2021 Clinical Psychology Applicants CANADA

[freudianslipintogradschool]

1 hour ago, PrettyFlyForACogSci said:

My research background is definitely my biggest strength application-wise. I'm hoping a strong match with PIs will be a saving grace (my cGPA isn't the strongest) so I've been working really hard to gain research and clinical experience in somewhat overlapping but distinct fields:

1. Neurocognitive outcomes of mood and memory disorders

2. Mood disorders in forensic clinical populations

3. Improving clinical outcomes in youth with neurodevelopmental disorders

On one hand I feel like I have a broader range of PIs to chose from, but a part of me is worried that fewer PIs will be accepting students this year because of slow-down in research activities due to covid. Does anyone else feel this way? I hope this year doesn't turn out to be one of the most competitive cycles due to less funding/research opportunities post-pandemic...

So exciting to hear everyone’s research interests!

My interests are optimizing interventions for highly emotionally dysregulated individuals (i.e., those with BPD), PTSD and suicidality. 

A second line of research I’m interested in is harnessing the power of relationships to improve severe mental illness.

i too fear that the pool of applicants may be bigger, yet I don’t necessarily think that’ll make it more competitive to be honest. But I am worried. Also worried that a profs won’t take students due to covid. I’ve confirmed through my network that 2 profs I’m applying to are taking so that’s helpful. 

[broski]

13 hours ago, freudianslipintogradschool said:

Interesting research interests! I know there aren’t many profs doing psychotherapy process so it’s hard to find a good fit. How have you been able to determine who’s accepting yet? 

I've started e-mailing profs and most have gotten back to me about whether/not they're accepting Fall 2021. Of course many profs may not know 100% if they're accepting, but they'll probably tell you. Some department websites have updated which profs are accepting for 2021 too, so I checked there but also e-mailed to confirm. 

[freudianslipintogradschool]

3 hours ago, broski said:

I've started e-mailing profs and most have gotten back to me about whether/not they're accepting Fall 2021. Of course many profs may not know 100% if they're accepting, but they'll probably tell you. Some department websites have updated which profs are accepting for 2021 too, so I checked there but also e-mailed to confirm. 

Got it.. I emailed one prof and heard back as well -- I will likely email others in the next couple weeks!

[LostSoulInPsychology]

Hey all going back to that discussion of only wanting to work in treating patients and not having a hugeeee interest in pursuing future research, I'm starting to wonder if clinical psyc is the degree I should be pursuing. My problem is (as was mentioned earlier) to really be working in psychological treatment of mental illnesses, you kind of have to go do some research somewhere (whether it's terminating at the MA level or more commonly finishing all the way to a PhD). It feels like it will be a long journey doing all that research work when I'm actually not even looking to use any of it down the line. Would anyone be able to recommend the types of programs I should be looking at? Or where I should be looking to learn more about the types of programs out there/careers in psychology? I've been just doing general google searches the past couple of days but I haven't found anything that is really sticking if you know what I mean

Also just to elaborate, there are some days where I feel like "oh yeah research would be sick!" but then other days I think to myself "do I really have to do research if the main thing I care about is treating patients? Why do I have to produce research instead of being a scholar of research?"

I am aware that there's PsyD programs in Canada, but sadly only one accredited program exists in an English-speaking province and I don't meet the admission requirements for them (over at MUN).

People's instinct might be "med school!" and yes I will be applying to med school alongside all of my other applications, but med school also feels like it's a stretch - I don't have a vested interest in learning all of the systems of the body when I hope to be treating the brain and mind as opposed to one's intestines

[freudianslipintogradschool]

1 hour ago, shubeydubeydoo said:

Hey all going back to that discussion of only wanting to work in treating patients and not having a hugeeee interest in pursuing future research, I'm starting to wonder if clinical psyc is the degree I should be pursuing. My problem is (as was mentioned earlier) to really be working in psychological treatment of mental illnesses, you kind of have to go do some research somewhere (whether it's terminating at the MA level or more commonly finishing all the way to a PhD). It feels like it will be a long journey doing all that research work when I'm actually not even looking to use any of it down the line. Would anyone be able to recommend the types of programs I should be looking at? Or where I should be looking to learn more about the types of programs out there/careers in psychology? I've been just doing general google searches the past couple of days but I haven't found anything that is really sticking if you know what I mean

Also just to elaborate, there are some days where I feel like "oh yeah research would be sick!" but then other days I think to myself "do I really have to do research if the main thing I care about is treating patients? Why do I have to produce research instead of being a scholar of research?"

I am aware that there's PsyD programs in Canada, but sadly only one accredited program exists in an English-speaking province and I don't meet the admission requirements for them (over at MUN).

