The Student Room Group

Assistant Psychologist

Hi

I was wondering if anyone could give me any advice about the role of an assistant psychologist.

I'm already a psychology research assistant and have been shortlisted for an assistant post within a brain injury rehabilitation centre and therefore have to write an essay about the role and what challenges I would expect to face etc...

I already have an idea of what I'm going to write but does anyone have any key points/buzzwords that could help me fight off the rest of the competition???

Thanks
I applied for an assistant psychologist job at a nearby prison. I wasn't allowed to actually do the job, as I'm only 19, and you needed to be 21 to have a security pass. Shame really as I would have been so good for that job! :frown:

I rang the comany up for an informal chat about the job-can't you do that and take some notes from that chat, or even ring up and ask if an informal chat isn't offered. Either that or do some googling.

Good luck! :smile:
Reply 2
Thats a really good question, I'm hoping to get a job as an assistant psychologist when I graduate, but I really don't know what I need to have to apply. Obviously a degree, but also what about experience, as I find you can't get experience without having a psychology related job, yet you can't get a psychology related job without experience arrrgghhhh vicious cirlce!

Never mind, hopefully we will get *some* sort of assistant psychologist job!
Reply 3
As a recent graduate of psychology, i'm looking at assistant jobs. Just one word of warning though, jobs within the NHS are very competitive and you are very unlikely to get a position without having worked as e.g. a support worker or a care assistant with people with mental health problems. Unfortunately, these jobs aren't particularily well paid, but if you're intereested in clinical psychology its the main way to go. Voluntary work with The Samaritans or Mind might also be useful during the holidays. Some assistant jobs can be quite admin based as well so that's something to watch out for.
For an example of the role of a clinical psychologist go to: http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/nhs-knowledge_base/data/5094.html or www.bps.org.uk for more details

Helen
Reply 4
Just one other quick question to gemchicken.
What area of psychology are you interested in? Clinical, forensic, health etc, because forensic places are much easier to get than say clinical and in some cases you don't even need a degree (but it helps!) or that much experience. Perhaps enquiring about any voluntary work in prisons or young offenders centres.

Bottom line for psychology in general is - if you want to pursue a career you MUST get a 2:1 and be prepared for further study e.g. master or clinical doctorate.
Reply 5
Well I'm doing my masters in clinical and doing clinical hours with the NHS. Basically you will be expected to have a minimum of a 2:1 in a psychology degree that will give you graduate membership to the BPS.

You wil need to be well read and current with new research and journal articles in the area that you wish to pursue in.

Experience can be pretty varied but anything in a clinical capacity, working with special needs or within an environment that has 1 to 1 interaction with clientele is very useful. Courses and assistant places are competitive so keep applying and perservere.
Reply 6
funky.clio
Just one other quick question to gemchicken.
What area of psychology are you interested in? Clinical, forensic, health etc, because forensic places are much easier to get than say clinical and in some cases you don't even need a degree (but it helps!) or that much experience. Perhaps enquiring about any voluntary work in prisons or young offenders centres.

Bottom line for psychology in general is - if you want to pursue a career you MUST get a 2:1 and be prepared for further study e.g. master or clinical doctorate.


I'm leaning towards counselling psychology, so would be looking for a placement in a hospital, but I can understand you saying they're very competitive. I've applied for loads of voluntary places and been rejected :eek: I have no idea why :frown: But I've recently applied for a job working with people with learning disabilities, which I really hope I get. I think I'd really enjoy it, and I know some of the service users already so fingers crossed I get an interview! I know it's not counselling, but I'm pretty clueless as to where or if I can get experience in that, I mean it's mainly confidantial isn't it?!

I hope to get a 2.1 when I graduate, I have for the first 2 years so hopefully I can keep it up for the final year. I'm also prepared to do a masters/further study, but will probably need a year out to get experience and money to fund it, thats where I thought an assistant psychologist job would be best.

