Search this site »

Earning A Degre in Psychiatry and the How-To's of Becoming a Psychologist

Posted by Helping Psychology in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX on Jan 18, 2009

Let’s be honest , the study of psychology is not for everyone; if it were, it would be a silly video game, not a medical profession,”(Richmond, 2009). Author and psychologist Raymond Lloyd Richmond, Ph.D., encourages all students to begin looking at their profession in high school. Start by talking with your guidance counselor and enrolling in subjects such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, and psychology (if your school offers it). “Science courses teach you to think logically, and they give you important insight into how the physical world ‘works’”, says Richmond.

To succeed as a psychologist, you need not only hard work and dedication, but an understanding of people. Through government funding, high schools are able to offer advanced students the opportunity to study at a collegiate level. Take advantage of these opportunities to expand your studies while still attending high school. Schools like Argo University offer online classes for distance education. Volunteering is also an excellent way to expose yourself to real-life situations involving: homeless people, racial tensions, minority groups, teen crises, conflicting religious views, and more.

According to Richmond, this is the single most important thing you can do as you prepare for college entrance exams and undergraduate studies. Live it. Breathe it. “More than dating, partying, or having fun. Period.”

Make your undergraduate years count. Most graduate programs require an undergraduate degree in psychology. If you’re not careful, you might wind up out in the cold. Research the requirements for your graduate school of choice – even so, it’s not a bad idea to major in psychology anyway.

Make yourself available by establishing a mentor. Become a professor’s assistant. Volunteer to help research. Interview a psychologist.

Make yourself available to learn and participate!

Opportunities do not always come knocking, sometimes you need to discover them on your own.

Start narrowing your focus. In high school and college, it is essential that you take advantage of every course you can handle. Now, you’re ready for graduate school and it’s time to hone in on your focus. First, the classical degree Ph.D., stressing an equal emphasis on both research and clinical training. The second, the Psy.D, is a newer degree with a greater importance placed on clinical training and a smaller amount of research.

Narrow even further! Will you pursue Clinical Psychology or Counseling Psychology? Clinical Psychology is typically associated with teaching and in-depth research. 8. University graduate programs versus professional schools. Applicants to university programs are very competitive and only a handful are chosen. Your hard work and good grades pay off here. Professional schools are very costly, but the number of applicants chosen are larger. Richmond recommends sending out as many as you can manage.

Stay organized and motivated! Achieving your doctorate could take you twice as long if you don’t stay on task and complete coursework on time. Finally, never give up on your dreams on becoming a psychologist!

Reference
Richmond,Raymond Lloyd, Ph.D. (1997-2009). A Guide to Psychology and its Practice. Retrieved January 13, 2009. Web site: http://www.guidetopsychology.com/be_psy.htm