Research interests/PsyD programs

[Student4Life0]

Hello all,

I suppose these questions may be premature, considering I have yet to hear back about interviews! My question is how specific should an applicant be when asked "what are your research interests?" I fear that my answer will be too broad, or too scattered. I am interested in substance abuse/addiction, but saying that alone sounds very broad. Specifically, I am interested in working from a CBT framwork (more emphasis on behavioral), and examining treatment efficacies, risk factors, and am also interested in behavioral addictions. This answer seems scattered to me. How narrowed down should it be? In addition, I applied to both PhD & PsyD. At the PhD programs, I made sure there was a POI, a "good fit." I also applied to research-oriented PsyD programs, but what if there are no professors interested in addiction at these programs? Am I sunk?

Thanks in advance!

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[Hopefulhokie]

I don't think so. I applied to a few university-based PsyD programs and I didn't really have anyone who really specifically matched my research interests, except for at Rutgers.

 

[Student4Life0]

I don't think so. I applied to a few university-based PsyD programs and I didn't really have anyone who really specifically matched my research interests, except for at Rutgers.

Ok, thank you. I assumed that it wouldn't be a huge deal with the PsyD programs. I also applied to Rutgers, and it is actually one of the PsyD programs that I feel would be a good research match for my interests.

 

[Phipps]

Ok, thank you. I assumed that it wouldn't be a huge deal with the PsyD programs. I also applied to Rutgers, and it is actually one of the PsyD programs that I feel would be a good research match for my interests.

I did choose my Psy.D. programs according to my research and clinical interests and was rather specific; I carefully looked at faculty interests in order to make sure that it would be a good fit.

Phipps

 

[AcronymAllergy]

Hello all,

I suppose these questions may be premature, considering I have yet to hear back about interviews! My question is how specific should an applicant be when asked "what are your research interests?" I fear that my answer will be too broad, or too scattered. I am interested in substance abuse/addiction, but saying that alone sounds very broad. Specifically, I am interested in working from a CBT framwork (more emphasis on behavioral), and examining treatment efficacies, risk factors, and am also interested in behavioral addictions. This answer seems scattered to me. How narrowed down should it be? In addition, I applied to both PhD & PsyD. At the PhD programs, I made sure there was a POI, a "good fit." I also applied to research-oriented PsyD programs, but what if there are no professors interested in addiction at these programs? Am I sunk?

Thanks in advance!

In my experience, many/most grad programs aren't going to expect you to come in knowing exactly what it is you want to do. Part of the whole doctoral training process is establishing, and narrowing down, what your research interests truly entail. In my opinion, the more "specific" interests you've listed are focused enough to not appear terribly scattered, yet broad enough to indicate that you still have plenty of opportunity for growth via experience.

 

[Student4Life0]

In my experience, many/most grad programs aren't going to expect you to come in knowing exactly what it is you want to do. Part of the whole doctoral training process is establishing, and narrowing down, what your research interests truly entail. In my opinion, the more "specific" interests you've listed are focused enough to not appear terribly scattered, yet broad enough to indicate that you still have plenty of opportunity for growth via experience.

Ok, that is what I was hoping. Thank you for the advice!

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

I think if you know the area in which you want to work, that should suffice. I looked at a number of Psy.D. programs (Rutgers, Loyola, Baylor, etc), and IIRC they wanted to know my area of interest, but I didn't need to specify *exactly* what I wanted. It is important that if you get an offer and are not matched with a faculty member prior to accepting, that you speak with the university about options of who you are thinking about, and also talk with those faculty members. I had someone lined up and they left a year later (it was a great opportunity for them), and then I had to find a new mentor, which required I tweak my work quite a bit.