People's instinct might be "med school!" and yes I will be applying to med school alongside all of my other applications, but med school also feels like it's a stretch - I don't have a vested interest in learning all of the systems of the body when I hope to be treating the brain and mind as opposed to one's intestines

I think your best route if you don’t like research and you actually want to treat patients would be a PsyD or a counselling MA. If you aim for med school you will likely be doing a lot of additional unnecessary work to end up seeing many of your psychiatric patients for 15-30 minute appointments and then prescribing them medication (unless you would pursue a specialization outside of psychiatry then of course go for it)! 
 

you can also look to do a clinical MA in one of the provinces that only require an MA to be a psychologist. If you are interested in moving. This can be found on the CPA website. 
 

I also think counselling programs are a great way to just do therapy!

 

i hope this somewhat helps, I know it can be overwhelming not knowing what to do.

Edited July 15, 2020 by freudianslipintogradschool

[broski]

1 hour ago, shubeydubeydoo said:

Hey all going back to that discussion of only wanting to work in treating patients and not having a hugeeee interest in pursuing future research, I'm starting to wonder if clinical psyc is the degree I should be pursuing. My problem is (as was mentioned earlier) to really be working in psychological treatment of mental illnesses, you kind of have to go do some research somewhere (whether it's terminating at the MA level or more commonly finishing all the way to a PhD). It feels like it will be a long journey doing all that research work when I'm actually not even looking to use any of it down the line. Would anyone be able to recommend the types of programs I should be looking at? Or where I should be looking to learn more about the types of programs out there/careers in psychology? I've been just doing general google searches the past couple of days but I haven't found anything that is really sticking if you know what I mean

Also just to elaborate, there are some days where I feel like "oh yeah research would be sick!" but then other days I think to myself "do I really have to do research if the main thing I care about is treating patients? Why do I have to produce research instead of being a scholar of research?"

I am aware that there's PsyD programs in Canada, but sadly only one accredited program exists in an English-speaking province and I don't meet the admission requirements for them (over at MUN).

People's instinct might be "med school!" and yes I will be applying to med school alongside all of my other applications, but med school also feels like it's a stretch - I don't have a vested interest in learning all of the systems of the body when I hope to be treating the brain and mind as opposed to one's intestines

Agreed with @freudianslipintogradschool you should look into Counselling MA programs. You could also look into Counselling MEd programs but those are more focused on education and kids of course. Program structure can differ between schools, but I think most schools offer at least 2 streams for counselling masters: 1) More thesis focused stream where you can do an independent research project at a masters level w/ a supervisor of your choice (with clinical practicums/internships but this might differ b/w schools I think); and 2) More internship/practicum based where you get good clinical experience and don't have to do a project, or just have to do a less intense research paper/project. People in Stream #1 may do a PhD/further research but may also just do clinical. People in Stream #2 should be pretty set on just doing clinical work. 

You could also look into doing a social work masters and becoming a clinical social worker (MSW). They get the same kind of comprehensive training in psychotherapy as counsellors, and registered social workers are covered under most insurance plans I think (just like registered psychologists). In most provinces, if you get a counselling masters you can apply to be a registered psychotherapist, registered provisional psychologist, etc. but not a registered psychologist (just for PhDs). In that case insurance companies may/may not cover your services, but I'm not sure if registered social workers face the same insurance-related restrictions. Something to check out. The thing about MSWs is that many programs require you to get a BSW beforehand and a certain # of clinical hours to apply. 

You could also google psychologist/counsellor/psychotherapist/etc. on Indeed.ca and see what kinds of qualifications you'd need, if you think you'd enjoy doing these kinds of jobs. That might help narrow down your post-grad education plans.

Check out Mitch's guide for a breakdown of the different post-undergrad psych-related degrees: http://mitch.web.unc.edu/files/2017/02/MitchGradSchoolAdvice.pdf

[PsychGirl2]

10 hours ago, broski said:

Agreed with @freudianslipintogradschool you should look into Counselling MA programs. You could also look into Counselling MEd programs but those are more focused on education and kids of course. Program structure can differ between schools, but I think most schools offer at least 2 streams for counselling masters: 1) More thesis focused stream where you can do an independent research project at a masters level w/ a supervisor of your choice (with clinical practicums/internships but this might differ b/w schools I think); and 2) More internship/practicum based where you get good clinical experience and don't have to do a project, or just have to do a less intense research paper/project. People in Stream #1 may do a PhD/further research but may also just do clinical. People in Stream #2 should be pretty set on just doing clinical work. 

You could also look into doing a social work masters and becoming a clinical social worker (MSW). They get the same kind of comprehensive training in psychotherapy as counsellors, and registered social workers are covered under most insurance plans I think (just like registered psychologists). In most provinces, if you get a counselling masters you can apply to be a registered psychotherapist, registered provisional psychologist, etc. but not a registered psychologist (just for PhDs). In that case insurance companies may/may not cover your services, but I'm not sure if registered social workers face the same insurance-related restrictions. Something to check out. The thing about MSWs is that many programs require you to get a BSW beforehand and a certain # of clinical hours to apply. 

