PsyD or MFT ? Need help , please !

[psycholytic]

Hello everyone

I am in the application process and have sent out material to PhD, PsyD and MFT programs. I would love to work in Clinical Health Psychology. One of the schools I have applied to is Alliant/ CSPP and I am scared to death that this is the one that will work out. I will end up with 100,000 Dollars in debt and one of my profs told me that it's not worth it when one would weigh the later salaries that would not justify that kind of debt.

Please give me some input. What do you guys think ? Shall I just do it or shall I get my MFT or LCSW and then get a doctorate degree in Public Health at a State financed school?

Thanks so much everybody for your feedback.

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[clinpsychgirl]

Hello everyone

I am in the application process and have sent out material to PhD, PsyD and MFT programs. I would love to work in Clinical Health Psychology. One of the schools I have applied to is Alliant/ CSPP and I am scared to death that this is the one that will work out. I will end up with 100,000 Dollars in debt and one of my profs told me that it's not worth it when one would weigh the later salaries that would not justify that kind of debt.

Please give me some input. What do you guys think ? Shall I just do it or shall I get my MFT or LCSW and then get a doctorate degree in Public Health at a State financed school?

Thanks so much everybody for your feedback.

Hi Psycholytic,

If you have the resources and time to prepare more applications (and can meet the deadlines), I'd suggest that you go ahead and appy for MFT and LCSW programs. At this point it's better to have your options open to you. If your goal is to to be a clinician, this is certaintly a viable route. Then, you still have possibilities open to you with your other Phd and Psyd programs.

In the event that Alliant was your only choice, I can't tell you that you should or shouldn't go to there because I honestly don't know a lot about the program and because that's a personal decision that you have to make. Personally, I would also be hesitant to commit the time, money, and resources to any place that I was expressing doubts about from the onset. Moreover, the debt sounds like a lot to incur if there are other routes that will take you to your career goal.

I hope that was of some help. In any event, where ever the future takes you, I wish you the best of luck!

 

[RainbowTVP]

If you want to work as a clinician, than the PsyD or MFT would probably be fine.

Personally, I don't think a Phd or Psyd is worth thousands of dollars of debt. Esp if you are not planning to work in research.

I have already decided that if I can't get into a phd program with full tuition waiver and a stipend, I simply will not go.

Look online (at local hospitals or monster.com) for jobs for people with each type of degree and see what the job descriptions sound like and what the pay rate is. Pick the degree you need to get the job you want- don't go for the phd/psyd just because you think it is the next step in psychology. A lot of people do very well with Master's degrees (and have less debt, less time in servitude... ahem... I mean school, etc.)

Keep in mind the extra 2-4 (or more) years a phd/psyd will take you and decide whether it is financially and personally worth it.

Also- many people work part-time (or even full-time) while working on their Master's and if you can find a place with some tuition reimbursement, the cost won't be staggering and you may be able to move up within the company after completing the program.

Tara P

 

[psycholytic]

Thanks Tara

I feel the same way , you do. I do not want to pay for the rest of my life w/o ever getting rid of the thought of being in debt. I looked at these Monster sites and the jobs that interest me the most are the ones such as Kaiser Permanente's . They usually look mostly for PsyD's or LCSW's.
I am wondering why the MFT is doing so poorly? I love psychology and would like to get mt MFT if I can't get into a PhD program, but it seems that MFT's are not that much in demand.
You know, it is really strange; in Germany (where I am from) Psychologists are licensend AND called psychologists (who also test) at the Masters level.

 

[psycholytic]

Thanks for your post. I mentioned that I did apply to all of these programs.

I am awaiting the answers like so many of us momentarily.

 

[clinpsychgirl]

Hi again,

Sorry I didn't read that first sentence correctly!

I think another option worth considering is taking a year off to get work experience in the field. If you do this, you will: save money and become a stronger applicant- and as a stronger applicant you are more likely to get into a funded program (PhD or PsyD).

 

[vesper9]

If you are going to pay $$ for a PsyD, my advice is don't get it from Alliant....they just strike me as more of a diploma mill...you'll get an education, but the quality is questionable....for the same amount of money you can find academically rigorous inctitutions, like the Wright Institute in Berkeley (one of my faves)...or PsyD programs based in quality universities, like Rutgers

oh and since you mentioned Kaiser, when I scheduled an appointment in psych I found out many (if not most) of their counselors are LCSWs or MAs/MFTs so I wouldn't worry about that....

 

[psycholytic]

Thanks for all the info