Overall a disquieting post, OG.
I see areas of overlap and a few pages ago you seemed to as well, but things change.
Too strange -- I never meant to imply that I think admissions standards for graduate school amounts to oppression. But I may have been less than completely careful in explaining my positions...
As for my perfect world, let me get super way out in the dreamland: there, we'd have no need for a mental health profession or psychology in general. Should I apologize for that?
In this world, on matters of consequence I do look to the experts. There is almost no scenario under which I could imagine referring friends and relations to seek psychological help. However, thankfully, the truly unimaginable happens. If it did/when it does (for example, in the case of psychological trauma, or newfound desires to get out of their own way), I would not rule out their seeing a university trained psychologist. But education would be one of the more minor points of consideration. Now, if my friends and relations went to a psychologist who subscribed to the medical model (per your original question) -- I'd feel pretty awful about their choice.
As for my own care -- you're asking me to try out an alien sense of self in the world. Unless I was some sort of political prisoner and simply had no choice, there is zero chance I'd work with a psychologist so inclined. If the psychologist endorsed the medical model I don't care where that person went to school/got trained, what tests were passed or failed, etc. Before anyone gets all hot and bothered, I am not saying I doubt the mind body connection. Some of the best sessions I've had have been while at the sharp end of my acupuncturists' needles or the sweatiest of my yoga practices. Nor am I saying I don't think psychologists have a role to play in primary care -- I've worked in hospital-based behavioral health for a couple of years...