New interest area after acceptance to PsyD program

[sapply8]

I was recently accepted to my top PsyD program with financial assistance and I couldn't be more excited. When I applied to my selection of programs, my interest area was generally solidified. However, recent events at my job have led to me to a new interest that I never personally considered before: BPD client recidivism within PHP/IOP programs. Considering the clinically focused structure of my PsyD program, will it be a huge issue that my interests have changed prior to entering the program? I'm concerned that my shift in interest will be a red flag because I seemed confident in my future goals and path to working with an entirely different population during the application/interview process.

Edited March 5, 2019 by sapply8

[higaisha]

NSSI and BPD aren't too far off, at one point they were thought to be concordant (i.e., all people engaging in NSSI were borderline). That said, its likely your supervisors doing NSSI stuff in college students might not have the same ties to BPD txt research usually run out of psych wards. I'm guessing there's a chance to do clinical work with that population through external practica, so while you might not be able to get your research fix, you can get that need met elsewhere.

[dancedementia]

Not to be THAT person but... you're accepted! They can't un-accept you just because your research interests change, so I wouldn't worry  At a PsyD program too, I find that professors are very encouraging of folks to broaden their scope and be open to new things. It seems like you have a good reason for pivoting to BPD research, so I don't think you would be faulted for that! Good luck though - very tough population to study because they do tend to play the "perfect patient, I'll tell you want you want to hear to get you out of my hair" card. I once worked at the Gunderson (McLean's BPD residential), and even as someone with a cluster B myself, I found myself at the end of my empathy rope sometimes!

Edited March 7, 2019 by dancedementia