PsyD vs. PhD in regards to keeping more options open

[Johnny38]

I'm considering whether or not to pursue a PhD or PsyD in psychology. My question is the following: in order to keep more options open (clinical and teaching, for example), would it more sense to go with a PhD instead of a PsyD? The only issue is that I am more drawn to the clinical aspect and don't like research that much, but do want to teach potentially in addition to doing clinical work.

Are there any PhD programs out there that are more clinical in nature??

All thoughts are much appreciated, thanks!

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[erg923]

I'm considering whether or not to pursue a PhD or PsyD in psychology. My question is the following: in order to keep more options open (clinical and teaching, for example), would it more sense to go with a PhD instead of a PsyD? The only issue is that I am more drawn to the clinical aspect and don't like research that much, but do want to teach potentially in addition to doing clinical work.

Are there any PhD programs out there that are more clinical in nature??

All thoughts are much appreciated, thanks!

1. Yes, the Ph.D still offers more options (ie., keeps more doors open). However, I would NOT bother pursuing a doctorate in psychology if you don't like research. You still have to do it in order to be competitive (and to develop as a clinical scientist) and almost all Psy.D programs now require an empirical dissertation that is almost as rigorous as the traditional Ph.D. dissertation.

2. Although one can teach with a Psy.D., its a challenge to do much more than adjuct teaching at the collegiate level with the Psy.D. Full time professorships, even at very small colleges, are still very biased towards the Ph.D.

3. Yes. Get the Insiders Guide to find out which ones.
http://www.amazon.com/Insiders-Graduate-Programs-Counseling-Psychology/dp/1593856377

 

[BuckeyeAlum]

What erg923 said, and...

I confess that I'm biased toward PhDs. However, I'd encourage you to really do your homework on the PsyD programs if you end up applying to them. There are certainly some very reputable programs out there, but there are also some really awful ones too. Funding is also a big consideration, as it is more likely you will be funded in a PhD program than in a PsyD program. This is even more important than you would think b/c it is very hard to pay off hefty student loans on a clinical psychologist's salary.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

If only there was a search function to allow people to search through thousands of threads and find any one of 100+ (possibly 1000+) threads that talk about this exact topic.....