You could also google psychologist/counsellor/psychotherapist/etc. on Indeed.ca and see what kinds of qualifications you'd need, if you think you'd enjoy doing these kinds of jobs. That might help narrow down your post-grad education plans.

Check out Mitch's guide for a breakdown of the different post-undergrad psych-related degrees: http://mitch.web.unc.edu/files/2017/02/MitchGradSchoolAdvice.pdf

In addition to the above comments, I thought this UTSC tip sheet is helpful in deciding if being a psychotherapist is of interest (the page lists typical program requirements, differences between similar professions, etc.).

https://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/aacc/counselling-and-psychotherapy

[LostSoulInPsychology]

Thank you everyone for the replies - this feels like a good start and I'll do more exploring!

I have read the CPA's little webpage about why going to an accredited program is important, but does anyone have any anecdotal stories of people going to non-accredited PsyD's and still finding work? Or in general if anyone here is a bit more knowledgable than I am regarding the importance of accreditation

[Mickey26]

1 minute ago, shubeydubeydoo said:

Thank you everyone for the replies - this feels like a good start and I'll do more exploring!

I have read the CPA's little webpage about why going to an accredited program is important, but does anyone have any anecdotal stories of people going to non-accredited PsyD's and still finding work? Or in general if anyone here is a bit more knowledgable than I am regarding the importance of accreditation

You can also try UPEI's PsyD program. I don't think its currently accredited. But I'm sure they're in the process of. You can email the program coordinator and ask  

[LostSoulInPsychology]

Just now, Mickey26 said:

You can also try UPEI's PsyD program. I don't think its currently accredited. But I'm sure they're in the process of. You can email the program coordinator and ask  

Yeah that is the literal program I was looking at as I posted that message ahahah I will indeed email them to ask

[psychstudent2020]

Hi everyone. Im a little confused about applying to provincial level funding if you are looking to apply to schools outside of the province you currently live in.

I live in Ontario but am looking to apply to programs in Quebec. I want to apply to external funding (provincial level; FRQ), but I can't figure out if I would be eligible. Does anyone know if it works the same as OGS, that is, you can apply before you are even accepted to a graduate program? 

Any information would be appreciated. 

[freudianslipintogradschool]

1 hour ago, psychstudent2020 said:

Hi everyone. Im a little confused about applying to provincial level funding if you are looking to apply to schools outside of the province you currently live in.

I live in Ontario but am looking to apply to programs in Quebec. I want to apply to external funding (provincial level; FRQ), but I can't figure out if I would be eligible. Does anyone know if it works the same as OGS, that is, you can apply before you are even accepted to a graduate program? 

Any information would be appreciated. 

I believe you need to look into provincial level funding at each institution (i.e., the schools you are applying to)!

[psychstudent2020]

1 hour ago, psychstudent2020 said:

Hi everyone. Im a little confused about applying to provincial level funding if you are looking to apply to schools outside of the province you currently live in.

I live in Ontario but am looking to apply to programs in Quebec. I want to apply to external funding (provincial level; FRQ), but I can't figure out if I would be eligible. Does anyone know if it works the same as OGS, that is, you can apply before you are even accepted to a graduate program? 

Any information would be appreciated. 

Also If I wouldn't be eligible for graduate funding, does anyone know if that would effect my changes of getting in (i.e., McGill clinical psych wants you to apply for external funding).

[PrettyFlyForACogSci]

Question for everyone here: I'm going to start reaching out to PIs in the next couple weeks to see who's accepting. I'm wondering the scope of information to provide to PIs when reaching out. As of now, I'm thinking I'll include a brief introduction about myself (1 short paragraph), a description of my experience and interests (1 paragraph) and attach a CV. Anything else I should include? Are others including unofficial transcripts or longer emails? Or am I overthinking this already and I should just enquire if they are accepting before writing a long email about myself. Any comments about this are welcome, thanks!

[broski]

1 hour ago, PrettyFlyForACogSci said:

Question for everyone here: I'm going to start reaching out to PIs in the next couple weeks to see who's accepting. I'm wondering the scope of information to provide to PIs when reaching out. As of now, I'm thinking I'll include a brief introduction about myself (1 short paragraph), a description of my experience and interests (1 paragraph) and attach a CV. Anything else I should include? Are others including unofficial transcripts or longer emails? Or am I overthinking this already and I should just enquire if they are accepting before writing a long email about myself. Any comments about this are welcome, thanks!

