, which opened a lot of doors into my graduate career and actually made getting into this program very easy.

However, I have never really been passionate about it. I have always been far more interested in psychology and sociology. My interest is mostly in social/inter- and intra-personal relationship/personality areas of psychology, but most specifically I am interested in the possibility of being a marriage and family therapist, with an emphasis on couples counseling.

I have decided get a masters rather than a PhD in microbiology/immunology, with the hopes of applying for a psychology graduate program to start aiming my life in the direction I want it to go. As my fiance and I both attend the University of Missouri, I hope to begin a graduate career in their psychology graduate program's social/personality area program. I have contacted the graduate student services department and the professor in who's lab I would like to do my graduate research with the hopes of obtaining some information about acceptance requirements. However, I have not acquired any really useful information, so far.

I was hoping that maybe I could get some input and my fiance said that this forum was the place to go! I have at least 4 years of biomedical research experience under my belt, 2 years of graduate school coursework (microbiology) with a 3.2 graduate GPA, and a decent GRE score. My background is mostly that of a biomedical researcher, however, I have had intro to sociology and statistics for psychology majors, and I have worked as a secretary in the office of a licensed psychiatrist. I know that this is hardly any experience for applying to a graduate program in psychology, and that is where I would like some input. In your opinion, what are my chances of being accepted to the program? Would a better option/goal be to complete another bachelor's degree (BS in psychology) before applying? If not obtaining a full bachelor's degree, are there some "unofficial but understood-to-be-required" classes that I should take before applying? Is the program I am applying for the correct path I should take in order to accomplish my goal of becoming a marriage and family/couples therapist?

Please help me! I am so lost! I really appreciate your input! Thank you so much!

I can recall my days of looking for the unknown bacteria using t-soy slants, agar plates and looking for acid gas bubbles... I also remember all that work understanding JAK-STAT proteins and other immune system pathways. Unlike I was passionate about much of it, but I also took psychology courses in conjunction with the Biology major and I am glad I did. Psychology for me with a solid biology and chemistry background helped me find areas of psychology I turned out to be more passionate about. I really recommend you get more psychology courses under your belt somewhere as cheaply as possible. There are some state schools where you can acquire the background and perhaps limited mentorships, or you can forget about a master's degree in micro and go get it in psychology/mental health counseling instead. If you do not like micro and immunology why bother unless you really need the money right away, which I guess, you might. However, if you go to become a technician where is the time for a PhD program in psychology? My first micro class was a nightmare as I recall...lol. My immunology course was fun but I also do use my knowledge of the immune system in aspects of neuro-cognitive analysis, so it may serve you well just the same. Complement proteins and inflammation mediated from the initial innate immunity response to signal the adaptive can be an interesting pathway to study in neuroscience and some aspects of neuropsychology assisting in Alzheimer's research, so please think in context of your current background and how it can help you in pursuing an education in psychology. Neuroscience or health psychology would be a good fit for you I think, but what are you really passionate about?

 

[jnine]

The first thing you need to do is clarify your goals. You can accomplish this through reading books, internet research, and coursework. Get information about the subjects that interest you and the careers you want. Take a course in an area that interests you. Continually reflect on what you see and learn. Psychology is such a large and diverse field, it may help to delve into the possibilities while keeping an open mind, taking it one step at a time.

When your goals are more clear you can pursue the education that will let you get the career you want. If being a couples therapist is your goal, maybe the MFT is good for you. However, if research is still in your blood you might be interested in doctoral training. In all likelihood you will need to gain more psychology experience before applying. The amount differs with the particular graduate training you pursue. The MFT will probably require least additional training and the PhD most.

I changed careers from biomedical research to psychology. I basically followed the process above. It was a longish road just to get into the right PhD program, but I am really happy with the process and the outcome (so far 🙂).

Applying to psychology doctoral programs will be kind of a mixed bag. Expect a mixture of respect for your rigorous scientific background and uncertainty over weather it's relevant or applicable to a career as a social scientist. This won't be the case with everyone, especially with PhD programs focused on clinical work or PsyD programs.

Of course rigorous education/experience in the physical sciences builds a valuable foundation from which an excellent social scientist can develop. If you apply to research focused programs, it will be part of your job to convince admissions committees that this is so. Feel free to pm with any questions.

Hello!

I am a graduate student in a microbiology/immunology/veterinary pathobiology PhD program. I am finishing up my second year in the program, and have come to realize that, as a career, I don't think that this field is for me. I kind of rushed into this field, as I was able to acquire an undergraduate position as a research technician in a microbiology/molecular biology laboratory, which opened a lot of doors into my graduate career and actually made getting into this program very easy.

However, I have never really been passionate about it. I have always been far more interested in psychology and sociology. My interest is mostly in social/inter- and intra-personal relationship/personality areas of psychology, but most specifically I am interested in the possibility of being a marriage and family therapist, with an emphasis on couples counseling.

