This weekend I met up with an old friend in London for her birthday - conversation turned briefly to careers, and it looks like we're going to be applying to two of the same clinical psychology training courses in five weeks time. Its a wierd world. If we both get on the same course, it could be wonderful, like old times. If one gets on a course and the other gets rejected - well what a dampner for both of us really.
The clinical psychology training course application process is insane in itself - very busy, very slow and I'm told, very stressful. First there is a monstrosity of an application form where you can apply for up to four places...and then, if you're lucky, there are interviews, and then you might get an offer of a place, rejected or put on a waiting list because some people get more than one offer and everything jiggles around!!
I don't know whether to look forward to it - its a sign of life beyond my PhD, and finally I feel like I'm making steps towards the career I want. On the other hand, the stakes are high, the competition is stiff and I could be disappointed.
To make matters worse, I know some courses are particularly keen to attract PhD students, and some are less phased. I've decided to go for the courses that are less phased by PhDs, as they to tend to be a bit more humanistic and eclectic in their approach - my current supervisors might say they were fluffy. :S. But I have to ask myself what sort of psychologist do I want to be and decide to apply to those courses who will nurture critical thought, reflective thinking and perhaps a slightly more radical approach.
Expect more hyper blog entries of me fretting and panicking and worrying and second guessing and hoping and waiting....
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2 comments:
Good luck!
Sometimes it is difficult to listen to your own opinions when you know that others around you don't really approve, but it is much more rewarding.
Ah where I work, there is a lot of healthy banter about this kind of thing. Sometimes researchers hate to loose PhD students to clinical work - some see it as a waste.
On the other hand, I see it as a great contribution to be able to take my academic skills and apply them to support people in very difficult situations. (OOps, slipped into application form mode there...)
My own supervisor is really very supportive, if a little bemused at my determination to get on a really humanistic course :)
I quote - "What do you want to do that for? I had another one like you a few years ago, went off to that course and now she works with all the crazy families. I couldn't put up with them for more than ten minutes to be frank."
I just grinned and said, 'I love crazy families - so much more interesting than databases!!!' :P
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