Thank you for the advice funky.clio and I hope you find an assistant psychologist job, let us know how you get on :biggrin:
Reply 7
* gemchicken
I'm leaning towards counselling psychology, so would be looking for a placement in a hospital, but I can understand you saying they're very competitive. I've applied for loads of voluntary places and been rejected :eek: I have no idea why :frown: But I've recently applied for a job working with people with learning disabilities, which I really hope I get. I think I'd really enjoy it, and I know some of the service users already so fingers crossed I get an interview! I know it's not counselling, but I'm pretty clueless as to where or if I can get experience in that, I mean it's mainly confidantial isn't it?!

I hope to get a 2.1 when I graduate, I have for the first 2 years so hopefully I can keep it up for the final year. I'm also prepared to do a masters/further study, but will probably need a year out to get experience and money to fund it, thats where I thought an assistant psychologist job would be best.

Thank you for the advice funky.clio and I hope you find an assistant psychologist job, let us know how you get on :biggrin:



Try getting some experience with teenagers att he YMCA or youth projects run by the council. Plus be prepared to take a few more years out after your degree just to get the experience. The courses are very competitive particularly for counselling (huge availiability for jobs at the mo).

Good luck and fingers crossed for your degree :smile:
Reply 8
frost105
Try getting some experience with teenagers att he YMCA or youth projects run by the council. Plus be prepared to take a few more years out after your degree just to get the experience. The courses are very competitive particularly for counselling (huge availiability for jobs at the mo).

Good luck and fingers crossed for your degree :smile:


Thanks for your reply frost105 :smile: It's a really good idea trying the YMCA or youth projects, I'll have to find some nearby! I'm prepared to take a year out, but will definately think about taking a couple out if it will help more.

Thanks for wishing my good luck with my degree - I'll need it! :smile:
Reply 9
* gemchicken
Thanks for your reply frost105 :smile: It's a really good idea trying the YMCA or youth projects, I'll have to find some nearby! I'm prepared to take a year out, but will definately think about taking a couple out if it will help more.

Thanks for wishing my good luck with my degree - I'll need it! :smile:

No you want just remeber to do your sissertation in the specialist field of your tutor and then see them nearly every week and get the dissertation done by christmas so they can read it and go through it and basically you'll get a first!
Reply 10
frost105
No you want just remeber to do your sissertation in the specialist field of your tutor and then see them nearly every week and get the dissertation done by christmas so they can read it and go through it and basically you'll get a first!


I think you'd find it very difficult to get your dissertation finished by Xmas. For mine i had to recruit over 60 people and had to have even numbers everytime for the test to work. Getting willing participants is a nightmare - I had to go round 1st and 2nd year classes for weeks to get enough people. Also, make sure you do something relatively straightforward - mine got more and more complicated each week cos my tutor kept suggesting other things. I got a decent 2:1 for it in the end though.
Reply 11
funky.clio
I think you'd find it very difficult to get your dissertation finished by Xmas. For mine i had to recruit over 60 people and had to have even numbers everytime for the test to work. Getting willing participants is a nightmare - I had to go round 1st and 2nd year classes for weeks to get enough people. Also, make sure you do something relatively straightforward - mine got more and more complicated each week cos my tutor kept suggesting other things. I got a decent 2:1 for it in the end though.

You can definatly get your dissertation finished by christmas as long as you start in the summer. Me and my friends all finished ours round then giving us more time for finals.
Reply 12
By Christmas! :eek: I'll never do that!

I’m doing mine on stress and prospective memory. It sounds a bit boring but I think it will be fun! I’m going to tell people about a shopping trip they’re going to go on, and give them a list of things they need to do, like when you get to Boots buy some toothpaste, or return your jumper to NEXT, then I’m going to give them some really hard maths questions to induce stress (hehe I’m so mean) in one group then some really easy ones in another group. Then I’m going to show them a video of Northumberland Street in Newcastle and as they see a shop they write down what they need to do. I’m hoping that those stressed with the difficult maths questions will remember less than those who were not stressed, well that’s the plan but whether or not it works is another thing! I’m also going to get them to fill in questionnaires about their normal prospective memory, and how stressed they feel in general, then with a bit of luck get mouth swabs to test for cortisol. I'm a bit worried that it might be too much, the video is 10 mins and I can probably get the rest done in 10 minutes so is 20 mins to long to keep someone? Is that a decent enough project do you think?

