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Would this count as relevant experience?
Hi guys
Okay so we had a volunteering fair today at uni and i got very interested in this, it is volunteering at an NHS hospital, they say you can help out on wards, with outpatients, be a welcomer and help with admin. When you apply you get an interview to discuss what you want to do and what sort of departments you want to be in.
So if i volunteered in the wards and in outpatients would this be relevant experience to get into clinical psych? What departments should I say i am interested in, because i am guessing there isn't a psychology department lol. Would i ask for a mental health ward or something?
And also to clear this up, what is a clinical setting? a hospital?
And if this position is relevant then would i have to do any other experience later or could i just do this? And how long would i need to do this for?
Thanks, i just want to get in the right place in the first place so i can build up RELEVANT experience from the word go lol.
Okay so we had a volunteering fair today at uni and i got very interested in this, it is volunteering at an NHS hospital, they say you can help out on wards, with outpatients, be a welcomer and help with admin. When you apply you get an interview to discuss what you want to do and what sort of departments you want to be in.
So if i volunteered in the wards and in outpatients would this be relevant experience to get into clinical psych? What departments should I say i am interested in, because i am guessing there isn't a psychology department lol. Would i ask for a mental health ward or something?
And also to clear this up, what is a clinical setting? a hospital?
And if this position is relevant then would i have to do any other experience later or could i just do this? And how long would i need to do this for?
Thanks, i just want to get in the right place in the first place so i can build up RELEVANT experience from the word go lol.
Well it would of course depend on what you would be exactly doing (helping people vs. cleaning toilets), but of course it's better than nothing and could even be very useful. So why wouldn't you try it? I don't think there is any period of time that you HAVE to do it - do it as long as it feels good for you, that's the main thing anyway. 
Admin and welcoming? Not really.
MH ward? Yes.
MH ward? Yes.
Relevant experience for clinical psychology training would require some substantial contact with clients of mental health services, but also working psychologically. That can be doing audits and evaluations,psycho-education, neuropsychological assessments, working therapeutically with clients using psychological methods. In terms of how long you do it, most courses specify at least a minimum of 1 year, but bear in mind most clinical trainees start their training in their mid to late 20s.
Meeting and greeting is a so-so first step, but something like being a Health Care Assistant, or Nursing Auxiliary would be even better.
Meeting and greeting is a so-so first step, but something like being a Health Care Assistant, or Nursing Auxiliary would be even better.
HaNzY
The only thing with these health care assistant jobs is they all want you to have a NVQ2 in care, which i don't have
Most hospitals have trainee health care assistant posts... you just need to be able to read and write for those
HaNzY
The only thing with these health care assistant jobs is they all want you to have a NVQ2 in care, which i don't have, i am only just starting uni! Oooh this is hard to fins something suitable.
They ALL don't.
Another question on this experience. (Forget about the other volunteer thing i mentioned above, this is something entirely different)
If I found a place as a care assistant at an elderly home or such like, and say i started it in my 1st year undergrad and did it right the way through till i graduate, would this be enough relevant experience to consider immediately applying for the clinical doctorate straight after i graduate? Or do you HAVE to do some experience that is supervised by a clinical psychologist (like an assistant psychologist placement) to be considered?
If you do have to do an assistant psychologist post (or if i wanted to do this to improve my application further) would 2 and a half to 3 years of being a care assistant help me get a place as an assistant psychologist?
Thanks, sorry for all the questions, i just wanna have the best chance possible and since i know where i want to be in the future i think it is best to start working towards that as early as possible.
If I found a place as a care assistant at an elderly home or such like, and say i started it in my 1st year undergrad and did it right the way through till i graduate, would this be enough relevant experience to consider immediately applying for the clinical doctorate straight after i graduate? Or do you HAVE to do some experience that is supervised by a clinical psychologist (like an assistant psychologist placement) to be considered?
If you do have to do an assistant psychologist post (or if i wanted to do this to improve my application further) would 2 and a half to 3 years of being a care assistant help me get a place as an assistant psychologist?
Thanks, sorry for all the questions, i just wanna have the best chance possible and since i know where i want to be in the future i think it is best to start working towards that as early as possible.
If I found a place as a care assistant at an elderly home or such like, and say i started it in my 1st year undergrad and did it right the way through till i graduate, would this be enough relevant experience to consider immediately applying for the clinical doctorate straight after i graduate?
