What do you want to do with your degree?

[HVACPSM]

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One of the reasons that I chose to go into clinincal psychology is because it can open the door to so many different career paths beyond academia and clinical practice. I am curious to know what some of you think you might want to do with your degree - particulary if it is different from the "traditional" career path of a clinical psychologist. T4C - you have mentioned wanting to do consulting - what type of consulting do you want to do?

I for one am interested in behavioral health policy and I hope to develop a career doing consulting with goverments (local, state and federal), school districts, colleges and universities, ect to develop effective behavioral health policies for these entities so people have improved outcomes in the most efficient and effective way possible.

What do you want to do with your degree???

 

[RayneeDeigh]

there are a number of things I would be happy with. Federal prison stuff, law enforcement (critical incident stress and all that jazz), forensic consulting, and therapy with an emphasis on Cluster B PDs. Throw in some research and a dash of writing books, and you've got my dream career. I jokingly said that I was going to write an alternative to Shea's Psychiatric Interviewing book (which I don't have much love for) so now I have to do that just on principle.

I'm on kind of a restorative justice kick lately so I'd like to further develop programs where victims meet with offenders not just for property crime but personal crimes as well. I guess I'm an eternal optimist that way.

 

[paramour]

there are a number of things I would be happy with. Federal prison stuff, law enforcement (critical incident stress and all that jazz), forensic consulting, and therapy with an emphasis on Cluster B PDs. Throw in some research and a dash of writing books, and you've got my dream career. I jokingly said that I was going to write an alternative to Shea's Psychiatric Interviewing book (which I don't have much love for) so now I have to do that just on principle.

I'm on kind of a restorative justice kick lately so I'd like to further develop programs where victims meet with offenders not just for property crime but personal crimes as well. I guess I'm an eternal optimist that way.

We should hook up and start our own consulting firm after graduation (alongside our booming online escort service). 😉

I suppose that I sort of presumed forensics & PDs would be a fairly competitive area with people fighting for these positions/populations, but I'm learning that the vast majority of people I know have no interest in them whatsoever and wouldn't go near them if their lives depended on it. Unsure whether this is accurate for most of clinical psych or whether I've simply surrounded myself with people who hold no such interests.

 

[Ollie123]

Well, my main goal is pretty traditional - faculty job at a major research university. Only remaining question beyond that is whether to be in a med school or a psych department. That probably depends on how much I like teaching and how much success I think I'll have in the grants department🙂

I do have some side-interests I want to work in as well. I'd love to write/edit textbooks, though I still think that falls within the realm of academia. I would LOVE to do some consulting work in on two fronts. 1) Similar to you, I'd love to consult with companies on maintaining a healthy (physically and mentally) workforce. 2) Consult setting up psychophysiology labs and doing the basic computer programming alot of psych labs need but have no one to do.

I'm a big computer nerd and from what I have seen there is a HUGE demand for psychologists with programming skills since computer tasks and physiological measurement are getting used everywhere these days, but its something very few psychologists actually know how to do (largely because the training requires very little computer experience beyond stats syntax).

 

[paramour]

I'm a big computer nerd and from what I have seen there is a HUGE demand for psychologists with programming skills since computer tasks and physiological measurement are getting used everywhere these days, but its something very few psychologists actually know how to do (largely because the training requires very little computer experience beyond stats syntax).

This is why I am glad that our program allows us to do our dissertation's research tool in stats or programming. I'm interested in stats, plan on taking more courses as electives, but I also currently plan on declaring programming as my tool. My advisor seems okay with it, but oddly enough, I have some individuals trying to talk me out of it because they see it as "worthless" since stats is "obviously" more beneficial in the long run. 🙄 Unsure where this attitude comes from, particularly since we have problems with staffing our physio lab due to limited (or complete lack thereof) experience in the programming aspect of it all... of course, some of this could also be due to their own disinterest in physio... ah, well, better for me--less competition for resources! 😀

 

[Thrak]

Research in a typical academic environment (university professor) would probably be my most likely course.

In a more ambitious scenario, I'd like to start a research institute dedicated to studying the childfree.

If times get really rough and I need to chase dollar signs, I'd probably go into marketing research again.

 

[Ollie123]

This is why I am glad that our program allows us to do our dissertation's research tool in stats or programming. I'm interested in stats, plan on taking more courses as electives, but I also currently plan on declaring programming as my tool. My advisor seems okay with it, but oddly enough, I have some individuals trying to talk me out of it because they see it as "worthless" since stats is "obviously" more beneficial in the long run. 🙄 Unsure where this attitude comes from, particularly since we have problems with staffing our physio lab due to limited (or complete lack thereof) experience in the programming aspect of it all... of course, some of this could also be due to their own disinterest in physio... ah, well, better for me--less competition for resources! 😀

"Research tool"? Can I ask what you mean by this, it sounds like an interesting system. Is it an officially declared sub-topic within a larger dissertation? Or am I misunderstanding?