I won't be seeing my tutor until I go back in Sept, so I really don't think I'll be getting it anywhere near finished by Christmas. OK I'm pretty scared now :frown:
Reply 13
* gemchicken
By Christmas! :eek: I'll never do that!



I won't be seeing my tutor until I go back in Sept, so I really don't think I'll be getting it anywhere near finished by Christmas. OK I'm pretty scared now :frown:

Basically this summer do the research and write the introduction. If you have already discussed your methodology then start writing that too. Also start a plan on how your going to analyse the data and present the results. That way you can spend September, October and November collecting data and analysing it leaving you christmas to write them up and do your discussion. You dont have to hand it in by then but at leats its writtena nd you can go back and redo and add to it till you need to.

Plus stress is a great topic so dont worry.
Reply 14
frost105
Basically this summer do the research and write the introduction. If you have already discussed your methodology then start writing that too. Also start a plan on how your going to analyse the data and present the results. That way you can spend September, October and November collecting data and analysing it leaving you christmas to write them up and do your discussion. You dont have to hand it in by then but at leats its writtena nd you can go back and redo and add to it till you need to.

Plus stress is a great topic so dont worry.


I've already started the research, I just have this feeling I'll do loads then my project supervisor won't like it or will want to change it, so I'd have wasted my time :frown:

What did you do for your project and what score did you get? It's fab you got it done by Christmas, :smile: I bet you felt relieved it was out the way! I think I'll aim to get as much as I can do before Christmas, and then try and write it up over Christmas, like you said.

I don't have exams in Janurary (at least I don't think I do) and from the 4 options I took, only 2 are assessed from an exam, but I think I'll have exams in my core subjects (am so terrified about Neuropsychology :bawling: is it really hard?!)

Anyhoo, thanks for the advice, I'll definately take it :smile:
Reply 15
* gemchicken
I've already started the research, I just have this feeling I'll do loads then my project supervisor won't like it or will want to change it, so I'd have wasted my time :frown:

What did you do for your project and what score did you get? It's fab you got it done by Christmas, :smile: I bet you felt relieved it was out the way! I think I'll aim to get as much as I can do before Christmas, and then try and write it up over Christmas, like you said.

I don't have exams in Janurary (at least I don't think I do) and from the 4 options I took, only 2 are assessed from an exam, but I think I'll have exams in my core subjects (am so terrified about Neuropsychology :bawling: is it really hard?!)

Anyhoo, thanks for the advice, I'll definately take it :smile:



My friend took neropsychology and she loved it. She is currently working on research into epilepsy drugs. I did my dissertation on binge drinking and it effect on emotional facial expression recognition and I got a first only because my tutors knew a lot on the 2 topics. Aim to get as much as you can done and look into another possible topic if your not sure.
Reply 16
frost105
My friend took neropsychology and she loved it. She is currently working on research into epilepsy drugs. I did my dissertation on binge drinking and it effect on emotional facial expression recognition and I got a first only because my tutors knew a lot on the 2 topics. Aim to get as much as you can done and look into another possible topic if your not sure.


Wow a 1st is fantastic well done! :smile: Your topic sounds really interesting too! Did you find a significant effect? I will try and get as much as I can done, I just don't want to start writing it up in case my tutor changes things!

Anyway, thanks again for all the help :smile: I'll rep you but I ran out for today! PM me and remind me tomorrow :biggrin:

Gem
x
Reply 17
If you start the research in the summer, then i reckon there's no reason why you can't get it finished by christmas. I had to change supervisors (mine was on a sabbatical, grr!) and i changed my idea as well so that made things a lot more difficult.
Reply 18
* gemchicken
Wow a 1st is fantastic well done! :smile: Your topic sounds really interesting too! Did you find a significant effect? I will try and get as much as I can done, I just don't want to start writing it up in case my tutor changes things!

Anyway, thanks again for all the help :smile: I'll rep you but I ran out for today! PM me and remind me tomorrow :biggrin:

Gem
x

No I found no significant results but I was able to discuss and give possible explainations for the effects. Thats what they're looking for in the discussion-clear reasoning.