Chris Graham

Academic Director, Clinical

Psychology Training Programme;

Senior Lecturer in Clinical Health

Psychology; Clinical Psychologist

Feb’ 2019

Introducing Clinical Psychology

Dr David McCormack

Lecturer (Education) in Clinical

Psychology, QUB

Clinical Psychologist, The Maudsley

Hospital, London

Aims

To describe:

• What clinical psychologists do

• How you might become one

• What its like to be a Trainee Clinical psychologist

To connect you with resources that can help you explore the profession

To give you an opportunity to ask us questions

What is Clinical Psychology?

• Clinical Psychologists seek to help improve functioning and mental well-being via insight and behaviour change.

• Clinical psychologists have expertise in assessment, formulation and intervention. With a deep knowledge of behaviour change methodology and relational processes.

• Clinical Psychologists are trained to work across populations:

Adults, older adults, children, autism, learning disability, physical health conditions, forensic populations.

• Clinical Psychologists work with individuals but also with families, organisations, and communities.

What is Clinical Psychology?• Clinical Psychologists deliver therapies (CBT, psychodynamic, mindfulness

etc.) across lots of different conditions:• Anxiety and depression

• Psychological Trauma

• Eating disorders

• Psychosis

• Persistent physical symptoms (e.g. chronic pain)

• Substance misuse

• Adjustment to physical health conditions (e.g. diabetes, MS)

• Clinical Psychologists have knowledge of neuropsychology and so have specialist roles in some diagnoses: Neuropsychological assessment; Diagnosing learning disability and autism

How to become a clinical psychologist

Training places

• Apply through Leeds clearing house except for QUB and Hull Universities.

• http://www.leeds.ac.uk/chpccp/

• 32 courses in the UK

• 5 courses in RoI

• You can apply for up to 4 courses through the clearing house

• QUB separate application form.

• Applications usually open in September and close late Nov/Dec

Applying through Clearing House

• The courses are all full-time for three years. There are no part-time courses and there are no distance learning courses.

• All courses are accredited by the BPS and HCPC

• All courses welcome applications from people with disabilities.

• These courses are very demanding so should not be combined with any other job or academic course.

• Universities will not usually allow you to enrol on a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology if at that time you are enrolled on any other degree, eg a PhD or Masters programme.

The national numbers for NHS courses starting in autumn 2018 were:

• Queens (alone)• 229 applicants

• 11 places

• 5% success rate

• UK (4 centres)• 3,866 applicants

• 593 places

• Success rate varies • 3% (752 applicants; places 21) Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and

Neuroscience – KCL

• 7% (283 applicants; places 22) East Anglia

Entry Requirements at Queens

• Applicants must possess, or expect to possess by the course start date, at least an Upper Second Class Honours degree (2.1) or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University, which has been accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) as conferring eligibility for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC).

• Applicants with a Lower Second Class Honours degree (2.2) in psychology, which has been accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) as conferring eligibility for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC), may apply if they also possess a higher degree (e.g. Masters or PhD or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University).

• In addition, we accept applications from those who have at least an Upper Second Class Honours degree (2.1) or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University in a first degree other than psychology but who expect to complete, by the course start date, a qualification which confers eligibility for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) with the British Psychological Society.

Demonstrating Competence

The aim of the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology is to train Reflective Scientist Practitioners. Applicants are expected to demonstrate application of their knowledge and understanding across four main domains in their application form.

The four domains are:

• Academic

• Research

• Clinical

• Professional/Personal

Demonstrating Academic Competence

Strong applications will provide evidence of an ability to apply knowledge and understanding of:

• How psychological theory relates to clinical psychology practice (i.e. identifying the ways in which psychological models and theories can help to understand the development of clinical problems and effective interventions).

• Psychological therapies which are commonplace in UK clinical psychology practice.

• The role of developmental, cultural, social, environmental and biological factors in mental health.

Demonstrating Research Competence

Strong applications will provide evidence of an ability to apply knowledge and understanding of:

• Critical literature appraisal.

• Research methods and statistics and / or audit and service evaluation.

• Ethical standards for conducting empirical research.

Demonstrating Clinical Competence

Strong applications will provide evidence of an ability to apply knowledge and understanding of :

• Psychological Assessment (including psychometrics).

• Psychological Formulation.

• Psychological Intervention.

• Outcome measurement (Patient Reported Outcome Measures).

Demonstrating Professional/Personal Competence

Strong applications will provide evidence of an ability to apply knowledge and understanding of :

• Interpersonal communication skills

• Diversity including social, cultural ethnicity, disability etc. factors

• Inter professional working

• Self-awareness of own development needs

• Role of supervision and reflective practice

• Professional and ethical issues relevant to the practice of clinical psychology

• Service user/carer involvement

Providing evidence

You can draw on a range of experiences to provide evidence of your ability to apply knowledge and understanding across each competence from:

• Undergraduate study

• Post-graduate study

• Voluntary/unpaid work

• Paid work

• Personal experience

Demonstrating awareness of training NHS Governance issues

Strong applications will provide evidence of an ability to apply knowledge and understanding of :

• How Clinical Psychologists are trained and the demands of training including self-awareness of own readiness for training.

• Role of Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and the British Psychological Society (BPS)

• Service models of delivering clinical psychology and psychological therapies (within NHS services).

Gaining relevant experience

• For example, as an assistant/associate psychologist, research assistant in clinical research, or other relevant healthcare roles.

• Develop the key areas:

• Academic

• Research

• Clinical

• Professional/Personal

What does clinical training involve?

• 50% clinical placements• 5 placements (including, adult, child and neuropsychology/LD

populations)

• 50% research and academic assessments

Assessments include, clinical reports, in vivo examinations, a clinical service related project, systematic literature review, research thesis, personal reflection reports, evaluation of clinical competence on placements.

Relevant reading / links• What is an assistant psychologist? https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/psychological-

therapies/roles/assistant-clinical-psychologist

• ClinPsy www.clinpsy.org.uk

• Psyclick www.psyclick.org.uk

• DCP Pre-qualification group: https://www1.bps.org.uk/networks-and-communities/member-microsite/division-clinical-psychology/careers

• ACP-UK: www.acpuk.org.uk

• Search for jobs: https://www.hscrecruit.com/ ; https://jobs.scot.nhs.uk ; www.jobs.nhs.uk; https://www.jobs.ac.uk/search/psychology