This discussion is now closed.

Check out other Related discussions

Psychology students....what do you plan to do after your degree?

Scroll to see replies

Reply 20

SpottedZebra

Original post by Pheebs1201

You could always volunteer with the scouts/girl guides, I did that when I was fourteen and really enjoyed it :smile:

That's a good idea, it seems a really nice atmosphere at those groups :smile:

I was thinking of possibly asking holiday clubs about some work this summer too :smile:

Reply 21

Pheebs1201

Original post by SpottedZebra

That's a good idea, it seems a really nice atmosphere at those groups :smile:

I was thinking of possibly asking holiday clubs about some work this summer too :smile:

Sounds like a plan :smile:

I think theres stuff like Camp Beaumont in the UK that need summer staff too :smile:

Reply 22

Krys79

it's really hard to get a job these days,especially after undergrad psychology...the market just isn't there.I'm a first year psych undergrad student,and having the same mental battle as most.I think the best bet for most of us out there is to pad our degree with a lot of electives,so that we can hopefully do something else,related or unrelated (usually HR)...for me,I'll try to get a job,work for a few years,then go back to school,do clinical psych...and hopefully,the market for that would have expanded in my region by that time.

Reply 23

Interrobang

You can do HR without doing electives - many grad schemes will take any degree subject as long as you get a 2:1

Reply 24

Scottish_Klams

Original post by Sannn

A Master's degree followed by the clinical doctorate programme. May stop at clinical psychology or further specialise into neuropsychology, dunno...we'll see.

That, or graduate medicine. Depends on how much I enjoy the neuro side to Psychology

What differences lie between a graduate medicine degree and, for instance, clinical doctorate followed by specialisation in neuropsychology?

Reply 25

Sannn

Original post by Scottish_Klams

What differences lie between a graduate medicine degree and, for instance, clinical doctorate followed by specialisation in neuropsychology?

Well the most obvious one is that the former will give you a medicine degree, thus enabling you to practise medicine after further training, and the latter does not. Neuropsychology is a very specialized field, whereas with medicine, if you choose to be a GP you're largely open to many kinds of medical problems.

Reply 26

Scottish_Klams

Original post by Sannn

I meant in terms of the field of psychology, however now I understand your post. Interested in the neuropsychology field myself.

Reply 27

Sannn

Original post by Scottish_Klams

I meant in terms of the field of psychology, however now I understand your post. Interested in the neuropsychology field myself.

Oh right...erm, well, neuropsychologists have to be well-trained in the neurosciences so I guess a fair bit of neurology would be in neuropsychology? Not quite sure what you're asking, sorry :colondollar:

Reply 28

Scottish_Klams

Original post by Sannn

Just ignore me, misunderstood your original post haha.
Although if you are considering graduate medicine it is normally even more competitive than normal entry.

Reply 29

Sannn

Original post by Scottish_Klams

Just ignore me, misunderstood your original post haha.
Although if you are considering graduate medicine it is normally even more competitive than normal entry.

Oh yeah, I know. Harder to fund financially too...

Reply 30

Lord Asriel

What differences lie between a graduate medicine degree and, for instance, clinical doctorate followed by specialisation in neuropsychology?

These are fundamentally different careers.

A medical degree is the basis for a career as a medical doctor and is the first step for many routes from being a surgeon to being a GP. Psychiatry is a speciality within medicine, and neuropsychiatry is a sub specialism within that. Much of psychiatry in the UK centres around diagnosis, prescribing and monitoring medication, mental health act assessments (i.e. sectioning).

A DClinPsy will qualify you to practice as a clinical psychologist, and you will gain the skills in psychological and cognitive assessments, CBT/ other psychotherapies, running therapy groups, conducting research and the other aspects that come with the territory.

Further postdoctoral qualification in neuropsychology will develop skills that will help cognitive assessments, treatment or rehabilitation of those that have neurological, neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions or learning disorders. Many of us work in neuro settings without the further training, but generally its seen as a good idea to do further training as the DClinPsy is quite broad, and the MScs like this one will go into greater detail and focus into some of the neurological conditions and presentations that would be specific to that area.

