I am often contacted by people who are interested in becoming a Clinical Psychologist but aren’t sure how to go about it. For those who are considering Clinical Psychology as a career, I thought I would outline the typical process.

Undergraduate degree in Psychology

The first required step in becoming a Clinical Psychologist is the completion of an undergraduate degree in Psychology that is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS). This is normally a Bachelor of Science degree but can also be a Bachelor of Arts degree. It is typically a three year degree. Most Clinical Psychologists have a degree of at least a 2:1 classification. For a full list of BPS accredited courses in the UK, click here.

Relevant experience

The next step is to gain relevant experience to Clinical Psychology. I would recommend starting to gain any relevant experience as early as possible, ideally prior to or during the undergraduate degree. Relevant experience can involve anything that demonstrates an interest in helping people or understanding people. Undergraduates could consider voluntary work at a helpline for people suffering with mental health problems, such as the Samaritans; or perhaps work as a Care Assistant in a nursing home or hospital.

Following the undergraduate degree, it is normal that psychology graduates would then need to gain a minimum of a year of further experience before gaining a place on a doctorate training programme to become a Clinical Psychologist. Graduates can gain experience by working as an Assistant Psychologist with a mental health team, as a Research Psychologist with a University or by carrying out further training to become a Graduate Mental Health Worker or Increasing Access to Psychological Therapy (IAPT) Low or High intensity worker. It is not uncommon for graduate psychologists to complete a Masters degree or even a PhD prior to their doctorate training. Of course, any relevant clinical experience or qualification gained prior to the undergraduate degree will also be helpful.

Doctorate in Clinical Psychology

The next step is to be successful in gaining a place on a doctorate degree programme in Clinical Psychology. There is a lot of competition for these places, with most universities offering fewer than 30 places a year, hence the need for relevant clinical experience in order to try and stand out from other psychology graduates who may be applying for a place. All applications are made through the Clearing House. More information can be found here.

The doctorate degree programme is 3 years and will involve carrying out supervised clinical placements with children, adults and older adults with a range of mental health problems. You will also be required to conduct a significant research project, to a standard that could be published. Trainee Clinical Psychologists are paid a salary by the NHS throughout their doctorate training.

Accreditation

Following successful completion of a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, you will be eligible to become a Chartered Member of the British Psychological Society and will need to register with the Health and Care Professions Council in order to practice as a Clinical Psychologist.

My journey

I was fortunate in that I knew that I wanted to work with people in a helping capacity from a reasonably young age. Therefore, I chose to do my school work experience placements in a hospital and in a school for children with Learning Disabilities. Whilst I was studying for my A-Levels, I got a job in a nursing home, which was invaluable experience in developing an understanding of suffering, resilience and the importance of the caring relationship. I continued to work in the nursing home throughout university holidays. During my degree I chose any modules that related to Clinical Psychology and carried out my dissertation under the supervision of the Professor of Clinical Psychology.

Getting an Assistant Psychologist post was a challenge, as they are so competitive. I was fortunate to have made links with the local hospitals in my university town whilst carrying out my dissertation. I was then successful in acquiring an Assistant Psychologist post in a Clinical Psychology department at the local hospital and also worked as a Research Assistant at the university under the Professor that supervised my dissertation. I did whatever I could to get a varied experience whilst working as an Assistant Psychologist. After one year I knew that it would be important to get as broad an experience as possible to be successful in my application for Doctorate training and therefore I applied for an Assistant Psychologist post in a very different type of service. Soon after gaining this post I applied for the Doctorate training and was successful.

Although it was a long and, at times, stressful journey I have no regrets and definitely feel that it was worth it. Being a Clinical Psychologist is incredibly interesting and rewarding. I feel very privileged to be able to say that I love my job!

I now work both in the NHS and privately. I work with adults with a broad range of difficulties so my work is really varied and interesting. If you would like to talk to me about becoming a Clinical Psychologist or if you are thinking about having therapy yourself, then please do contact me. I am always happy to answer any queries either by email or on the phone.

