PhD - do it or not?

[felomama]

Hi all,

need a career advice. I just recently completed MSc in health psychology. To become registered health psychologist I have to have 2 years of supervised practice- called 2 stage training (which consist of 4 competencies, including research with about 40.000 words dissertation...). So what many people do, they get on to do health psychology related PhD and 'using' to fulfil the 2 stage requirements.

I like doing research, and I wouldn?t mind doing a PhD (if I would be lucky to get one) but then, I love working having direct contact with people, and I am afraid that once I got a PhD, I will only be able to get research posts ? and I don?t really want to spend after those 3 years of PhD, doing again research.

So what do you think? Any of you know what happens after you get a PhD? Are you in a position in being overqualified for most jobs?
Thanks!

Hi felomama, I just finished a PhD, also in psychology & am now job hunting. It's true that most of the jobs on offer after a PhD tend to be research based, but equally, if your PhD is a bit 'applied' (which it can be in health psychology, eg focusing on a particular subject & doing interviews or whatever) then you can perhaps get a job afterwards related to your particular topic of interest. I have friends who've done psych PhDs with a 'specialisation' eg a type of cancer or bullying or whatever and then didn't have trouble getting positions after in that field BUT it's true these were research positions. If though the PhD counts as your stage 2 for health psych, could you not then get positions as health psychologist directly?

A lot has to do with how you want to spend the next 3 years or so. Do you have a baby? Young children? School age children? I became pregnant & had my boy during my PhD- which was one of the main reasons I chose to do a PhD rather than something more applied, because it can work nicely around life with a baby. My PhD was pretty flexible & I could create my own schedule, so that's one of the pluses. Depends what you're looking for really. But as to your direct question, about being overqualified, I think that in a way it's true, after a PhD you do become slightly overqualified for some of the basic assistant psych positions...and then paradoxically you don't have enough 'hands on' experience to get any of those positions anyway if that makes sense. But on the plus side you'll end up really very knowledgeable & educated in your field of interest & that will eventually help you in whatever you go on to do. Maybe one last piece of advice, if you do pursue a PhD, try to keep your 'foot' in some kind of applied work eg through volunteering as that's valued a lot afterwards when you're looking for a job.

Maria, thanks for your post!
yes, i ve got 2 year old boy - but my husband is going to be stay-at-home-dad, and work a little bit from home. so im left to do what i want job wise.
Likw you said, I would be willing to spend the next 3 year doing research but not any more after that. After i finish, I wont have enough practical experience to apply for health psychologist post :( PhD would give me experience of collecting data, inteviews + all research experience.But not working directly with people - as in delivering interventions, like real 'hands on' experience that yuu would need to apply for h psych post.
I think I will see, if I wont be able to do 2 stage without PhD for about 3 years, I will probably go for PhD. I will have the time to personally grow and get some more experience. Im only 25, so.. well in three years i wont be to old to apply for PhD, will I? :)
Let know how is going your job hunting?

Hi again felomama

Well if you're 25 you have all your life ahead of you so many choices to consider! To be honest, you can build a bit of practical 'hands on' experience through volunteer work; even 2-3 hours a week is good, looks good on your CV! I would recommend considering to do the PhD if you think the health psych post will take ages, it's definitely a valuable experience IF you have a passion for the topic and IF you have good supervisors. And the fact that your husband is going to be a SAHD is great, gives you lots of flexibility. Generally a PhD, I found, is very good when you have very young children as it gives you lots of flexibility.

Job hunting now gathering steam, I didn't send many job applications in July but am doing so now! Lets see if/when I get lucky.