Psychologist Assistant for Rec Letter?

[Dre42]

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Hi all,

What are your thoughts on trying to get an assistantship for a working psychology professional to help bolster CV for grad school? I am looking to gain admission into an equal emphasis clincial psychology program (PhD) in the near future. I have a paid research position in a neuro psychology lab at a local med school and a volutneering position as a post bacc research assistant at a local university's psychogy lab where I'm taking some post bacc classes.

Seeing it that PhD in clincial psychology is a degree that implies research and practice, I've been thinking about reaching out to local psychologists to see if I can volunteer some time helping them with non confidential minutia office work in exchange for a chance to shadow a private practice and hopefully get a rec letter from working professional. Is this something that is feasible to puruse?

 

[summerbabe]

I am a clinician and am not involved with admissions. But I don't think most programs would put much weight on shadowing because what could that person really say? That you had professional demeanor? That you seem like a nice person?

It's important in medicine because you get to see the reality/grind of being a doctor, which should theoretically discourage some people from this path but helping out with paperwork/billing or potentially sitting in on therapy sessions doesn't add much to your ability to succeed in grad school IMO (although it might help you realize whether this is a good path for you). Plus, you can watch videos of experts doing therapy all day long on YouTube or via paid CEs/trainings.

The general assumption is that if somebody can meet the academic rigors of grad school for psychology, they can be trained to become a competent clinician, whether they have had a lot of exposure or none or even if their ultimate interest in doing clinical work is minimal. So I would focus on what you're already doing or explore other options if you have time. Good luck!

 

[R. Matey]

What @summerbabe said, and also, maybe see if your lab will let you shadow psychological testing for research purposes. I did that in a psych research lab before I went to graduate school and learned a ton.

 

[Dre42]

Ok, noted, thanks a lot!