switching from Anthro. to Clinical Psych.

[visoke]

Hi all,

I'm about to be a second year student in a PhD program in anthropology at a top ranking school. My focus is in medical anthro/psych. anthro. However, after completing my first year, I feel very disillusioned with anthropology and am having some constant regrets that I didn't apply to a clinical psychology program. In terms of my background, I have my BA in psychology and an MA in social sciences, both from a top ranked school. At first I really loved the idea of the PhD in Anthropology, because I felt I could combine many of my research interests and wasn't as limited in terms of preferred methodologies as I would have been in a psych department. I do like my adviser, and in general I think I am a very open and generally supportive department. But regardless of these positive things, I really miss working directly WITH people (rather than just "studying" them) and feel clinical psychology would be a much more fulfilling career path. However, I'm having some serious concerns about leaving my program - especially since I'm fully funded for 5 years. In terms of applying for clinical psych. programs, given how low the acceptance rates are for the PhD programs and the fact that I really want to be a practitioner more than a researcher per se, I am seriously considering the Psy.D. I'm worried though about how it will look that I have left a PhD program (despite the fact that my GPA is about a 4.0/4.0). I am hoping though that my background in cultural psychology and research focus on at-risk communities will help me in the application process. If anyone has any suggestions/advice it would be greatly appreciated!!!!! Particularly any info. about how difficult it is to get accepted into PsyD programs, and which ones are supposed to be the most well respected. The only school I know for sure I would apply to as of now is the Chicago School of Professional Psychology.

Thank you!