While I have a DClinPsy I don't have a PGDip in Clinical Neuro, but then again I work in general adult mental health, so don't really need it for that. I do work alongside medics (psychiatry) and we have complementary skill sets often with them diagnosing and medicating, while I do therapy or more systemic work with family, residential homes and such. I would recommend if you are interested talking to both psychiatrist and psychologists about the type of work they do.

Reply 31

racheyroo

am hoping to either eventually go into clinical by doing a dclinpsy, or if that fails i would love to go into counselling :smile:

Reply 32

nbhx

Applied to do BSc Psychology in September, not sure if I'll do a masters yet, then graduate medicine! Would love to go into psychiatry but I'm really interested in neuropathology so will have to see what happens :smile:

Reply 33

BlackHawk

I'm currently considering studying Psychology with a view to starting a treatment centre for young offenders and addicts once I'm finished.

Reply 34

Jgh_1990

Tbh with you guys, before I applied for Psychology, I always had it in my mind that I would undergo Flight school to be a Commercial Pilot. As I grew older, realization hit me as the airline industry is so unforgiving (Always need a back up plan).

So as Psychology/Psychiatry are areas that I am also interested in, I am excited as to where the degree will take me. I'm really hoping that I can persue my airline career as and when I have the funds available to me in a few years time, but you never know, I may end up applying for a doctorate programme in the future, or may even decide to apply for Graduate Entry Medicine.

It really is exciting to wonder where the degree may lead me. :smile:

Reply 35

Jgh_1990

Original post by Sohaila14

I really want to get to the forensic psychology side, I'm starting uni on September and studying psychology as a degree. And to get into forensic psychology I believe you need to do a masters, is masters degree in this area only one year? I don't know how it works out. If anyone could help?

Posted from TSR Mobile

Hi Sohaila :smile:

nice to see so many aspiring Psychology students :smile:

In regards to your question, I think it generally takes students 1.5-2 years depending on the course of study (part/full time). It may even be just over a year, but I'm not entirely certain.

All the best!

Reply 36

Lord Asriel

To work as a forensic psychologist, you will need both a master's degree and a period of supervised training. The MSc will take between 1-2 years depending on whether you do it full time or not, but the supervised training will be variable (and can be quite lengthy). However, there are now some Forensic Psychology Doctorates that integrate the whole training period like this one:

http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/pgstudy/courses/psychology-work-health-and-organisations/forensic-psychology---full-programme-dforenpsy.aspx

At undergraduate level, I would recommend making contact with local forensic psychologists and getting a range of experience in settings that expose you to the forensic and judicial system. Like most psychology pathways, it is quite competitive, but very rewarding once you are trained. Good luck.

Reply 37

memifer

Another aspiring Clinical Psychologist here.

I've just completed my undergraduate degree, and whilst I was studying I worked as both a health records clerk in a mental health hospital, and a therapy assistant in neurology, both jobs have equipped me with the skills I will need for my new job as an Assistant Psychologist working in pain management. In this role (which I start in a few weeks, working my notice right now) I will be working alongside the neuropsychology department so I'm quite excited to get started (I loved my optional cognitive neuroscience module in my final year). Once I finish in this post I plan to get another assistant post working with a completely different client group (children, older adults or forensic ideally, just depends on what jobs are available), then apply for the clinical doctorate.

Once I qualify I would love to specialise in working with either adults who have been labelled as having a personality disorder, or children who are displaying signs of emerging personality disorders, as I realised I wanted to work towards becoming a psychologist whilst I was working in a personality disorder service, so I would have come full circle if that is where I ended up specialising.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 38

doctordee

Original post by SpottedZebra

Title says it all really! Just out of curiosity and because I'm a psychology student myself and interested to see what kinds of things people do when they finish :smile:

Im considering either a PGCE or a MSc in nursing but I'm undecided at the moment :smile:

So if you do a masters in nursing you can go into nursing even with just a undergraduate degree of Psychology.

Reply 39

username840737

Original post by doctordee

So if you do a masters in nursing you can go into nursing even with just a undergraduate degree of Psychology.

Yes if you do a pre-qualifying masters in nursing which are typically 2-3 years full time depending on previous academic and placement experience

Posted from TSR Mobile