PhD in Clinical Psychology Wanted

[cat1taylor]

Hello,

I recently graduated from my undergraduate studies in December with my bachelor of science in psychology.  I have some research experience and independent research experience as well.  My GRE scores need to be better, but with this time off I am going to be focusing on bringing those scores up, but I am also wondering if I am making the right decision.  I recently received a job offer to be an early childhood behavior coach through a program that assists children with autism.  I am going to be receiving ABA training and I will be a BCaBA once I am certified.  It is a full time job and I will be assigned my own children that I work with individually once I am trained.  Since I do want a doctorate in clinical psychology and want to continue to work in the mental health field, is this a step in the right direction with taking this job offer? I know that research is key, but I am planning to try and volunteer and get more research experience once I am settled into this new job.  Is this job going to be more than just something to put on my resume?  Is it really going to help me get in a good PhD program?  because by then I will have been working there for over a year.

Please let me know all of your all's opinions, and even questions if any! 

Thanks so much.

Edited January 29, 2017 by cat1taylor

[justbreathe]

5 hours ago, cat1taylor said:

Hello,

I recently graduated from my undergraduate studies in December with my bachelor of science in psychology.  I have some research experience and independent research experience as well.  My GRE scores need to be better, but with this time off I am going to be focusing on bringing those scores up, but I am also wondering if I am making the right decision.  I recently received a job offer to be an early childhood behavior coach through a program that assists children with autism.  I am going to be receiving ABA training and I will be a BCaBA once I am certified.  It is a full time job and I will be assigned my own children that I work with individually once I am trained.  Since I do want a doctorate in clinical psychology and want to continue to work in the mental health field, is this a step in the right direction with taking this job offer? I know that research is key, but I am planning to try and volunteer and get more research experience once I am settled into this new job.  Is this job going to be more than just something to put on my resume?  Is it really going to help me get in a good PhD program?  because by then I will have been working there for over a year.

Please let me know all of your all's opinions, and even questions if any! 

Thanks so much.

I'd definitely recommend getting a lab manager or research coordinator position instead, if you can... I'd be worried that a full-time applied clinical position will make you look far more interested in clinical work than research, and hurt your chances of getting into a PhD program. 

[HigherEdPsych]

9 hours ago, cat1taylor said:

It is a full time job and I will be assigned my own children that I work with individually once I am trained.  Since I do want a doctorate in clinical psychology and want to continue to work in the mental health field, is this a step in the right direction with taking this job offer? I know that research is key, but I am planning to try and volunteer and get more research experience once I am settled into this new job.  Is this job going to be more than just something to put on my resume?  Is it really going to help me get in a good PhD program?  because by then I will have been working there for over a year.

 

4 hours ago, justbreathe said:

I'd definitely recommend getting a lab manager or research coordinator position instead, if you can... I'd be worried that a full-time applied clinical position will make you look far more interested in clinical work than research, and hurt your chances of getting into a PhD program. 

Hello, 

My best advice is to try to do both simultaneously. While there is no exact science to getting accepted into a clinical PhD program, this route worked very well for me. If you can do part-time positions, it would probably be most ideal. 

[JungAndNotAFreud]

I second doing both simultaneously.