Post Bac, Masters or Ph.D? (Clinical Neuropsychology)

[NeuroPsychKingdom]

I am going into my last year of undergrad and I need advice on the best route to take after I graduate. The professors I have worked for seem to disagree on how hard it is to get into a Ph.D program that has a masters degree component. My long term goal is to become a clinical neuropsychologist focusing on conducting neuro assessments. Currently, I'm a psych major with a neuro minor and I have a 3.7 GPA (haven't taken GRE yet). I've worked as an RA in a neuro gustatory lab for a year on two different studies, I have TA'd in a behaviorist lab, and I'm currently working as an RA in a program that treats clinical patients (kids). I heard mixed reviews whether I should pursue a post bac or masters before trying to enter a Ph.D program. Would really appreciate advice and personal experiences! Side note I love research and am fully aware that Ph.D is very research oriented I am prepared to do that through grad school!

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[psych.meout]

I am going into my last year of undergrad and I need advice on the best route to take after I graduate. The professors I have worked for seem to disagree on how hard it is to get into a Ph.D program that has a masters degree component. My long term goal is to become a clinical neuropsychologist focusing on conducting neuro assessments. Currently, I'm a psych major with a neuro minor and I have a 3.7 GPA (haven't taken GRE yet). I've worked as an RA in a neuro gustatory lab for a year on two different studies, I have TA'd in a behaviorist lab, and I'm currently working as an RA in a program that treats clinical patients (kids). I heard mixed reviews whether I should pursue a post bac or masters before trying to enter a Ph.D program. Would really appreciate advice and personal experiences! Side note I love research and am fully aware that Ph.D is very research oriented I am prepared to do that through grad school!

How do you "TA" in a lab?

Regardless, if your GPA and GRE scores are good (3.7 is more than adequate), you don't really need another degree before getting into a PhD program. You might need more research experience, though that depends on what you've actually done in your labs, but you can get that with a paid RA or research coordinator job after you graduate.

As for neuropsych itself, it's popular, but don't pay too much attention to the branding of programs with formal neuropsych tracks. It's more marketing than anything. Look more at the actual courses, research, and practicum opportunities offered. Even then, your mentor does not necessarily need to be a neuropsychologist, let alone be boarded in neuropsych. Neuropsych is such an awesome interdisciplinary area that you can fit it in to virtually any area, from chronic pain to cardiovascular disease to schizophrenia to anxiety to autism. It's really more about your advisor feeling that your interests will add to their lab and that they'd be willing and able to supervise and mentor you in that area, especially if they aren't a neuropsychologist.

 

[Kadhir]

I agree with @psych.meout that it is the research experience, not degrees or certificates, that determines preparedness for doctoral program admission. You should also talk to students who recently gained admission or graduated. In my experience, these individuals have been more helpful than faculty.

I would also qualify the statement about neuropsychology track programs. If we are talking PhD programs, then neuropsychology tracks such as those at UF, UCSD, Houston, Drexel, etc. are in a league of their own when it comes to neuropsychology training. Definitely not marketing. This is an important distinction to make, as prospective students may not be aware of all the heavy hitters in the field. When people on SDN say track=useless, they are referring mostly to for-profit, degree mill (often PsyD) programs. Putting these institutions aside, I am generally an advocate for formal neuropsychology tracks at the graduate level, although I did not train in one myself.

 

[NeuroPsychKingdom]

How do you "TA" in a lab?

Regardless, if your GPA and GRE scores are good (3.7 is more than adequate), you don't really need another degree before getting into a PhD program. You might need more research experience, though that depends on what you've actually done in your labs, but you can get that with a paid RA or research coordinator job after you graduate.

As for neuropsych itself, it's popular, but don't pay too much attention to the branding of programs with formal neuropsych tracks. It's more marketing than anything. Look more at the actual courses, research, and practicum opportunities offered. Even then, your mentor does not necessarily need to be a neuropsychologist, let alone be boarded in neuropsych. Neuropsych is such an awesome interdisciplinary area that you can fit it in to virtually any area, from chronic pain to cardiovascular disease to schizophrenia to anxiety to autism. It's really more about your advisor feeling that your interests will add to their lab and that they'd be willing and able to supervise and mentor you in that area, especially if they aren't a neuropsychologist.

Thank you I appreciate this. And just to answer your question as a TA in the lab I read and gave feedback to students on their research reports and helped them run stats and then also tutored

 

[psych.meout]

I agree with @psych.meout that it is the research experience, not degrees or certificates, that determines preparedness for doctoral program admission. You should also talk to students who recently gained admission or graduated. In my experience, these individuals have been more helpful than faculty.

I would also qualify the statement about neuropsychology track programs. If we are talking PhD programs, then neuropsychology tracks such as those at UF, UCSD, Houston, Drexel, etc. are in a league of their own when it comes to neuropsychology training. Definitely not marketing. This is an important distinction to make, as prospective students may not be aware of all the heavy hitters in the field. When people on SDN say track=useless, they are referring mostly to for-profit, degree mill (often PsyD) programs. Putting these institutions aside, I am generally an advocate for formal neuropsychology tracks at the graduate level, although I did not train in one myself.

I understand what you're saying and I completely agree that those programs you listed are great for neuropsych, but I still stand by my point. Those programs are amazing for neuropsych, but I don't think it really has anything to do with them codifying formal neuropsych tracks. I think they would be of equal quality without having formal tracks, i.e. keeping the same faculty, courses, practica, etc. Thus, even at these great programs, the tracks are still marketing, albeit good, honest marketing.

 

[Kadhir]

Well, I'm emphasizing type II errors here, but I won't belabor my position- the OP did not ask about this issue anyways.

But I will offer that whatever research experience you have, or seek to have in a possible full-time RA position, master's program, or post-bac program, it would be ideal to have some neuropsychological testing experience and perhaps neuroimaging experience (if you think that may be a research focus for you). The more familiar you are with neuropsychological methods early on, the better. It is still true that you are training in clinical psychology first, but-- whether we like it or not-- students are specializing earlier and earlier in their graduate careers, making the internship and fellowship processes down the line very competitive.