Research the requirements to become a clinical health psychologist. Learn about the job description and duties, and read the step-by-step process to start a career in the mental health field.
Should I Become a Clinical Health Psychologist?
Clinical health psychologists use scientific knowledge to determine the relationship between physical health and behavior. They consider biological, social, and cognitive factors when assessing patients. These psychologists, in addition to evaluating and treating the symptoms of individual patients, may also educate larger groups of people and teach them about physiological elements of health. Community education on health issues, such as teen pregnancy or drug or alcohol abuse, may be part of the job as well.
Psychologists are trained to evaluate the mental stability of their patients. There may be a small risk of injury associated with this career should patients become emotionally agitated. Psychologists who work through a private practice usually make their own schedules and many only see patients or serve through community outreach programs on a part-time basis. Those professionals who work for schools or government agencies will likely work full-time, set schedules.
Career Requirements
Degree Level | Doctoral degree typically required |
Degree Field | Psychology |
Licensure and Certification | State licensure is commonly required; voluntary certification is available from the American Board of Professional Psychology |
Experience | Related work experience through internships or residencies is typically needed |
Key Skills | Patience, personable character, analytical-thinking, communication skills, observational and problem-solving skills, medical, analytical, spreadsheet and accounting software |
Salary (2014) | $74,030 (Annual mean salary for a clinical psychologist) |
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ONET OnLine
Step 1: Complete Undergraduate Education
Aspiring clinical health psychologists may begin their careers by earning undergraduate degrees. While a bachelor's degree in psychology may be preferable, it's possible to gain entry into a psychology graduate program with a number of different backgrounds. For students that do not major in psychology, graduate programs in this subject often require completion of coursework in psychology and statistics.
Success Tips:
Prepare for graduate admissions. Admissions to a graduate psychology program can be very competitive. Students can increase their chances of being admitted by maintaining high GPAs. In fact, some schools prefer applicants who have at least a minimum GPA, such as 3.25 on a 4.0 scale. Additionally, applicants are often required to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and the graduate school may only accept candidates who rank in a top percentile for this exam.
Gain practical experience. While experience is not mandatory for being admitted to graduate psychology programs, some admissions boards prefer applicants who have some form of experience related to psychology. Undergraduate students can gain such experience by taking paid or voluntary positions in clinical or research settings.
Step 2: Earn a Doctoral Degree
While master's specialist degrees are acceptable for psychologists in some settings, doctoral degrees are typically required for clinical health psychologists. Some doctoral programs require students to earn master's degree in psychology first, though many allow applicants to enter directly into the doctoral program after earning a bachelor's degree.
Doctoral clinical psychology students complete courses such as research design, assessment and intervention, statistics and psychopathology. Students will also take electives of their choosing, such as in family or pediatric psychology, and are usually required to complete a 1-year clinical psychology internship accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA).
Step 3: Gain Post-Doctoral Training
After completing graduate school, most entry-level psychologists continue training for up to two years to complete the requirements to become licensed. Clinical health psychologists can gain this training through post-doctoral internships, residency training or by working directly under established, licensed clinical health psychologists.
Success Tip:
Make professional relationships. The APA suggests that new psychologists attend workshops and conferences to network with experienced clinical health psychologists. This is a good way to meet new colleagues and find mentors who can impart wisdom.
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