How to become a Psychologist in Pakistan?

Job Introduction or What They Do?

Psychologists are basically professionals who work with patients in various therapeutic contexts; these are better known as clinical psychologists. They are similar to psychiatrists. Psychologists can also be scientists who conduct psychological research or teach psychology in a university or college. They can also be academic professionals who apply psychological research, theories and techniques to practical problems faced by people; these include questions and issues faced by businesses, industries and governments.

There are various types of psychologists; in fact there are 56 divisions. Psychologists can be defined as either being application or research oriented. Most people associate psychology with just clinical psychology or counseling psychology, though these are important parts or branches of psychology there are also other important branches. Researching and teaching are also a major role played by psychologists today.

How to Steps:

1. In order to become any type of psychologist there are many different stages that include firstly college, graduate school, clinical internship, post-doctoral fellowship, licensure and lastly employment, more education and advanced certification. In order to become a clinical psychologist completion of all these steps is necessary.

2. First you have to complete a bachelor’s degree and 5 years of graduate work. This graduate work usually includes training in assessment, research, diagnosis and therapeutic skills, which also involves an internship. These steps are necessary to become a clinical psychologist. After graduate work in the US it is necessary to achieve a master degree in clinical psychology. A student in the US can also pursue a PHD program and a Post Doctorate.

3. The case for Pakistan is quite similar, students have to first complete a Masters in Psychology (M.Sc. Psychology) from a university recognized by HEC. And afterwards depending upon what kind of psychologist they want to become they have to take a specialization course.

4. In Pakistan in order to get admission in a specialized clinical training program, it is essential to take a GRE test. It is essential to also have a good gpa and a good score in the entry test and the interview.

5. Same way depending on what kind of psychologist you want to become, you can apply to that specific specialization program in a recognized university.

Course Structure:

The basic courses are same for all types of psychologists; however as specialization programs are studied there course work differs according to the field of psychology being studied. For clinical psychology, students study the main courses that are taught including statistics, research design, and biological foundations of behavior, social psychology, developmental psychology and cognitive psychology. The number of courses and their content would vary from program to program.

The purpose of these courses is to create a strong scientific foundation for the student’s clinical training, and actually teach them the scientist practitioner mode. Clinical students also enroll in many other courses which create an understanding of basic clinical practice or deal with clinical topics at the higher level. There are often courses taught with regard to psychopathology, theory and research, or principles of cognitive-behavioral interventions, and there are also seminars in topics such as schizophrenia, family and group therapy, community psychology and neurophysiological assessment.

Job Opportunities:

There are many job opportunities for all kinds of psychologists be it in research or as clinical psychologists or any other kind. Clinical psychologists alone can be found in several service settings which include General Hospitals and Medical Clinics, Mental health clinics and Psychiatric hospitals, Rehabilitation Hospitals and clinics, Community Service Agencies, Private practice, Universities and Colleges, Industry, The Military, Prisons and correctional Facilities, Private and government Research agencies and even Schools.

There are many benefits of being employed a s a Psychologist, first of all you get personal fulfillment by helping others and making a difference. Secondly you get to be your own boss, for example in private practice, clinical and counseling psychologists are mostly their own bosses. Thirdly each client provides a different and interesting environment, and reveals interesting information about them so the psychologist is never bored doing routine work. The whole process is a learning experience, client’s diagnosis and therapy plans tend to be unique and provide opportunities to learn.

Remuneration:

When it comes to the remuneration of the clinical psychologists well, being a psychologists is such a profession that it is always highly paid, as the demand for psychologists in Pakistan be it in rehabilitation centers, in schools, in hospitals and clinics is increasing rapidly. The importance and need for psychologists is also being recognized.