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One Opinion on Becoming a Doctor: The Fast Track

by Jeffrey McCarthy, APAGS Member

There are a number of people who, upon graduating from undergrad, go directly on to graduate school. They receive that Master's degree and continue on into a doctoral program with nothing more than that summer break, followed by an internship, then the illusive Post-Doc position. Now they sit back, relax, breath, and realize that they are now a doctor of psychology, all they always wanted to be.

Of course, it's all they've wanted to be, it's all they've known!

Since high school when, let's face it, very few really know what they want to be when they grow up, they've been focused on nothing else but being a psychology student. Sure maybe they've had jobs to help pay the bills, but have they had a true career experience. A career experience in or out of the field of psychology, as a full-time student throughout, probably not. Had I not taken just a few years off, I would maybe still be where I am now, however instead of having a few years experience in a career, I would have a Master's degree in a field of no interest. I would owe even more money instead of having made a few bucks. I would be less confident and unaware how life outside of school actually works. I now know that being a psychologist is in my future, but I'm also very aware of what that means.

How common is it for someone in there late teens, a new college student, to change his or her undergraduate major? Some, like myself, might even change it 3, 4, or even 5 times before they settle on the right one. Who's to say that a 22 year-old is any different than a 17 year-old. Just because the choice was made, can we really assume that it was, in fact, the right one? How can we tell? Being a student with a major focus is very different than having a career with a major focus. The only way to really tell is to do it. Go out into the real world and do it. Whatever it is. This, in my opinion, is the only true assessment for someone to tell if this, or any other, is the field for him or her.

Getting some experience in the workforce has many advantages. First, the obvious financial stability that can be established is very helpful. Sometimes (if you're lucky), one might even fall into a situation where the employer is willing to pick up some of the tab when you decide it's time for school again, limiting the amount of money one has to loan. Being a non-student for a little while doesn't only give you time to start paying for those loans from undergrad, but more importantly it makes the payer aware of the difficulty of this task, as well as the amount you actually borrow, with time and interest accrued. Students tend to disregard these important features of school loans.

Taking some time after graduating with a Bachelor's degree has many advantages, but for those of us preparing to be psychologists, counselors, therapists, whatever, the most important advantage is maturity, and with maturity comes confidence. Once in graduate school, no longer are you dealing mainly with books, it's now time for some real practical work. That first practicum experience can be very overwhelming for a twenty-one year old fresh out of the dorm. These are real people with real problems. Spending some time after my Bachelor's teaching elementary school, helped me in many ways, none more than, however, than simply to learn people. Working with children, parents, other professionals, has built my confidence when approaching a new client, or a professional in the field. Whether in a session with a client, or an interview of my own for a practicum or internship placement, having real world experience under my belt gives me an assurance that I am competent and prepared, and worthy that I belong in that hot seat.

It takes a true adult to handle many of the situations that can arise when working in this field, and I'm still uncertain that being a college grad necessarily makes someone an adult. The dictionary defines an adult in many ways, all definitions, though, center around one major theme, the attainment of maturity through development and experience. Making the choice to get out there and get a job before entering a graduate program is something all 21 year-olds should assess before making that next, very expensive, step. I'm glad I did.

 


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