What is the career path for a clinical psychologist?

The career path for a clinical psychologist involves jobs as a clinical psychologist, a counselor, and a psychologist.

The clinical psychologist career path has little variance in different types of jobs, while many that compete with the education requirements can get jobs in various fields. Most choose to operate within the clinical psychology arena because it offers the best opportunities in terms of pay and prestige.

Here are the steps for all of those seeking to advance on the clinical psychologist career path:

• Obtain a bachelor's degree

  Clinical psychologists must choose bachelor's degree programs that include prerequisites for entry into doctoral programs in clinical psychology.

• Earn a master's degree

  Master's degrees present the opportunity for aspiring clinical psychologists to hone in on what area of clinical psychology to specialize in. Some examples include:

  • Rehabilitation

  • Clinical health

  • Psychoanalysis

  Master's programs also often provide valuable experience in the field or conducting research relevant to the area of expertise. Certain states allow master's degree holders in this area to practice psychology, but most require a doctoral degree to be a clinical psychologist.

• Complete a doctorate program

  Two different degree programs are acceptable for those on the clinical psychologist career path. They are:

  • Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

  • Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (Ph.D. in Psychology)

  The difference between a Ph.D. and a PsyD is that a Ph.D. is more focused on research, while a PsyD is more focused on hands-on clinical training in conjunction with research.

  Here are the key distinctions between a Ph.D. and a PsyD:

  • A Ph.D. in psychology is more focused on psychology research in the field

  • A PsyD is more focused on hands-on clinical training in conjunction with research

  • The primary objective of a Ph.D. in Psychology is to advance the knowledge of mental health issues as well as the methods used to treat them

  • A PsyD is a more streamlined, and hands-on degree for the practice of psychology

  • Ph.D. in Psychology degree holders can choose to teach psychology or work with other psychology researchers on experimental trials and studies.

  After completing one of these doctoral programs aspiring clinical psychologists must complete one to three years of an internship or residency program. Some schools offer this as part of their degree program, while others do not.

• Become a licensed and certified clinical psychologist

  Most states require those on this career path to sit for and pass an exam in order to gain licensure. State requirements in this area vary. Most also choose to specialize further by obtaining one or more certifications from the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP). Here are the choices for certification from the ABPP:

  • Addiction psychology

  • Behavioral and cognitive psychology

  • Clinical child and adolescent psychology

  • Clinical health

  • Clinical neuropsychology

  • Clinical psychology

  • Counseling

  • Couple and Family

  • Forensic psychology

  • Geropsychology

  • Group psychology

  • School psychology

  • Serious mental illness