Dear Rose:

You sure ask succinct questions! Since I am not quite sure what you are asking, I will give you a brief personal history, since it might help others who are thinking of making a change.

I was a real estate economist for several years after graduating from college with a degree in Business Administration. I had considered becoming a psychologist, but did not major in Psych because the idea of getting a Ph.D. seemed too daunting.

When I decided that economics was not for me, I did some career counseling for myself and decided to become a psychologist. Knowing the importance of a satisfying career, I decided to go for a doctorate in Counseling, not Clinical Psychology since it would train me to do career and marriage counseling as well as psychotherapy.

I bought books and studied for the Graduate Record exams. I also researched which graduate programs offered what I wanted and were approved by the American Psychological Association. Equally important, I then spent a lot of time writing my application to graduate school, knowing that I had to be extra persuasive to convince a good school to admit someone who did not major in Psychology (but had done volunteer work in the field.)

After getting my Ph.D., there were a whole new set of tasks to prepare for my career: To get licensed, a psychologist has to work under supervision for several years, take the licensing exam, and then those who want to establish a private practice must figure out how to attract patients. Plus, I felt it was important to give something back to the profession by being active in professional associations.

Whew! In retrospect it all sounds exhausting. But actually, it has been stimulating, because being a psychologist is never dull.

The Career Doctor