What is clinical psychology?
Clinical psychology is a healthcare profession that involves the assessment and treatment of a range of psychological disorders, including anxiety, depression, and addiction, with patients of all ages.
Why study clinical psychology?
Here are some reasons to consider studying clinical psychology:
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Clinical psychologists aim to help people who are struggling in their day to day life. Being a clinical psychologist can positively and drastically transform the lives of individuals, improving both their mental and physical wellbeing as a result. It is a meaningful and crucial profession that helps people in a different way to other healthcare sectors.
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Like other healthcare professions, clinical psychology offers the opportunity for professional development and growth. The choice to specialise in certain therapies and disorders allows clinical psychologists to become experts in their field, making it possible to take on leadership roles as their career progresses.
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Clinical psychology allows for flexibility over which sector or age range to work with. For example, clinical psychology can be used in hospitals, schools, or prisons, and can be used with children, adults, or families. This versatility ensures that clinical psychologists can engage with diverse client populations.
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As everyone has a mental health, mental health disorders and conditions are constantly being researched all over the world. Clinical psychologists are often a part of the research process, such as by investigating therapy effectiveness, leading to contributions and findings that can revolutionise how mental health is approached.
What should I mention in my clinical psychology statement?
Personal Qualities: Attributes such as care, wanting to help others, empathy, and trustworthiness are necessary to be a successful clinical psychologist, due to the sensitive and personal topics that are going to be discussed with patients. These attributes can be shown through experiences from volunteering at a care home, to tutoring others in your spare time.
Problem-solving: Clinical psychologists need to be able to problem-solve, for example being able to diagnose a mental health condition correctly from a range of symptoms. Evidence of such an ability could be highlighted through using the STARR method to explain how your problem-solving actions have previously helped you in a particular task.
Cross-cultural sensitivity: It is important for clinical psychologists to acknowledge and consider the fact that everyone’s belief systems are different, so the same ideas and approaches used in appointments can’t be generalised to everyone. This can be acknowledged by exploring ideas such as “W.E.I.R.D” in the field of psychology.
Communication Skills: It is crucial for clinical psychologists to be able to actively listen and communicate effectively, both through writing and speech, in a clinical and non-clinical way. Information and advice must be coherent for both colleagues and patients. You can highlight this skill when discussing any extended research tasks, presentations, customer-facing jobs, etc.
Awareness of Challenges - Clinical psychology can be a demanding profession, due to the complexities of mental health, the constant consideration of ethical issues, and the toll it can take on clinical psychologists themselves. Showing an awareness of these challenges, such as by dissecting books about clinical psychology, and a commitment to the sector regardless, help show you have the determination necessary to be successful in the field.
Clinical Psychology Vs Psychiatry
Clinical psychology and psychiatry are both healthcare professions that involve considering the mental health of individual patients, but both roles have distinct focuses, responsibilities, and are ultimately not the same.
Clinical psychology
Scope of Practice: Clinical psychologists specifically focus on the mental health of individuals, and primarily do so from a psychological perspective. As clinical psychologists are not medically trained, they cannot typically prescribe medication, but can work alongside psychiatrists who can.
Roles and Specialisations: Clinical psychologists can work in a range of settings, such as hospitals, schools, and prisons. They can specialise in specific types of therapy and disorders, allowing them to progress to more senior positions with experience. It is also possible for a clinical psychologist to open their own practice.
Education: In order to become a clinical psychologist, you must complete an undergraduate degree accredited by the British Psychological Society. If you take an uncredited course or a non-psychology degree, it is possible to complete a psychology conversion course afterwards. After gaining some experience, you must then complete a doctorate in clinical psychology.
Responsibilities: Clinical psychologists work with individuals or families to help assess, diagnose, and psychologically treat various mental health problems.
Psychiatry
Scope of Practice: Psychiatrists also focus on the mental health of patients, but typically consider a combination of psychological, medical, and social factors and needs. They are more likely to deal with complex disorders, and can work alongside a clinical psychologist to do so.
Roles and Specialisations: Psychiatrists can also work in a range of settings, such as hospitals, schools, and prisons. With experience, psychiatrists can become more senior consultants. It is also possible for psychiatrists to become team leaders, and help teach other healthcare professionals.