And yes, the problems staffing your physio lab are exactly why I want to do the programming stuff. No one knows how, so I'm hoping that if I do, that might bump me up just enough to actually land a job at a decent school in this fierce academic job market right now😉

 

[Cosmo75]

I'm a big computer nerd and from what I have seen there is a HUGE demand for psychologists with programming skills since computer tasks and physiological measurement are getting used everywhere these days, but its something very few psychologists actually know how to do (largely because the training requires very little computer experience beyond stats syntax).

Really....very interesting. I guess those years of writing .NET code will pay off 😀 Although, quite honestly, I'm not really interested in going back into the corporate and/or IT world, even as a consultant. But who knows, that might change. I do plan to use it for my own personal research and practice.

As for the original question. I'd like to do a combination of clinical work, research and teaching. Though not sure how traditional of an academic job I want. If I did go that path, it'd be in a hospital vs. a university. My interest is health psych, chronic illnesses that start in late adolescence/young adulthood really. I love doing research but am a bit leery of the grant hunt. It's some mild PTSD from years of corporate politics I think 😀

 

[73BARMYPgsp]

OP-What do you want to do with your degree?

If I can make it happen, after internship and post doc I want to get assigned to the JFK Special Warefare Center at Ft. Bragg and do SFAS (Special Forces Assessment and Selection). What the psychologists do there is so cool I can't even contain myself. Selection is a 2-year process during which the candidates are being assessed all along the way. Army psychologists play a vital role in this process by providing feeback to the commanders about how well the soldier is doing. They administer pencil and paper instruments, face to face structured and semi-structured interviews and even get to go out to the field and "spy" on the recruits as part of their assessment of whether or not this individual is going to make it as a SF operator. The commanders do not have to listen to the psychologist, (they can go against medical advice and decide to keep the soldier in training--and have to be accountable if they are wrong) but they generally have a good working relationship and take the advice very seriously. That's what I want to do in the "mid-run" (3-5 years from now).

Edit--and the best part is, it's not therapy--my least favorite thing about psychology.🙂

 

[RayneeDeigh]

We should hook up and start our own consulting firm after graduation (alongside our booming online escort service). 😉

I suppose that I sort of presumed forensics & PDs would be a fairly competitive area with people fighting for these positions/populations, but I'm learning that the vast majority of people I know have no interest in them whatsoever and wouldn't go near them if their lives depended on it. Unsure whether this is accurate for most of clinical psych or whether I've simply surrounded myself with people who hold no such interests.

Haha good idea, it can be a multifunctional business.

I think there are three camps: the people who want to do forensics because they're the weirdos who like dealing with that stuff (this would be me), the people who really want to make a lot of money with their PhD but don't feel like doing neuro, and the people who would sooner flip burgers with a PhD than do forensic psych. Most of the psych people I know are in the 3rd category although I think this might change eventually.

 

[HVACPSM]

OP-What do you want to do with your degree?

I want to open up a consulting firm that focuses on behavioral health policy. I want to develop policy and do policy analysis for governments and non-governmental agencies on issues related to behavioral health (e.g., service delivery, payment, ensuring the use of empirically supported treatments, ect).

 

[paramour]

Frame it.

 

[psychwanabe]

Change the world, one damaged child at a time. 🙄

Forensics would be great to me, working with delinquent children in the system. We just had a presentation from two psychologists who work in the state juvy system. Sweet.

 

[paramour]

Change the world, one damaged child at a time. 🙄

Forensics would be great to me, working with delinquent children in the system. We just had a presentation from two psychologists who work in the state juvy system. Sweet.

This reminds me of a question that is being contemplated among members of my cohort currently (for those of you in child clinical): Do you need to be in a clinical child track in order to work with "children" in late adolescence (say teens to early adulthood)? Will exposure to some coursework suffice? Or do you need all of the child schtuff? We seem to have some individuals who were admitted through the child track who realize that they're not too keen on working with the young'uns, only those in their teens & early adult years and some who were admitted through the adult track who think they need to be in the child area to work with the same population. What is considered "best" for this particular age group or does it matter?

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

I'd like to split my time probably 60/40....with the majority being consulting and professional development work. I have some contacts and standing opportunities that I'll probably use to get started and hopefully build enough of a base to have some steady work.

On the clinical side I'd like to do some supervision (university/hospital pref), outreach education, and have a small private practice. My ultimate goal is to bring on additional people and eventually build out an IOP program into a step-down facility for EDs. I've kicked around a few biz plans and projected start-up numbers, and it is pretty do-able in a few of the places I'd consider living.

Of course.....I'm always open to opportunities, so who knows what I'll be doing 5 years from now, maybe I'll get into some real estate stuff and do commercial selling on the weekends.

