The Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) degree is a professional doctorate earned through one of two established training models for clinical psychology. An individual who earns a doctorate in clinical psychology, educational psychology or counseling psychology from an accredited program may become licensed to diagnose and treat mental disorders, conduct psychological testing and complete psychological evaluations, and provide psychotherapy.
The degree is usually abbreviated as Psy.D. in the United States and Canadaand also D.Psy. or D.Ps. in Canada. In the United Kingdom and Ireland it is often abbreviated as DClinPsych or ClinPsyD. In Australia it is often abbreviated as DPsych or DPsych (Clinical). In Denmark the corresponding degree is called "specialpsykolog" (Special Psychologist), in the Netherlands the corresponding degree is "gezondheidszorgpsycholoog" (Healthcare Psychologist).
Training
The practice of clinical psychology is based on an understanding of scientific method and behavioral science. The focus of the Doctor of Psychology training model is on the application of this knowledge to direct clinical intervention. This includes the diagnosis and treatment of various mental illnesses and other cognitive and emotional impairments in which psychological approaches can be of use. Most Psy.D. programs take four to seven years to complete, and require training in assessment, diagnosis, and psychotherapy, in addition to research methods, theoretical training, neuroscience, and other specialized training in behavioral and social sciences. Students in Doctor of Psychology programs must participate in supervised practicum placements in various clinical settings during their training, followed by a supervised clinical internship. Completion of the Psy.D. usually requires the submission of a doctoral dissertation.
In addition to earning a doctorate, the practice of Clinical Psychology in every state requires two years of supervised internship before taking national and state licensing exams. All states but one (Washington) require that one of these years be completed after earning the doctorate. Washington has removed the one year post doctoral experience in place of requiring two years of supervised experience, both of which can be completed prior to graduation. (The argument for this change has been that there are few positions available for recent graduates and providing the training before graduation facilitates early career psychologists.In February 2006 the American Psychological Association Council of Representatives adopted a statement recommending that this change also be made to the licensing requirements of other states.
In addition to regional accreditation, many doctoral programs in clinical psychology are given professional accreditation by the American Psychological Association (APA).
Background
In 1973 the practitioner-scholar model and the associated Psy.D. degree were recognized by the American Psychological Association at the Conference on Levels and Patterns of Professional Training in Psychology (The Vail Conference). The Practitioner-Scholar model followed the earlier scientist-practitioner model of doctoral training in psychology, which was created at the Boulder Conference on Graduate Education in Clinical Psychology in 1949. The Vail Model or practitioner-scholar model emphasizes clinical practice in training, while the Boulder Model emphasises research and scientific practice. Graduates of both training models are eligible for licensure in all states (licensing exams and renewal requirements are the same for both degrees).
Controversy
Some programs offering the Psy.D. have been criticized for admitting too many students. Large class sizes are asserted to lower the quality of the training experience. The lower pass rates of PsyD students on the national licensing exam, the Examination for Professional Practice of Psychology (EPPP) has been noted as a problem for this model of doctoral education. Also, Psy.D. programs typically are tuition based, requiring some students to take on very large educational loans.
In addition to this there are complaints that the many professional schools of psychology lack the connections to a large educational community found in a university environment. While there are an increasing number of university-based PsyD programs, many Psy.D. programs are at newer professional schools of psychology, and some of these are part of larger for-profit corporations.