Working Part-Time During PsyD Program

[enso10]

Hello Everyone!

I am currently looking at PsyD programs within the San Francisco/ Bay area and am curious about the ability to work during the program (pre-internship placement). As we know, PsyD programs can pack a huge punch in terms of loans & debt. Have any of you had the experience of working part-time during your program to help pay off student loans? Is it coordinated through your program as work-study or through your own means?

This is my very first post; I appreciate your freedback!

All the best,

-P

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[cara susanna]

I wouldn't recommend it.

 

[PHD12]

Hello Everyone!

I am currently looking at PsyD programs within the San Francisco/ Bay area and am curious about the ability to work during the program (pre-internship placement). As we know, PsyD programs can pack a huge punch in terms of loans & debt. Have any of you had the experience of working part-time during your program to help pay off student loans? Is it coordinated through your program as work-study or through your own means?

This is my very first post; I appreciate your freedback!

All the best,

-P

Keep in mind that you will have to take a full load of courses and do an unpaid practicum each year in a PsyD program. You will be doing 15-20 hours per week of unpaid work + coursework. I don't think its very doable. Best to avoid unfunded PsyD programs.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

The people I know who worked during grad school at unfunded PsyD programs seemed to pick areas in which the schedules weren't typically set in stone (e.g., bartending, waitstaff, etc...jobs where picking up a shift here and there was doable).

There may also be postings at the department about tutoring, helping children with special needs, etc.

Although as the other posters have mentioned, keep in mind that grad school basically ends up being a full-time+ job in and of itself.

 

[futureapppsy2]

Keep in mind that you will have to take a full load of courses and do an unpaid practicum each year in a PsyD program. You will be doing 15-20 hours per week of unpaid work + coursework. I don't think its very doable. Best to avoid unfunded PsyD programs.

This. Grad school is a lot more than hours spent in class and studying--not only do you have practicum, but any decent program will expect/require some research involvement, even if it is a PsyD program.

 

[Psychadelic2012]

I work 20 hours in assistantships in my program, on top of practicums, classes, and research (which is not in my GA time). I don't see why someone couldn't work a 20-hour/week job if they don't have assistantship duties. I know I'd be doing that if I didn't have funding.

 

[futureapppsy2]

I work 20 hours in assistantships in my program, on top of practicums, classes, and research (which is not in my GA time). I don't see why someone couldn't work a 20-hour/week job if they don't have assistantship duties. I know I'd be doing that if I didn't have funding.

I did a similar thing in my masters program (20 hour a week GAship unrelated to my research). I think the difference is that GAships and university-based jobs are typically more willing to work around student schedules.

 

[Psychadelic2012]

I did a similar thing in my masters program (20 hour a week GAship unrelated to my research). I think the difference is that GAships and university-based jobs are typically more willing to work around student schedules.

Sometimes, but not always. I currently have to fit all of my hours into the 8-5, M-F time frame, which is also when all of my classes are, when supervisors want to meet, when prof's want to have meetings. It would be much easier, in many respects, to have a more flexible gig where I could work evenings/weekends.

 

[enso10]

Thank you all for your feedback! After reading other posts within the forum on PsyD programs, I am now hesitant to apply to any PsyD programs that do not have funding. 200k in debt might not be for me. . .

 

[eudaimonPsyD]

I attended an unfunded PsyD (don't even get me started about that stupid decision...) and to do my best to offset some costs I worked 20-30 hours per week in a barista job. It's doable, but think about how much you want to have a life. I barely saw friends and family, my days started at 430 am and wouldn't finish until 1030pm or later, and I never had weekends off. There was a stretch of time where I did not have a single day off from school/prac/work from the start of the semester (Aug27) until Christmas. Not one day. It was a decision I had to make to keep my loans as low as possible, and most of the people in my life were understanding. I got used to sleeping about 6 hours a night for 3 years.

But doable...yes.

 

[enso10]

I attended an unfunded PsyD (don't even get me started about that stupid decision...) and to do my best to offset some costs I worked 20-30 hours per week in a barista job. It's doable, but think about how much you want to have a life. I barely saw friends and family, my days started at 430 am and wouldn't finish until 1030pm or later, and I never had weekends off. There was a stretch of time where I did not have a single day off from school/prac/work from the start of the semester (Aug27) until Christmas. Not one day. It was a decision I had to make to keep my loans as low as possible, and most of the people in my life were understanding. I got used to sleeping about 6 hours a night for 3 years.

But doable...yes.

That sounds like a recipe for burnout!? I work 6 days a week currently in my direct service job at a community health center and I have to constantly battle burnout. How did you manage your mental health during that intense period?

 

[Pragma]

That sounds like a recipe for burnout!? I work 6 days a week currently in my direct service job at a community health center and I have to constantly battle burnout. How did you manage your mental health during that intense period?

One thing that I believe students underestimate is how much energy various elements of the programs can involve. For instance, before graduate school I worked 60-80 hour weeks already in two mental health jobs. In graduate school I also worked 60-80 hour weeks, but it seemed more energy-consuming because of the learning curve, the multiple hat-wearing, and the increasing responsibility/independence. It also was more stimulating.

That said, had I not attended a funded program, I definitely would have worked (and would have had 20 hours per week back from assistantship work). My understanding is that some unfunded PsyD programs cater to working folks and offer things like evening and weekend classes.

However, I would not recommend an unfunded PsyD program to anyone, for many reasons.

 

[Buzzwordsoldier]

Some folks keep jobs in the community, others do work study, still others do psych assistanceships. It keeps things interesting. I think most people find that keeping a job in the community is kind of a grand gesture of nearly senseless exertion.