Improving Clinical Psychology - Essay Example

Clinical Psychology Today, modern society prioritizes education as a path to seeking knowledge needed to survive and exist in the world. Improving human conditions drives people to follow various career paths in life in order to secure their future and that of their family. Many factors influence the choice of a career, and an individual should consider these factors before choosing a particular career. I am passionate about becoming a psychologist in the future, but would love working as a clinical psychologist with adults in order to fulfill my goals and objectives. Mental health problems are prevalent in modern society, a fact that contrasts the low mental health cases reported in health institutions in traditional society (Shally-Jensen 80). Society is preoccupied with treating mental health conditions, but the low number of medical professionals cannot effectively address this problem. Clinical psychology is a branch of psychology that deals with assessing, diagnosing, treating and preventing mental health problems (Shally-Jensen 10). Even though, a high number of professional are currently working in medical settings, a clinical psychologist is not a medical doctor and cannot prescribe medication to patients. A clinical psychologist improves the psychological well-being of individuals by alleviating and reducing psychological distress. As a professional, I will be training in various techniques and theoretical approaches to be able to work in private practice, hospitals, and academic settings. However, other clinical psychologists focus on treating psychological disorders and may involve treatment of severe mental problems like depression and schizophrenia. Dealing with clients and ensuring positive outcomes requires detailed record keeping, client assessment, therapeutic, and diagnostic records for tracking treatment progress and for insurance and billing (Shally-Jensen 57). Moreover, a clinical psychologist works with a team of other professionals, and I will work alongside occupational therapists, doctors, social workers, nurses, and physiotherapists. Clinical psychologists are increasingly demanded today because of the increasing cases of mental health problems. Consequently, the salary of clinical psychologists is increasing annually because of the low number of clinical psychologists today. However, according to the US Department of Labor in its Occupational Outlook in 2013, employment opportunities in clinical psychology are expected to rise in coming years (Department of Labor Statistics 1). It will influence the demand for professionals because of a rising need for qualified mental health experts. A 2013 report by CNN suggested the median pay for clinical psychologists was 80,000 dollars. However, top psychologists attract salaries high as 180, 000 dollars (Department of Labor Statistics 1). Clinical psychology is considered one of the most attractive jobs in America. In this industry, there are at least 100, 000 job opportunities and a spontaneous growth of 16% was anticipated in subsequent years until 2016 (Department of Labor Statistics 1). Clinical psychology is one of the most satisfying occupations in America and offers the most benefit to society than other disciplines flocked with millions of laborers. With a projected growth through to 2016, clinical psychology is considered a crucial component of future growth. While there are individuals who land in employment with master’s degree certifications, many clinical psychology job positions require doctorates. There are graduate programs that allow their applicants with the undergraduate degree in various disciplines, but many graduate programs require students to acquire a graduate degree in psychology. For many doctorate programs, an individual can seek a doctorate in Psychology or a doctorate in Philosophy and Psychology. The latter emphasizes science and research while the former is focused on practitioner work and clinical work. Psychology degrees are becoming common among students because a degree in Psychology takes one year less to complete than other degree programs. Moreover, it is possible to earn graduate sponsorships from the educational institution for further studies, as their way of encouraging students to pursue psychology courses. I believe a career in clinical psychology is right for me because I possess other skills that boost success in this area of psychology. A clinical psychologist deals with patient and their relatives, colleagues, and acquaintances in the working environment. Therefore, intrapersonal and interpersonal communication is indispensable. A clinical psychologist should be creative and develop treatment and approaches that effectively respond to client challenges and problems. A passion in psychology should be demonstrated at early stages in an individual’s educational life. For instance, participating in volunteer work during the early stages in life, especially in college is important for getting future opportunities to pursue a degree course and success in this industry. Clinical psychology is a rewarding and demanding field. Mental health problems vary considerably and are difficult to diagnose and apportion effective treatment programs. I am interested in pursuing a career in clinical psychology working in business organizations. These will increase my job opportunities because modern society is notable for an increasing number of business organizations. However, I not only need a graduate degree in order to practice, but licensing and accreditation are imperative to work in any industry. I intend to work in New York City, and the state’s licensing board does licensing (NYSED 1). The licensing requirements for clinical psychologists are different from one state to another, and I expect licensing requirements in New York become complicated by the day. After acquiring a doctoral degree, an individual is required to document the clients, types of problems that they treat and supervised experience in internship and postdoc (NYSED 1). Moreover, many states need evidence of coursework, and this is an important requirement I must meet. I should begin organizing a dossier of my coursework. To achieve this, I need to start making copies of course descriptions and the names of textbooks and publications and the names of authors. New York requires an individual to prepare and perform various tests to get accreditation and license. New York is a member of ASPPB and needs applicants to pass EPPP, a multiple-choice test consisting of 225 questions created and developed by ASPPB (NYSED 1). The core areas tested by these tests include, but are not limited to core psychology areas, such as diagnosis and assessment, and other biological and social bases of behavior. In this computer-based exam, applicants are expected to earn 70% or a score at least 500; thus, it is important to register for the test immediately after attaining my doctorate (NYSED 1). Communication is another important aspect of a competent clinical psychologist, and I know many business organizations will perform a take an oral exam concerning ethics, laws, and competency–based tests. Finally, licensing and accreditation in New York State requires an individual to have a certain number of supervised clinical hours. Clinical psychologist in New York is 2,000 hours during the internship and 2,000 hours in postdoc (NYSED 1).Various jurisdictions have different hours, and an individual should be aware of the requirements needed before seeking license and accreditation. The probability to land a job with attractive pay makes clinical psychology an area requiring self-promotion. It is important for an individual to rely on their credentials to increase their employment opportunities in the future. Joining organizations like National Psychologist Trainee and ASPPB’s Bank ensures that an individual is not challenged when seeking signatures and locating transcripts in subsequent years (NYSED 1). After banking on credentials, it is important to make yourself available in the industry. Participating in programs in associations like the American Psychological Association and ASPPB programs provides an individual with an opportunity to increase job acquisitions in different states. They provide information relating to their training, mainstream education, and supervisory experience to a pool of potential employers. Securing the future involves many costs, and an individual should anticipate the unforeseen costs involved in registering before starting practice. All states in America charge licensure fees and I anticipate using at least 3,000 dollars for licensure. The licensure fees also involve at least 1,200 dollars for study materials and preparation courses. Today, it is apparent mental health problems are prevalent in modern society, and this scenario is increasingly getting public attention. As a result, the government is responsible for addressing this problem in society, and this has translated to numerous policies designed to solve this problem. Increasing the number of clinical psychologists in modern society is encouraged by the government, and I believe pursuing a career in clinical psychology will secure my future and the future of my family. Becoming a clinical psychologist and dealing with an adult population is positive contributions to society because I will assist individuals relieve their psychological challenges and have the appropriate mindset to approach life challenges. Works Cited Department of Labor Statistics. Available at New York State Education. Office of Professions, License Requirements. Available at Shally-Jensen, M. (2013). Mental health care issues in America: An encyclopedia. Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO. Read More