Applying to PhD program and lack of research experience...

[AMI1989]

Hello

I'm a first time poster and I was hoping to get some advice and recommendations. 

I graduated in 2012 with a BA in Psychology and have taken all the usual undergrad courses (stats, experimental, abnormal, etc). My psychology GPA was okay, about a 3.7 or 3.8 I believe, but my cumulative undergrad GPA wasn't wonderful (3.45, thanks to calculus and some unrelated courses I sucked at!)

During my undergrad degree, I held two internships; one on an inpatient psychiatric unit and another in a therapeutic nursery for children on the autism spectrum. Both internships were short term, about 6-8 months each.

After graduation, I worked as a "direct care counselor" in a non-profit, working with mentally ill clients in the community. We ran a supervised living program, and I assisted them with medication & symptom management, finding housing, jobs, etc.

After that, I moved to the UK for a period of a few years for personal reasons, and found a job working as a psychology assistant on an acute inpatient unit. I worked directly under a Clinical Psychologist and at first shadowed him during assessments and clinics, but I took on my own workload as well. I managed a very small (2-3) client caseload, providing "light" therapy - basically more like 1:1 sessions rather than anything like CBT, as I'm not properly trained or qualified. I did also assist with some small research matters (creating care pathways for specific client presentations based on current research) but nothing major. I was also sent away for basic training in DBT skills which was a wonderful experience. I learned a lot about diagnosis and treatment, and was able to learn/use several different assessment tools.

I'm now back in the US and looking to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology. I would have gone in the UK as the course is much shorter, but the fees for being an international student were more than I could handle at the time. 

Looking into PhD programs, I see that a huge problem with my application would be a significant lack of research experience. I'm thinking if I applied now, I'd surely be rejected.

I'm in the US and back to working with one of the community agencies, doing a similar job to what I was doing previously (supervised living counseling) which is enjoyable, but after having a taste for working with clinical psychologists, I miss it.

I work full time, so I guess my question is, how can I get research experience when I'm no longer a student? I'd like to try and jazz up my application as much as possible because I know how competitive it will be, and I think it will better prepare me as well. I'm just not sure what to do really when you have a full time M-F job? Are there part time/volunteer research opportunities for non-students?

Any advice would be appreciated Thank you!

Edited January 5, 2016 by AMI1989

[Timemachines]

First, I think you're selling yourself short! Depending on the goals of the program, you may be a great fit somewhere that doesn't heavily push the research practitioner model. I volunteered immediately after undergrad at two labs ( one at Brown U and one at Mass General martinos center). The latter was a sleep lab which usually functions after work hours. The former was a one to three day a week stint which can be challenging, however, one of the other RAs had a job. Maybe depending on your supervisers flexibility, you can come into work later after volunteering for a few hours at a lab of interest? ( maybe seek out a lab with research focus in autism, given your experience?). It will certainly be a challenge but I think if there is any leeway, it'll be worth it! The other option is to pick up a job that is more flexibile with hours ( I was a server at a restaurant for that year....not glamorous of course, but gave me the opportunity to get my hands dirty at two different places!)

Edited January 5, 2016 by Timemachines

[sackofcrap]

I just want to point out that the PsyD sounds like it might be perfect for you. Those programs typically have less of a research emphasis. You have a ton of experience in the field and it would suit you there, unless your ultimate plan is to be a researcher / professor at a university or something like that. 

[icantseethespacebar]

I currently work full-time and still volunteer in a lab at a local university. I would reach out to lab managers and POIs at local universities and see if they are taking any volunteer RAs to gain research experience if the PhD is really the route you are interested in. If you're only interested in becoming a clinician, then I agree with the above poster that a PsyD program would probably be a better fit.

[artsy16]

There are lots of practice oriented PhD programs in clinical and counseling psychology. If you like and value research alongside practice, you can succeed and be happy in a PhD program. PsyDs aren't the de facto answer--students still have to do a thesis and dissertation. I have little research experience compared to other applicants, partly because I am an undergrad and partly because I deliberately chose to spend my free time doing clinical work. I applied to 7 counseling and clinical programs and have interviews at 5. Clearly, wanting to go into practice as a career didn't hurt me, as I stated that explicitly in my applications and in interviews. 

Check with program websites. Some programs say "if you want to go into practice, this program isn't a good fit so don't apply" and some say "no matter if you want to go into research or practice, you need to have an appreciation for both and will do well here if you do" (an example of the former is Harvard's clinical psych program. An example of the latter is UT-Knoxville's counseling program. Counseling psych programs tend to be more flexible and lean toward practice.)

Depending on the program, you have more autonomy to craft your grad school experience. 

[Rigid_Designator]

Well, I would apply to doctoral programs and hope for the best. But it would benefit you greatly to also apply to a master program if you can. That way you will most likely get in somewhere even if it isn't directly to the PhD track.