Education: In order to become a psychiatrist, you must complete a degree in medicine that is recognised by the General Medical Council. This would be followed by some general training, core training in psychiatry, and then further specialist training before you are fully qualified.
Responsibilities: Psychiatrists work with individuals or families to help assess, diagnose, and treat various mental health problems. Unlike a clinical psychologist, they have the additional responsibility of prescribing and monitoring medication.
Ways to boost your application
This is not an exhaustive list, and it is possible to have a successful application without these particular examples.
Summer Schools - e.g. UNIQ, Discover Bath, Brighton Summer School - summer schools help show your passion for your subject area, and readiness for university life.
Volunteering - e.g. for the NHS, charity shops - volunteering shows your genuine commitment and care towards people, which are important attributes for a psychologist.
Essay Competitions - e.g. the John Locke Essay Competition - competitions like these show your interest and capability in researching and evaluating the psychological discipline in great depth.
Reading - e.g. books like “The Body Keeps the Score”, to academic articles from sites like the BPS Research Digest - dissecting what you’ve read in your personal statement further shows your interest in psychology. You could also read blogs! We offer a wide selection. Click here to find out more.
British Psychological Society
The British Psychological Society (BPS) is a body that represents psychology and psychologists in the United Kingdom.
In order to pursue a career in clinical psychology, your undergraduate degree must be accredited by the British Psychological Society. Whilst many undergraduate courses have the same name, they may not all be BPS accredited. Additionally, your degree does not have to be specifically titled “clinical psychology” to be eligible to pursue a career in clinical psychology. You can check if the course you’re interested in is accredited by using accredited courses checker, or by checking the specific university webpage.
The British Psychology Society has created a Code of Ethics and Conduct, which guides all members on how they should professionally conduct themselves. It focuses on 4 main principles.
Key Principles
Respect
Understanding that all humans have worth, regardless of any real or apparent differences, such as gender and ethnicity. As a result, all people are worthy of equal moral consideration, and each individual should be treated with dignity and regard to their rights.
Responsibility
Members should value the responsibility they have towards individuals, the general public, and the profession of psychology itself. Hence, they should take accountability for their actions, respect the welfare of others, avoid harm, and prevent the misuse of their work and contributions.
Competence
Members of the BPS offer professional services that require specific skills, experience, and knowledge. They should ensure that they work within their ability, and do not attempt to work outside of their capabilities. This ensures they maintain a professional standard and a high quality of service.
Integrity
It is important to be objective in a professional context, one’s behaviour in an open and unbiased manner, with the avoidance of self-interest. Members should also consider values such as honesty, accuracy, fairness, maintaining personal and professional boundaries, and the address of any misconduct.
Moving Up The Ladder
Agenda for Change pay scales are used by the NHS, and can be used to refer to the different levels or bands of clinical psychology practice within the NHS in the United Kingdom. These bands outline the career progression and responsibilities of clinical psychologists. The bands are organised based on experience, skills, and professional development. It is worth realising that the specific details may vary, and the following is a generalist outline of some bands.
Bands 4 to 5 - Assistant Psychologist
Under the supervision of a clinical psychologist, who has overall clinical responsibility for the patients.
Responsibilities include carrying out observations and assessments, researching the backgrounds of patients, and carrying out treatment programmes.
Opportunities to progress bands with further experience.
Band 6 - Clinical Psychologist Trainee
Assistant psychologists have further experience, so are now able to progress in their career.
Still working under the supervision of a clinical psychologist.
Holding similar responsibilities, including carrying out observations and assessments, researching the backgrounds of patients, and carrying out treatment programmes.
Band 7 - Clinical Psychologist
Training is now complete.
May supervise trainees or assistant psychologists.
There are opportunities to specialise in certain psychological therapies, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), dynamic interpersonal therapy (DIT), and more.
Band 8d - Consultant Psychologist
Once gained enough specialist experience, there is the opportunity to progress into more senior roles.
Responsibilities include leadership of a certain specialist area or region, supervising less experienced clinical psychologists, and managing resources.
Please note that the specific titles and responsibilities may vary between NHS Trusts and healthcare organisations. The banding system provides a framework for standardising pay scales, but individual roles may have unique titles based on local organisational structures.