 

[Jon4PsyD]

The posts here are already showing just how versatile our degrees will be🙂

I'd like to work in a University Counseling Center full time & teach a class or two per semester as an adjunct professor. If not in a University Counseling Center, perhaps working as a Director of a Disability Services department at a University.

Jon🙂

 

[HVACPSM]

I'd like to split my time probably 60/40....with the majority being consulting and professional development work. I have some contacts and standing opportunities that I'll probably use to get started and hopefully build enough of a base to have some steady work.

I'm curious what type of consulting you want to do? Are you thinking management consulting/executive coaching or something different?

 

[PsyDr]

doing exactly what i am doing now.

 

[psychwanabe]

This reminds me of a question that is being contemplated among members of my cohort currently (for those of you in child clinical): Do you need to be in a clinical child track in order to work with "children" in late adolescence (say teens to early adulthood)? Will exposure to some coursework suffice? Or do you need all of the child schtuff? We seem to have some individuals who were admitted through the child track who realize that they're not too keen on working with the young'uns, only those in their teens & early adult years and some who were admitted through the adult track who think they need to be in the child area to work with the same population. What is considered "best" for this particular age group or does it matter?

My (never to be humble) opinion is that you need the child stuff to work with adolescents too. So many kids are developmentally delayed due to trauma, disorders, or other factors. If you don't know the developmental stages and all of the ramifications of delays in those areas I personally don't believe that you can be as valuable to the child in therapy. There are certainly some techniques that translate from adults to children, but some definitely do not. Additionally the cognitions of adolescents are so vastly different from those as adults, I feel that a lack of knowledge in that area could actually do harm rather than good in working with teens.

As always, just my $.02.

 

[paramour]

"Research tool"? Can I ask what you mean by this, it sounds like an interesting system. Is it an officially declared sub-topic within a larger dissertation? Or am I misunderstanding?

Yes, we have to officially declare (with paperwork, rubber stamps, & all) what research "tool" we will be pursuing for use/work within the dissertation. We have two options: statistics or programming. Well, technically we have 3 options, as we can also mix statistics & programming. We must either be "highly proficient" in one tool (4 courses in stats/programming) or gain "average proficiency" in two tools (2 courses stats; 2 courses programming). Most people pursue stats, although I suspect that it could be because it's the easier of the two routes since we're already required to take 2 stats courses anyway.

OP-What do you want to do with your degree?

If I can make it happen, after internship and post doc I want to get assigned to the JFK Special Warefare Center at Ft. Bragg and do SFAS (Special Forces Assessment and Selection). What the psychologists do there is so cool I can't even contain myself. Selection is a 2-year process during which the candidates are being assessed all along the way. Army psychologists play a vital role in this process by providing feeback to the commanders about how well the soldier is doing. They administer pencil and paper instruments, face to face structured and semi-structured interviews and even get to go out to the field and "spy" on the recruits as part of their assessment of whether or not this individual is going to make it as a SF operator. The commanders do not have to listen to the psychologist, (they can go against medical advice and decide to keep the soldier in training--and have to be accountable if they are wrong) but they generally have a good working relationship and take the advice very seriously. That's what I want to do in the "mid-run" (3-5 years from now).

Edit--and the best part is, it's not therapy--my least favorite thing about psychology.🙂

a) This sounds awesome. b) I'm glad that I'm not the only one disliking therapy. 😎

My (never to be humble) opinion is that you need the child stuff to work with adolescents too. So many kids are developmentally delayed due to trauma, disorders, or other factors. If you don't know the developmental stages and all of the ramifications of delays in those areas I personally don't believe that you can be as valuable to the child in therapy. There are certainly some techniques that translate from adults to children, but some definitely do not. Additionally the cognitions of adolescents are so vastly different from those as adults, I feel that a lack of knowledge in that area could actually do harm rather than good in working with teens.

As always, just my $.02.

See, this makes sense to me and is what I sort of basically assumed. But, as I'm not "in" the area, I thought that there might be some secret I'm not privy to. I still find it odd that individuals are being allowed to transition from child to adult or adult to child when child clinical seems to be so competitive to begin with. Why make things harder for yourself? Just get accepted into an adult program and then tell everyone that you're going the child route anyway. It's like dorkwads I know who get accepted into another division of psych (e.g., development, social, etc.) because "it's easier and then I can just start taking clinical classes," or so they think. THIS doesn't happen (too often at any rate), so why the adult/child transitions?

 

[psybee]

it's so funny how one SDNers delight is anothers bane. I can't imagine doing child psych, although health psych, specifically life threatening illness, palliative care and end of life are very interesting to me, which i know totally creeps others out.

my ideal would, right now, be to work in a hospital on a large research initiative as well as providing clinical care to patients. like examining end of life decisions and how medical expereinces, physician and family variables imfluence those choices (let's say) at a hospital like sloan kettering while also working in the palliative care unit, and then adjuncting as well or providing supervision. i'm also interested in public health, though, so i can also see something like an executive directorship at some point in my career, and also with the teaching and supervision. but i'm just starting off so we'll see.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

it's so funny how one SDNers delight is anothers bane.

