This month Kristina Soon talked to us about the course in clinical psychology at UCL and the application process. She further answered questions put to her by those present.
The Course:
- Inspired by developmental and psychopathology perspectives; the idea that, across the lifespan, genetics and environmental factors influence and affect our mental health.
- Focus on academic psychology (research, evidence and theory), assessment and formulation and intervention
- Also study clinical issues-how clinical psychologists function in the NHS and new policies which affect their work.
- Mixture of lectures and workshops
- Seminar group you’re in stays the same for whole 3 years. Academic and clinical seminars to encourage critical analysis and formulation using different theoretical perspectives
- Cross specialty workshops-whole day focusing on one theme; e.g. bereavement experience in brain damaged patients, children etc.
- Master class at the end of each term for all 3 years. Trainee presents a case they’re working on to all 3 years. 3 specialists then talk about how would work on that case
- Conference once a year. Similar to master class but with a theme e.g. diversity
- Cover all major therapeutic approaches-BT, CBT, Psychodynamic, Systemic and introduce other approaches too
Monitoring Process:
- 4 exams over 1st 2 years
- 4 clinical case reports from placements-deconstructing your performance
- 1 service related research project from 1 placement
- 3 part thesis-literature review, empirical paper (for publication) and a critical appraisal
Clinical Practice:
- Academic teaching in parallel with clinical practice
- All in North London region-very large area so may be required to travel a long way to placements
- Placement area shared with UEL and Royal Holloway
Selection:
- 2007 there were 700 applicants for 126 interview places and 42 places
- Phase 1: Every application read by at least 2 staff and every rejection looked at by 2 others to ensure not unfairly rejected. Internal staff ensure applicants meet basic criteria:
- GBR
- High 2:1 (67 or above)
- Relevant experience
- Good references
- Form makes sense!
- Phase 2: Short listing for interview.
- All applications read by 3 practicing psychologist-2 internal, 1 external to the course
- Compare applicants to each other
- Most important is what you’ve made of your experience
- Phase 3: Interview.
- Panel of 3 (2 internal, 1 external)
- 45 min interview combining research and clinical questions
- Your understanding of theory and research
- Ability to work clinically-expect questions you can’t prepare for as want to see how you would cope making on the spot decisions
- Professional/personal suitability-have to like you! Capable and interested in learning, robust etc.
Answers to questions:
- Supervision comes from your course tutor (who will be the same person all three years), your research supervisor and an Independent Personal Advisor (a practicing clinical psychologists in the region). Also have support schemes for black/ethnic minority trainees, single parents, gay/lesbian trainees.
- Ideally, your references should rave about you! Position of the referee is quite important as clinical psychologist will know what’s required as a referee whereas charge nurses may not.
- Best way to show what you’ve learnt form your experience is not to just use keywords, e.g. scientist-practioner without showing you know what it means. What do YOU think are the (dis)advantages? Really distinguishes you from someone who doesn’t understand the concepts.
- During the interview, UCL will try to get the best out of you. Prompt you, make you comfortable. Questions designed to make you think on the spot; that you can’t prepare for. Also questions about theory, research and it’s clinical application as well as personal questions to asses your robustness.
- You should spend more time talking about what you’ve learnt from your experience than detailing exactly what you’ve done. E.g. everyone can administer a scale but what have you learnt from it; Limitations, different cultural settings etc.
- Grammar and spelling is very important! Expected to be able to write at doctoral level so this ability needs to be explicit in your form.
- Masters may help your form but only worth it if you don’t have a high 2:1 really. Only really helps if you get a distinction but it will also give you a better academic referee.
- Should explain any extenuating circumstances that meant you didn’t get a higher 2:1.
- If you’ve done a conversion course, it’s harder to compare you to other applicants but a good academic reference will help.
- You should definitely get feedback after interview-real waste not to!
- Usually don’t ask about research you’ve done yourself as not every candidate has a recent example they can give so it’s not fair to do that.
- Try to ensure we’re not biased against any “type” of candidate. E.g. no longer look at A-levels so much as have been shown to be highly correlated.
- Publications can be mentioned but they don’t really add any weight to your form. Can talk about what you’ve learnt from it though.
- Amount of relevant experience isn’t as important as what you’ve made of it or what you learnt from it.
The group thanked Kristina Soon for her talk and answering our questions.
The next group will meet on 29th January 2008, we hope to see you there!