Not really. For clinical training you would be up against assistant psychologists, PhDs, Low intensity CBT therapists and the like. The sort of work you would be doing as a CA would be quite basic care and not be that psychological in its scope. Also its only one area and most courses would like to see evidence of working with multiple client groups (e.g. kids, learning difficulties, adults etc).
If you do have to do an assistant psychologist post (or if i wanted to do this to improve my application further) would 2 and a half to 3 years of being a care assistant help me get a place as an assistant psychologist?
It won't hurt, but it will depend on the remit of your job how you tailor your experiences to match the application form for whatever assistant job you apply for and how good you are at interviews, understanding the role of clinical psychologists. In all likelihood a CA is a good starting point to get something that gives you more experience in mental health doing something psychological, then getting an assistant post.
Remember its not a race to get on training. The average starting age of a trainee is 27 (and a lot are older) and courses tend to want to have people with varied life experiences and to have lived a bit.
Lord Asriel
Not really. For clinical training you would be up against assistant psychologists, PhDs, Low intensity CBT therapists and the like. The sort of work you would be doing as a CA would be quite basic care and not be that psychological in its scope. Also its only one area and most courses would like to see evidence of working with multiple client groups (e.g. kids, learning difficulties, adults etc).
It won't hurt, but it will depend on the remit of your job how you tailor your experiences to match the application form for whatever assistant job you apply for and how good you are at interviews, understanding the role of clinical psychologists. In all likelihood a CA is a good starting point to get something that gives you more experience in mental health doing something psychological, then getting an assistant post.
Remember its not a race to get on training. The average starting age of a trainee is 27 (and a lot are older) and courses tend to want to have people with varied life experiences and to have lived a bit.
It won't hurt, but it will depend on the remit of your job how you tailor your experiences to match the application form for whatever assistant job you apply for and how good you are at interviews, understanding the role of clinical psychologists. In all likelihood a CA is a good starting point to get something that gives you more experience in mental health doing something psychological, then getting an assistant post.
Remember its not a race to get on training. The average starting age of a trainee is 27 (and a lot are older) and courses tend to want to have people with varied life experiences and to have lived a bit.
So really they ultimately want you to have been an assistant psychologist?
So care assistant posts or mentoring with different people to help "empower them and to help them to move on with their lives" (another volunteer thing i found) or anything where you have to talk to the people and deal with them, i found one here working with people with multiple sclerosis, but all these things are good and will help? Do i just do a range of volunteering then through my undergrad course?
I'm a student whose going to convert to psychology after I graduate... I'm still a little bit confused as to what courses are the best and will make me most qualified but I'm aiming towards clinical psychology.
I'm on a gap year from my degree now (I'm a drama student!) and although I am still considering the option of dramatherapy, my research has got me more excited about the idea of clinical psychology. I am in the process of starting work as an activities co-ordinator for a care home, and perhaps to supplement this, some other care homes too (working towards a full time hour schedule). Like many others I'm keen to begin training as soon as possible after my degree, and I was wondering whether others felt that this might be good experience?
I'm also in the process of starting up a drama group with my local Mind clinic. This isn't dramatherapy because I'm not qualified but will be volunteer work with vulnerable adults.
Would anyone be able to give me a little advice on opportunities, and advise what the best conversion courses are! Thankyou!
I'm on a gap year from my degree now (I'm a drama student!) and although I am still considering the option of dramatherapy, my research has got me more excited about the idea of clinical psychology. I am in the process of starting work as an activities co-ordinator for a care home, and perhaps to supplement this, some other care homes too (working towards a full time hour schedule). Like many others I'm keen to begin training as soon as possible after my degree, and I was wondering whether others felt that this might be good experience?
I'm also in the process of starting up a drama group with my local Mind clinic. This isn't dramatherapy because I'm not qualified but will be volunteer work with vulnerable adults.
Would anyone be able to give me a little advice on opportunities, and advise what the best conversion courses are! Thankyou!
So really they ultimately want you to have been an assistant psychologist?
Not at all. But being an assistant really is the most straightforward way as you will be in contact directly with Clinical Psychologists and understand more about their duties. You can also be an IAPT worker (google it), Research Assistant or anything that gives you experience in mental health, as long as you can show what you learned from it. A range is necessary otherwise you are going to learn a fairly limited amount in one setting (and during training you will have to cover adult, child, learning difficulties, older adults and other settings).
advise what the best conversion courses are
There are no best conversion courses. Clinical training courses don't care at all as long as you have an acredited degree by the British PSychological Society. Other questions can be answered at: http://www.clinpsy.org.uk/forum/viewforum.php?f=17
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