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The Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) degree is a professional doctorate, which is earned through one of two established training models for Clinical Psychology. In the United States, the other doctorate-level degree in Clinical Psychology is the PhD. An EdD (Doctor of Education) is also recognized as a clinical degree, often with a focus on counseling or developmental psychology.
The practitioner-scholar model and the associated PsyD degree were recognized by the Vail Conference on models of training in clinical psychology.[1] At this conference, it was argued that the field of psychology had grown to a degree warranting training persons explicitly in the clinical practice of psychology. While both the PhD and PsyD models of training include basic science and a practical skills component, there are clear differences in relative emphases on the role of research versus clinical activity. Graduates of both training models are eligible for licensure in all states (licensing exams and renewal requirements are the same for both degrees).
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Definition
The Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) degree is a professional doctorate that was recognized by the Vail Conference in 1973 as a necessary qualification for professional practice. Previously, those interested in psychology could only obtain the Ph.D., which is primarily a research degree, and lacks the clinical perspective of the PsyD; however, at the Vail Conference, it was officially noted that the field of psychology was demanding enough to require a professional degree, such as the PsyD.
Psychologists who have obtained a Doctor of Psychology degree have obtained the most training in clinical work, while Ph.D. psychologists have more training in research. Both degrees are accepted with licensure, and the Doctor of Psychology degree prepares you for clinical, counseling, or school psychology, and allows you to focus in several areas, including: child psychology, forensic psychology, neuropsychology, industrial psychology, or organizational psychology.[2]
Background
In 1973, the American Psychological Association at its 'Conference on Levels and Patterns of Professional Training in Psychology' (The Vail Conference), endorsed the Doctor of Psychology degree (Psy.D.), indicating support for professional training that would be responsive to society's need for psychologists to function in a variety of practitioner roles.
Before this period, professional training for psychologists followed 'The Boulder Model,' in which a psychologist earned a Ph.D. for competence both as a scientist and as a professional. The Boulder Model's ability to prepare its graduates for academic and research positions was unquestioned, but there was a growing skepticism concerning its ability to prepare them for clinical work. The Vail Conference recognized that the development of psychological science had sufficiently matured to justify the creation of explicitly professional programs, in addition to programs for training scientists and scientist-professionals. These professional programs would be designated by the awarding of the Psy.D. degree. The Ph.D. and the Psy.D. would now stand together as two different paths by which to be trained as a psychologist.
In today's educational marketplace, both of these doctorate degrees in psychology exist in a wide variety of educational settings. Students looking to be trained as psychologists often have several questions about which of these is the right path for them. What is the difference between these two degrees? Am I considered a psychologist if I get a Psy.D. degree? Are Psy.D. programs accredited? What types of work can I expect to do with a Psy.D degree? The Psy.D. and the Ph.D. are both degrees that are used to train psychologists. The American Psychological Association evaluates schools that award either degree to make certain schools meet its rigorous standards for accreditation. The major difference between the two degrees is a stronger emphasis on research in a Ph.D. program as a major focus of training, and a stronger emphasis in Psy.D. programs on practice. The difference is in the method of training; often psychologists trained in either degree do similar work.
Accreditation
There are a variety of institutions that accredit training programs. For psychologists, one of the most important ones, recognised worldwide, is the American Psychological Association (APA). APA is well respected for its high and rigorous standards for accreditation, and accredits Psy.D. programs as well as Ph.D. programs.
Licensed persons with Psy.D. degrees are psychologists, and can do any work that psychologists do. Since Psy.D. training is geared toward learning to be a practitioner, many Psy.D.-educated psychologists do at least some of their work in clinical settings. Psy.D.-trained psychologists work in fields as diverse as private practice, hospitals, corporations, disaster relief centers, outpatient clinics, community mental health centers, schools and colleges, to name a few.
In today's world people are presented with numerous educational options. People deciding to train to become psychologists are fortunate, as there are numerous ways to achieve this goal, depending on the interests of the student. The Psy.D. degree offers one way that the students interested in an educational model that stresses the development of the psychologist as clinical practitioner can be trained.[3]
Curriculum
Upon graduation, students will be expected to understand psychology at a psychological service provider level, understand and use their clinical skills as a practitioner, and be able to use scientific findings for clinical practice.
One benefit of the Psy D is that Doctor of Psychology faculty often have impressively diverse theoretical orientations. About 30 percent subscribe to the psychodynamic/psychoanalytic orientation, while another 30 percent to the cognitive-behavioral orientation, and about 20 percent to systems/family systems. An assorted 20 percent favor humanistic and behavioral theories, so depending on your interests, you can look for a program that really fits your beliefs.
To pursue a PhD versus a PsyD is a personal choice all psychologists make.[2]
See also
References
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