<p>I’m a sophomore in high school but i already know what i want to be but i need some clarification on it. I know there are many kinds of psychologists but i don’t know which kind would fit my preferences. I’m going to give you guys a “fantasy” about the kind of psychologist i would like to be to help you understand me. I mostly want to work with teen patients but all ages are fine considering i want to help people with drug addictions and people with a minor drug problem. Patients with family problems, minor mental illnesses, (ADHD, ADD, OCD, etc. if psychologists even work with those kinds of people) anger issues, depression, and everyday problems. So, what kind of psychologist should i be going for? Do i need to go to med school? What can i do RIGHT NOW to help benefit me for this future career?</p>
<p>Clinical psychology — which you would study in a graduate (PhD or PsyD) or professional school (PsyD) psychology program after completing an undergraduate degree. Your undergrad degree doesn’t necessarily need to be in psychology, as long as you meet the admissions requirements for the grad program you want to enter. Most applicants, however, probably major in psychology, or a related field, e.g., neuroscience. For some of your particular clinical interests, you might look at grad programs that offer subspecialty training in substance abuse and/or child clinical psychology, either as a track in the program or as a focus in your internship.</p>
<p>You do not need to go to medical school—that is for people who want to become psychiatrists—undergrad degree followed by medical school followed by a residency in psychiatry. For some of your areas of clinical interest (e.g., addictions), there might be advantages to training as a psychiatrist since there are medical aspects to these. In psychiatry, you can also apply for subspecialty training in addictions and in child/adolescent psychiatry. Much of the focus in psychiatric practice is on psychopharmacological approaches.</p>
<p>I’d say that all of your high school studies will help prepare you for a the first step, a successful undergraduate program—so, English, science, math, social sciences, arts—all are important for your personal and academic development. Entry into graduate study at the better clinical psychology programs is highly competitive. Quantitative skills count for a lot so don’t neglect them. People skills are important too. Involve yourself in a variety of extracurriculars that interest you, but don’t spread yourself too thin. Do volunteer work in your school, church, community, too. Get to know people from different backgrounds than yours—ethic, socioeconomic, etc. Read widely. </p>
<p>Check out some of the APA guidebooks on graduate study in psychology: <a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Graduate-Psychology-American-Psychological-Association/dp/1433805359[/url]”>http://www.amazon.com/Graduate-Psychology-American-Psychological-Association/dp/1433805359</a></p>
<p>There are other professions that are involved in these sort of problems, too, and you should at least consider them: Counseling Psychology, Social Work.</p>
<p>Thank you, just the help I needed.</p>
<p>I just wanted to add that you should most definitely plan to obtain a graduate degree, ideally beyond the master’s level. Do not be fooled if an admissions counselor says you can do the type of work you are describing with only a B.S or B.A. I have a family member with a B.A. in psychology, and she has not really been using that degree much except for when she was fresh out of college where she worked for an emergency/suicide help line. I was told that she choose not to stay long because of how intense it was. She has mostly held various retail jobs, finding only a couple other remotely related opportunities that were related to her degree.
Psychology is one of the most popular undergrad majors, so that makes any opportunities that may have been available even more rare at the BA/BS level.</p>