I have decided get a masters rather than a PhD in microbiology/immunology, with the hopes of applying for a psychology graduate program to start aiming my life in the direction I want it to go. As my fiance and I both attend the University of Missouri, I hope to begin a graduate career in their psychology graduate program's social/personality area program. I have contacted the graduate student services department and the professor in who's lab I would like to do my graduate research with the hopes of obtaining some information about acceptance requirements. However, I have not acquired any really useful information, so far.

I was hoping that maybe I could get some input and my fiance said that this forum was the place to go! I have at least 4 years of biomedical research experience under my belt, 2 years of graduate school coursework (microbiology) with a 3.2 graduate GPA, and a decent GRE score. My background is mostly that of a biomedical researcher, however, I have had intro to sociology and statistics for psychology majors, and I have worked as a secretary in the office of a licensed psychiatrist. I know that this is hardly any experience for applying to a graduate program in psychology, and that is where I would like some input. In your opinion, what are my chances of being accepted to the program? Would a better option/goal be to complete another bachelor's degree (BS in psychology) before applying? If not obtaining a full bachelor's degree, are there some "unofficial but understood-to-be-required" classes that I should take before applying? Is the program I am applying for the correct path I should take in order to accomplish my goal of becoming a marriage and family/couples therapist?

Please help me! I am so lost! I really appreciate your input! Thank you so much!

 

[KillerDiller]

Hi, welcome to the forum. You may already know this, but because you are new to the field, I thought it may be helpful for you to have a basic outline to some of the degree possibilities. Anyone can feel free to correct me if I'm wrong on any of this...

MFT: a two year degree focused on practice. After you complete the training and coursework you will have to complete a certain amount of supervised clinical hours in order to qualify for licensure in your state. Programs are usually not funded.

Ph.D. in clinical/counseling: A degree that takes an average of around 6 years to complete. It is designed to leave you eligible to sit for the exam to become a licensed psychologist once you complete the degree plus another year of supervised practice. The curriculum includes coursework, research, and practical experience. Programs will differ in the amount of emphasis they place on the research component. The University of Missouri is fairly research focused, so you should expect to be doing quite a lot of research in addition to the thesis and dissertation.

Ph.D in social psychology: This is a research-only degree designed to prepare you for an academic career. Once you complete it you will not be eligible to practice unless you complete a re-specialization program in clinical psychology, which takes approximately 3 years.

Psy.D: This doctoral degree is focused on the practice of psychology. It takes an average of around 4-5 years to complete. Like the Ph.D, you can sit for the licensing exam after an additional year of supervised clinical work (may differ by state). Some Psy.D programs have a research component or an optional research component. However, on average, you will not receive as much research training as in a Ph.D program. You will have coursework and practical experiences. There is a thread at the top of the forum under the Doctoral Applicants sticky with a long discussion about the distinction between the Psy.D and the Ph.D when it comes to funding, training, prestige, acceptance rates, etc.

Hope that was somewhat helpful. There are also other masters degree options, like the MSW, that allow you to practice. If you decide a masters is right for you, it may take a little research to find the most suitable path.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

For both the Ph.D. and Psy.D. you'll need to do the schooling (typically 4-5 years), 1 year of internship, and 1 year of post-doc (though a few states waive this year). Some post-docs are 2-years, though they are typically limited to neuropsychology, rehabilitation psychology, and research fellowships.

 

[ClinPsycMasters]

Start doing research. It's better than wasting your time getting a B.S. in psych. You do need to take the pre-req courses but nothing makes you competitive like a few poster presentations or at the very least an excellent reference letter from a psychologist who supervised your research. So go for it. It's also a great way to find out if you really have what it take to get a PhD in psych.

 

[Aritzy]

Thank all of you for all of your help. I am so grateful! I have taken many steps since first posting my thread.

First, I scheduled an appointment with MY psychologist, and worked out whether I was making the right decision for myself. I have concluded that I am. I have also decided that I am going to try to get a PhD in clinical psychology. After getting my PhD in this area, I will be ready to take the boards.

I have looked up the faculty in this department and discovered four professors in particular whose research is interesting to me. Their research focuses are personality & emotion, improving youth mental health services in community based settings, and social cognitive aspects of youth anxiety and depression. I plan on e-mailing them today, asking about their research, if they are planning on taking graduate students in the fall, and asking if they would be interested in me despite my limited experience in the field.

However, numerous people have mentioned that in order to get a psychology PhD, I will have to focus heavily on research. I am definitely okay with this. I absolutely love doing research (and have a LOT of experience and training in experimental design, although it is mostly biomedical), but I have discovered that I would like to conduct research in the field of psychology rather than biomedical sciences.

