Help me decide? Biomedical Schience vs. Clinical Neuropsy

[Zhili YY]

Ok I'm applying this cycle and panicking. So I'm really interested in neuroscience and research in biomedical science, MEANWHILE, psychopathology has always been fascinating to me but clinical psy is super competitive (more than biomed I think). Only thing I don't like about biomed is that most graduates go to academia/industrial and doesn't really work with patients. They are very different routes and I really can't get both. My gpa is not good (3.4/4.0) and I kinda don't think I stand a chance to get in a good clinical psy programs (Maybe master→phd?). 

Summarize: More interested: Clinical neuropsychology. Higher chance to get in: Biomedical Science

[Clinapp2017]

 Any research experience? Without it, Clinical neuropsych is probably off the table (more competitive than general clinical, IMHO, simple because there are less clinical neuropsych folks out there). 

 

What about pursuing an MD where you can focus on basic science and work with patients? Or does medicine not interest you?

[Zhili YY]

1 hour ago, Clinapp2017 said:

 Any research experience? Without it, Clinical neuropsych is probably off the table (more competitive than general clinical, IMHO, simple because there are less clinical neuropsych folks out there). 

 

What about pursuing an MD where you can focus on basic science and work with patients? Or does medicine not interest you?

I'm doing RA in a cognitive neuroscience (not clinical psy) and will do an independent study with them.

I did looked into pre-med but I'm international and fewer school accepting us and it's also more competitive than domestic.

Edited May 31, 2019 by Zhili YY

[PsyDuck90]

So what is your end goal? Like, after you finish whatever program, what does your ideal job look like? What kinds of things will you be doing day to day?

[Zhili YY]

1 hour ago, PsyDGrad90 said:

So what is your end goal? Like, after you finish whatever program, what does your ideal job look like? What kinds of things will you be doing day to day?

I want to do clinical research in a hospital or pharm company on mental illness and neurological disorder but nothing specific. I'm a little holding back on working molecular level research that's why I'm looking into clinical psychology but again, I don't think I can get into a good program with that stats.

 

Does anyone know if it's easier to get into a MA/PhD clinical psy program in Canada? Cause I'm very open to that

[nimsaj95]

Can't speak on biomedical programs at all but wanted to chip in and say that I do not have a good undergrad GPA at all (3.3) and I got into a handful of clinical programs. I decided on a program with a clinical neuropsychology concentration at an R1 institution. In my experience it seems like research experience and posters/papers is the most important thing!

[higaisha]

11 hours ago, Zhili YY said:

Does anyone know if it's easier to get into a MA/PhD clinical psy program in Canada? Cause I'm very open to that

Canada is as hard as the states and generally harder to get into as an international than the states, but canada generally calculates GPA from last two years. I think a terminal masters from the states might be helpful.

[Clinapp2017]

13 hours ago, Zhili YY said:

I want to do clinical research in a hospital or pharm company on mental illness and neurological disorder but nothing specific. I'm a little holding back on working molecular level research that's why I'm looking into clinical psychology but again, I don't think I can get into a good program with that stats.

 

Does anyone know if it's easier to get into a MA/PhD clinical psy program in Canada? Cause I'm very open to that

Narrowing down your focus would be advisable. This is too vague and won’t gel well with mentors. I would pick at least a handful of disorders that interest and what neuropsychological/clinical aspect you are most interested in pertaining to these disorders. 

[Zhili YY]

Thanks guy!! I contacted a couple professors to see if I can still get into a lab for the summer. Since I'm international it's like equally difficult to get into US and Canada programs, so i'm gonna applying for both. Terminal masters is out for financial reason but thank you for all your advise!! I ll think carefully about this! Good luck to those applying