Do your letter of recommendations for Clinical Psychology PhD programs have to be Doctors?

[Skibz]

Thanks

Edited February 26, 2020 by Skibz

[Clinapp2017]

Professors or supervisors are good. So, yes. I would do that over a grad student, for example. MSWs might be okay if there’s a reason. 

[clinicalpsych2020]

Yeah, I think letters of recommendation from professors or supervisors with a PhD are more valued. At least one or two should be someone with a doctorate, but overall you also want to make sure they know you well enough and have worked with you long enough to write a good letter. 

[ClinicalApplicant2019]

Clarify: by doctors do you mean physicians or people with their PhDs? I also ask because one of my recommenders in my first cycle has their MD, which another mentor in my second cycle advised me against by suggesting psychology PhD programs “don’t care” about MD credentials (even though I was applying to programs with a health psychology focus/a POI with health care research interests). 
 

I agree with previous comment that a recommender with PhD may hold more value than one with a Masters degree but the ultimately biggest consideration is how well this person can speak to your abilities. A recommendation from a PhD that is average or lackluster isn’t gonna be helpful, whereas a recommendation from a mentor with a Masters who knows you well and has worked with you could go a long way. 

[andhowdoesthatmakeyoufeel]

38 minutes ago, ClinicalApplicant2019 said:

Clarify: by doctors do you mean physicians or people with their PhDs? I also ask because one of my recommenders in my first cycle has their MD, which another mentor in my second cycle advised me against by suggesting psychology PhD programs “don’t care” about MD credentials (even though I was applying to programs with a health psychology focus/a POI with health care research interests). 
 

I agree with previous comment that a recommender with PhD may hold more value than one with a Masters degree but the ultimately biggest consideration is how well this person can speak to your abilities. A recommendation from a PhD that is average or lackluster isn’t gonna be helpful, whereas a recommendation from a mentor with a Masters who knows you well and has worked with you could go a long way. 

That's funny! One of mine was an MD in the subfield of health psych I want to go into, and I was given very positive feedback on that. But they definitely were one of my PIs in a research setting. 

Edited February 26, 2020 by andhowdoesthatmakeyoufeel

[Psyche007]

My letters were from:

• A clinical psychologist I worked alongside who graduated from my university's PsyD programme.
• A PsyD who taught me at undergrad, offered me an internship, and then hired me (I worked under her for a few years)
• A microbiology PhD who taught me several science classes and earned her Master's degree from my university. 

The PsyDs both knew me for about 8 years at the time of writing the letter; the PhD for 4 years.

My rationale was that the first letter could speak to my clinical abilities and personal fit for the university. The second could speak to my personal, academic, and clinical abilities. The third could speak to my academic abilities and suitability for a PhD.

I declined any opportunity to review the submitted letters, which was an option offered in my application.