What is the difference between a Psychologist and a Psychiatrist?

This is a question I am frequently asked. There are many overlaps and similarities between the two professions, primarily both are concerned with the assessment and treatment of people with mental health problems. However, there are also some specific differences that I will outline below.

Training

One significant difference is the training that is required in order to be a Clinical Psychologist and a Psychiatrist. Clinical Psychologists first complete an undergraduate degree in Psychology, typically taking three years to complete. They then normally gain between one and five years of relevant working experience after their undergraduate degree, perhaps as an Assistant Psychologist in a hospital or mental health team, or as a Research Psychologist at a University. It is not uncommon for a Clinical Psychologist to have completed a Masters Degree or a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) following their undergraduate degree. All Psychologists must then complete a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in order to become qualified as a Clinical Psychologist. The doctorate degree is a three year programme, during which the Trainee Clinical Psychologist carries out between 5 and 6 placements where they work in mental health teams or hospitals with children, adults and older adults with a broad range of emotional difficulties. They often specialise in the final year of their doctorate degree, developing specialist skills with a particular client group or in a specific mode of therapy.

Psychiatrists, however, have an initial degree in Medicine, which usually takes 5 years. They then carry out their 2 year foundation training in a hospital, often treating physical health conditions. Following this initial medical training, they then begin their specialist training in psychiatry, beginning with three years ‘core training’ working with clients across the age ranges and across a variety of clinical areas, followed by a further three years of ‘high training’, which normally involves three 12 month placements in the speciality chosen by the Trainee Psychiatrist.

Assessment

A further difference is in how Psychiatrists and Clinical Psychologists typically assess the difficulties that a person is suffering with. Both professionals will probably carry out a detailed assessment with the client involving taking a history of their mental health problems and also asking the client to complete a standardised questionnaire to measure their mood, anxiety or other mental health symptoms. During this process of assessment, Psychiatrists are typically trying to identify the diagnosis that would be applicable to the client, thus are focussing on the type of symptoms that the client presents with. Clinical Psychologists, however, do not normally diagnose clients. Instead they develop a psychological formulation of the client which makes sense of how the client’s difficulties developed and the psychological processes that are likely to be keeping the problem going.

Treatment

Based on the assessment process, Psychiatrists and Clinical Psychologists may treat the client in different ways. Following clinical diagnosis, psychiatrists can prescribe medication to the client, e.g anti-depressants. Depending on their specialist training, they may also provide psychological therapy. Clinical Psychologists do not prescribe medication. Instead, they use their psychological formulation of the client’s difficulties to guide their psychological intervention. Clinical Psychologists carry out evidence based psychological therapies, working towards the goal/s that the client has identified. Clinical Psychologists typically specialise in one or two main therapies, for example Cognitive Behaviour Therapy.

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This summary is not a comprehensive list but aims to set out the main key differences between a Psychologist and a Psychiatrist. In reality there is a lot of overlap between the two professions, which is probably why a lot of people get confused about whether they are actually just the same thing!

Although I have been general in my comparisons, of course every Clinical Psychologist will differ in terms of style and experience, as will every Psychiatrtist. In choosing the right professional for you, I would always recommend having a conversation with them first by phone or email, or at least having a good look at their website. You could ask them about the type of therapy that they use and how they might go about helping you with your specific difficulties. It is a good idea to check that they are fully qualified and accredited in the therapy that they use. It is also important that you feel comfortable in talking to the professional and feel that they understand you. I often recommend that people speak to 2 or 3 professionals before choosing the right one for them.

I am more than happy to speak to people on the phone prior to arranging the first appointment. If you would feel more comfortable talking via e-mail, then this is also absoultely fine. For information about my experience, qualifications and accreditation, and the therapy that I use, please see the About and Therapy sections of this website.