What can I do with this degree?

[AryaStark]

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So I have been attempting to understand what I can do with this degree when i am finished. Even my friends in their later years don't really know. So if you are willing, please answer the following questions regarding what you do/what you will do/what you have heard from others. Please keep in mind that I know it varies depending on the place and what population you work with, however examples would be awesome!

What do you do day to day when working at a VA?
What do you do day to day when working at a big hospital?
What about in a primary care setting?
What about inpatient care?

Where is the best place to do clinical work and research together?
Where is the best place to do short term intervention work?
In what setting would you most likely be working on a multidisciplinary team?

Anyone else can jump in with questions. Also, if you have any other thoughts about what you do/want to do, go ahead and shout them out. Thanks!

 

[erg923]

First, I assume you mean a degree in clinical psych?

Second, only a couple of those question are going to be answerable, as obviously, its going to be function of what clinic and department your within in said "big hospital".... as well as what your role is within it (eg., staff psychologist, team coordinator, C/L, research consultant, etc). I think part of your practicum training is not just learning specific skills, but indeed learning what its like to be a psychologist in that setting at that facility (ie., your typical everyday tasks/routines). Thus, dont worry, you will find these things out and be exposed to them as you go through school and your clinical training.

I think one of the best places to become apt at short-term interventions are college counseling centers and inpatient psychiatric units.

 

[AryaStark]

ah yes, i apolgoize. I wrote out a whole long thing and then I hit the back button and erased it all. I meant clinical psych phd. I am in my second year right now. And you say it depends on your role, and that is exactly what I'm looking for an answer for. What do you do as all of those positions?

First, I assume you mean a degree in clinical psych?

Second, only a couple of those question are going to be answerable, as obviously, its going to be function of what clinic and department your within in said "big hospital".... as well as what your role is within it (eg., staff psychologist, team coordinator, C/L, research consultant, etc). I think part of your practicum training is not just learning specific skills, but indeed learning what its like to be a psychologist in that setting at that facility (ie., your typical everyday tasks/routines). Thus, dont worry, you will find these things out and be exposed to them as you go through school and your clinical training.

I think one of the best places to become apt at short-term intevnetions is college counseling centers and inpatient psychiatric units.

 

[O Gurl]

I've had the most experience in VAs and can also speak to some primary care duties within a hospital setting. With the VA, a lot depends on the leadership of the mental health care line and other big-wigs. Our facilities' executive director is very supportive of research. Thus, there are many staff psychologists who have protected research time in addition to their clinical responsibilities and a few (about 7/50) who are 100% research. Clinical work depends on the clinic. Those in outpatient clinics have more structured schedules (e.g. set number of groups, individuals, and screenings/intakes each day) whereas those who work in inpatient settings have a more flexible schedule that may include a set interdisciplinary team meeting, but the schedule of seeing patients is open. There are also a number of assessment-heavy positions from neuropsychology to compensation and pension evaluations (detailed assessments used to determine service connected disability) to (getting to primary care) pre-surgical and hepatitis C treatment evaluations. Also, primary care will usually involve intakes and making appropriate referrals to specialty mental health clinics, suicide risk assessments from PCPs and the ER, as well as some health-behavior oriented groups (smoking cessation, pain management, weight loss) and brief, targeted, individual interventions (e.g. working on sleep hygiene or medication adherence).