various fields of psych

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Right now I am a psych major with a 3.6 GPA trying to figure out what I want to do when I graduate. I've been thinking of doing community psych, clinical psych, counseling psych, or developmental psych- but I don't know which one to choose! I've tried googling it and all that, but what jobs are available for community/developmental psychologists? Are the jobs plentiful? I am interested in doing developmental psychology because I am extremely interested in development, but I want to take this knowledge and use it in a practical way, not do research/academia. I was looking at an MSW-type degree, but I felt too limited by it- community psychology appeals to me because it seems similar but with better salary/more education. I've always thought I would do clinical psych but after awhile I felt like maybe I wanted to do something more "community-outreach" oriented. Can you help me find a path or give me some info about job opportunities/salary/experiences for these branches of the field?
Thanks,
Lindsay

 

[irish80122]

I am just a college student as well so unfortunately I can't help too much. What I would do though is try to figure out what your perfect job would be (a job you would really enjoy doing, don't look at money yet) and then figure out how to get there and if it would fit your needs financially. To do this I would recommend you volunteer or work in psych related fields to see if something strikes your fancy.

Given the fact that you really don't seem to want to do research, you probably wouldn't want a Ph.D but possibly a Psy.D or masters. I wouldn't write-off the MSW yet, it all depends on what you want to do, though it does limit you.

If you start with the jobs you want to do and look at what you have to have to get there I think it will help you answer your question. I hope that helps some! Hopefully someone with more real-world experience will come and help 🙂.

 

[perfektspace]

I am interested in doing developmental psychology because I am extremely interested in development, but I want to take this knowledge and use it in a practical way, not do research/academia. I've always thought I would do clinical psych but after awhile I felt like maybe I wanted to do something more "community-outreach" oriented. Can you help me find a path or give me some info about job opportunities/salary/experiences for these branches of the field?

I think a lot of the positions as a developmental or clinical psychologist that ultimately yield the most "practical" use within the community are going to be research type positions. The research done in these fields can be directly applied to a given population (i.e., community based interventions). If your looking to get in the trenches so to speak the MSW makes more sense. Clinical is easily the most versatile of all the psych fields. I don't know a great deal about the developmental job outlook but was under the impression that most positions were in research settings.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

Clinical is easily the most versatile of all the psych fields. I don't know a great deal about the developmental job outlook but was under the impression that most positions were in research settings.

That is my understanding also. Clinicial will give you the most flexibility, but it is also the longest road. MSW's and related degrees are great for people who want to do direct client/patient work, though there is less flexibility outside of this (at least in the clinical setting). You can do case management and other MH positions, but teaching, research, and related areas are usually outisde of the scope. I've seen a lot of MSWs at government and quasi-government jobs (read: good benefits, stable)....which is appealing for some people . You won't get rich with an MSW...but a doc. in clinical won't do that either, though there is a higher upside.

-t

 

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I'm really kicking myself for giving the impression that I'm not interested in doing any research. I don't mind doing research in school or in my professional life, but I don't want research to be main focus of my career.

 

[vhermann]

See my other posting on your other forum about Phd vs. MSW. I am an MSW, and have worked on an inpatient psychiatric unit of a teaching hospital for the last 3 years. I love working in this environment, and wanted to develop myself further in psychopharm and neuropsych, and was trying to decide between MD AND PhD. I chose the PhD and am 4 months in, however I still don't think it's the right option for me. It IS SUCH A LONG ROAD, it will close me an arm and a leg, and I don't get as much exposure as I would like in psychopharm. So now, instead, I am considering doing a nurse practioner program in psychiatry/mental health. This degree, paired with an MSW, will allow you to do just about anything.

Also, the other person that wrote that it's important to try to figure out what job you might really like is right. I thought I would enjoy doing psychotherapy with people the most, but after trying a few jobs I have found that I am most happy working in a hospital environment with a multidisciplinary team approach. Maybe you could shadow a few people in positions you think you'd like to get a real feel for it...that might help you decide.