Changing PhD - I/O to Clinical

[oca]

Hello all,

I am in my first semester of an industrial/organizational doctoral program, and I'm quickly learning that this field might not be right for me. Obviously, it would have been better if I had figured that out before I started, but I had totally different expectations for it. I've been thinking that I would have been much better off going into clinical, which is where I've been finding myself most drawn to when doing my coursework. I find I/O dry, detached, and irrelevant.

But here's the problem: I am fully funded by the I/O department at my university, so I obviously cannot simply "switch" over to clinical. If I'm not mistaken, I would have to completely drop out, and then re-apply to clinical programs next year.

I am wondering if anyone has had any experience with changing doctoral focus - i.e., how much would "dropping-out" of I/O hurt my chances of being accepted elsewhere into a clinical program? Also, I'd love some insight into "dropping-out" in general; how badly does the department take it? I don't want to burn any bridges and for an I/O program, my school is great, but I just don't think it's right for me. Should I just suck it up since I signed up for this in the first place, and they are funding me? (Funding is on a year-to-year basis, so while I would probably be funded again next year, the money they are giving me is not contingent on the entire 5-6 years.)

I would really appreciate any insights. Thank you in advance!

-Confused grad