I am hoping that the professors recognize that I have a lot of experience in research and that this will be a good enough reason to let me into the lab. I have ordered the textbooks for general psychology and abnormal psychology that are used in the courses at my school. I plan on reading the general psychology text and perhaps taking abnormal psych online or in person (to gain experience with the faculty one-on-one) in the fall.

In your opinions, do you think that I have a shot? I looked online at the average GRE scores for admittance, and I am fine when it comes to that. I was told that the professors will love the amount of research experience I have, and may even be enthralled with the fact that it has been in a field outside of psychology. However, I am very worried about my lack of experience in the field of psychology. Thus ordering the books to gain general knowledge, etc. I will feel a little more confident after talking in person to the faculty to gain insight into their feelings directly.

My goal is to finish my masters by Summer 2011 and start my psychology PhD in Fall 2011. Therefore, this is why I am asking if my chances of admittance at this time point are possible.

Please offer any advice that you have!! I appreciate SO MUCH the input, it is definitely helping. Are the steps that I have taken appropriate? Are there any other things that I should consider?

 

[Chenelsea3]

I would strongly recommend that you take a year or two after finishing your masters to do research full-time in a psychology lab and to take some formal classes. While many fundamentals of research design carry over from the biomedical world into the psychology realm, in reality, it is a totally different ballgame. Pipetting samples and running Western blots is very different from what you would most likely be doing in a clinical lab, especially since you are interested in more of the social/personality type research as opposed to neuro stuff. It also seems like you need to take some time to narrow down your research interests a bit-- if a school sees that you have 4 professors that you'd work with, they're going to assume that you're not particularly committed to any particular line of research. Better to get some experience in the field that you're interested in, and select one or at max two professors you'd like to work with.

I also really think you need to take at least a couple of formal classes in psychology. Reading up about it on your own time is fine, but your graduate courses are going to most likely assume that you already know a lot of the basics you would have learned in undergrad as a psych major, and will move right in on more advanced things. Plus, the program will be much more convinced that you're really interested in psychology and you know what you're getting into if you have a few courses on your transcript. Since you've already left a PhD program, and attrition is a big concern when it comes to maintaining a school's reputation, they're going to want to see evidence that you're going to stick around. Taking the psych subject test couldn't hurt either.

 

[futureapppsy2]

Without being a dream-crusher, I'd advise you to *slow down*. Like other said, you'll like need more formal psych coursework and research experience to be competitive. Look at it this way, you'll likely be competing against people who have psych majors or at least minors and years of psych research experience, some of it directly in the areas you will be applying to work in. What real indication will your application give that you are truly interested in being a psychologist? Your background in biomedical research will be helpful, but you need to couple it with strong psych research (and maybe some clinical) experience in order to stand out.

Look at it this way--I have a fairly decent background in psych research involving the well-being of adults with disabilities (1.5 years part time research assistant, a few posters/presentations, and one publication plus a few others submitted and in prep at application time), including a project involving adults with developmental disabilities (CDC definition). I also had a separate project on educational outcomes in college students with disabilities and a thesis involving recalled social acceptance of children with disabilities. I was applying to study social relations and educational outcomes in children with disabilities--a fairly understandable leap, right? I *still* got questions on how I was prepared to do research with children with disabilities, as my previous work had all been with adults. That's how specific of a match these programs are looking for in applicants!

Your experience doesn't have to match up exactly to your POI, but you really need to make a strong case for yourself and the direct relevance of your research (and/or clinical) background to the research you are applying to do and to show you have a good (enough) idea of what you're getting into. Otherwise, it just looks like you are trying to jump from one field to another without looking before you leap. Getting a PhD in clinical/counseling/school psych is a huge commitment --the average years to completion at UM-Columbia's clinical program is 7.5 and 6 at their Counseling Psych program (which requires specific psych pre-reqs and strongly prefers applicants with Masters in psychology or counseling)--and programs want to do everything possible to ensure they admit people who are not only able but also willing to "hack it" for 5-7+ years. I suspect, especially if you apply without more psych coursework and psych research (and maybe clinical) experience, programs will wonder if you will "jump ship" again once you enter their program.

I'm not saying it can't be done (indeed, it can and has been done) , but you really to make your passion and commitment to both psych in general and what you are applying to research specifically. Also, given your apparent interest in child psych, I'd recommend looking at School Psych PhD programs as (there's one at UM-Columbia). They tend to have higher admission rates than clinical and counseling psych programs, but the coursework and research experience expectations will still be there. Also, in my experience, School Psych programs really like to see significant child research and/or clinical experience (I think this was the primary weakness in my applications, though I did end up getting multiple funded offers).

I'd strongly recommend spending a year or two getting psych coursework, research (probably most important), and clinical experience, solidifying both your interest in the field and your specific area(s) of research interest before you apply.

Good luck!