....examining end of life decisions

That's all you!

 

[Ollie123]

Yes, we have to officially declare (with paperwork, rubber stamps, & all) what research "tool" we will be pursuing for use/work within the dissertation. We have two options: statistics or programming. Well, technically we have 3 options, as we can also mix statistics & programming. We must either be "highly proficient" in one tool (4 courses in stats/programming) or gain "average proficiency" in two tools (2 courses stats; 2 courses programming). Most people pursue stats, although I suspect that it could be because it's the easier of the two routes since we're already required to take 2 stats courses anyway.

Your program offers FOUR courses in programming?!? 😍
What kind of programming do they have you do? Is it actual programming or things like scripting for DMDX/VPM and the like?

Regardless, I am hugely jealous. We have zero. It works out fine since we have people around (including my advisor) who can show me the ropes for things I haven't done before anyways, but I'd love to take an actual class in programming.

That sounds like an interesting system. I mean, I can't really think of a dissertation that wouldn't involve stats in some way, so I'd probably end up doing the hybrid approach and just taking extra classes as needed, but I've never heard of a school actually requiring a formal declaration of that before. Are there requirements to demonstrate knowledge of the "research tool" beyond the coursework and, obviously, the dissertation itself?

Sorry for all the questions about it - I just find it fascinating how different schools go about these things.

 

[WannaBeDrMe]

Ditto x 3... the not liking therapy... although mine is specific to individual therapy. I love group work and hope to establish/develop curriculum for adolescent groups (trauma, offenders, divorce, & non-specific).

Ditto x 2... I also want to consult w/health care policy specific to rural mental health. I hope to get at least a few grants to study rural individual responses to mental health crises vs urban individual responses, access to care, perception of provider role, etc

I want to be an adjunct at a small'ish college. I have no desire to become tenured faculty... I just love to teach and want to share some of my passion with the new childrens of the world.

How many things is that? I've always wanted to be 5 things... ah, the last 2... non-profit and author... both of those could work up into the others...

Ideally, I'd like to return to my home state, open a multi-service practice focusing on health and wellness and serve as clinical director, holding trainings, encouraging research, etc... this would be my for profit business... My groups would ideally be non-profit work with an established group or one I helped to create... The teaching, probably no more than 1 class per year (not even semester... just depends).. and the consulting, as I felt I had something to contribute.

Additionally, I have a strong pull toward evaluation and diagnostics so there's the possibility of contracting that service out to rural parts of the state maybe in a satellite practice... for me, this will be about service and where I can best contribute to my state's people..

 

[scienceisbeauty]

Facuty job at a major research university.

In which: Do lots of research. Do lots of teaching. Publish a ton. Get famous. Be cool.

 

[WannaBeDrMe]

Facuty job at a major research university.

In which: Do lots of research. Do lots of teaching. Publish a ton. Get famous. Be cool.

Ditto your "be cool" too ... 🙂

I admire your dedication to contributing to the knowledge base... rock on friend.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

I got busy before and forgot to respond to this....

I'm curious what type of consulting you want to do? Are you thinking management consulting/executive coaching or something different?

It is still up in the air.....I have some good in-roads to corporate mediation, and corp coaching, though ultimately my consulting goal is to help healthcare professions become more business savvy and better manage their practices. I've informally surveyed people over the last few years about different practice models (across disciplines), and I've found a niche area that I think I can really develop. Generally my work will focus on helping people do what they do better by streamlining some of the business components that often trip up and dissuade practioners from really realizing their income opportunity. More simply, I'll make it easier for them to do what they know, regain some of their lost/realized income, and take a cut for my efforts.

After projecting out some conservative numbers, I should be able to develop both active and passive income streams from this area, which will help fund some of my large endeavors down the road. If I do it right I'll be able to grow my practice into a large IOP for ED and Substance Abuse, and eventually branch out into a transitional residential facility. I find clinical work interesting, but I'd rather let others do the day to day stuff, and be able to pick and choose what I want to do, and this setup should meet those needs and then some.

 

[Neuropsych2be]

I actually plan on planetary dominion after I graduate 🙂 🙂. However, until those plans materialize 🙂 I want to do a mixture of things, some private practice, some forensic consulting, some corporate consulting ... maybe the development of adventure based growth experiences and team building for corporate clients. In my region of the country there are some great possibilities. I also might want to develop an anxiety treatment practice.

 

[Ilovecows]

I wonder if this thread, 10 years from now, will replay the sentiment in the recent PhD comics cartoon: your life ambition - what happened?

Hmmmmmm