I just included a short intro about my degree and research interests and asked if they were accepting students. I attached my CV but I don't know if anyone actually read it. Email should be concise. 

On 2nd thought I'm going to edit this answer -- you could include more info on your research experiences and what you're doing now (e.g., "I did a honour's thesis under Dr. X and I am a research assistant on a _____ project right now"). You could also comment on their current research (e.g., "I found your use of Y methodology very fascinating, I would also follow-up with Z population"). I may email profs again in the fall to again confirm if they're accepting and to schedule an informal Skype/Zoom interview or something. 

Edited July 16, 2020 by broski

[freudianslipintogradschool]

1 hour ago, PrettyFlyForACogSci said:

Question for everyone here: I'm going to start reaching out to PIs in the next couple weeks to see who's accepting. I'm wondering the scope of information to provide to PIs when reaching out. As of now, I'm thinking I'll include a brief introduction about myself (1 short paragraph), a description of my experience and interests (1 paragraph) and attach a CV. Anything else I should include? Are others including unofficial transcripts or longer emails? Or am I overthinking this already and I should just enquire if they are accepting before writing a long email about myself. Any comments about this are welcome, thanks!

I’ve heard to be pretty detailed but not exhaustive. I’ve added who I am and where I did my undergrad etc. Stated I am emailing to express interest in their work and ask if they’re accepting. Then summarized my research experience (I’ve been in x labs in x roles) then went into a couple of my research experiences that fit with their line of work. Then asked to meet to discuss my app if possible and attached my CV and unofficial transcript for their reference

[PrettyFlyForACogSci]

@freudianslipintogradschool @broski Thanks! It sounds like I need to tread a fine line between being thorough but brief while also not boring them to death ? Thanks again!

[LostSoulInPsychology]

Where do you guys get your expertise (or just knowledge in general) of writing a good strong letter of intent/research interests? i.e. are there online resources that I could look into, and ones that are actually good quality and not just a bunch of waffle?

Of course the ultimate determinant would be when I ask my references (I have two profs as Co-PIs for my Honours and I'm gonna be asking another prof who seemed to love having me as a student) if they could critique my letters, but the product that I hope to present them with are ones I would want to be actually quite strong already rather than requiring major overhaul

[xChrisx]

On 5/19/2020 at 5:56 PM, Mickey26 said:

If anyone has questions for a current clin psych Canadian student, pls feel free to reach out  Good luck ya'll!

What's the scenario like regarding funding in your department? Any funding freezes etc?

[Mickey26]

5 hours ago, xChrisx said:

What's the scenario like regarding funding in your department? Any funding freezes etc?

So my department actually increased student's stipend (its been a project many years in the making and I assume it was approved prior to COVID lol). In terms of grant funding, a lot of competitions in Canada and the States have been put on hold or called off completely--this directly impacts whether supervisors are able to take on new students, etc. So far, I haven't seen any graduate student awards/scholarship competitions being cancelled/impacted, but that could be me.

There is a hiring freeze happening at most universities in Canada as far as I'm aware. Meaning new RAs/Lab coordinators etc are put on hold right now.

 

[xChrisx]

2 hours ago, Mickey26 said:

So my department actually increased student's stipend (its been a project many years in the making and I assume it was approved prior to COVID lol). In terms of grant funding, a lot of competitions in Canada and the States have been put on hold or called off completely--this directly impacts whether supervisors are able to take on new students, etc. So far, I haven't seen any graduate student awards/scholarship competitions being cancelled/impacted, but that could be me.

There is a hiring freeze happening at most universities in Canada as far as I'm aware. Meaning new RAs/Lab coordinators etc are put on hold right now.

 

Thanks.

No wonder I reached out to some professors about research assistant/coordinator positions and only 1 got back to me. 

[freudianslipintogradschool]

To those who have reached out to PIs to express interest in their work & ask if they’re taking on a student how long (on average) does it take them to respond? One prof emailed me back in a week & I just emailed another so I’m trying to gauge what’s typical.

[broski]

15 minutes ago, freudianslipintogradschool said:

To those who have reached out to PIs to express interest in their work & ask if they’re taking on a student how long (on average) does it take them to respond? One prof emailed me back in a week & I just emailed another so I’m trying to gauge what’s typical.

Some the day of, some within a few days, others ~ 1 week, and right now I've been waiting almost 2 weeks for 2 PIs to contact me back. It varies a lot. 

[janelove]

For anyone keeping track of schools changing GRE requirements . . . I now have email confirmation that the University or Regina is also no longer requiring the GRE for this admissions cycle.

[LostSoulInPsychology]

1 hour ago, janelove said:

For anyone keeping track of schools changing GRE requirements . . . I now have email confirmation that the University or Regina is also no longer requiring the GRE for this admissions cycle.

Thanks fam