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Should I do a PhD? - no interest in becoming an academic

E

Hello, this is my first post on here, so sorry if it is edited wrongly.

First off, I am a guy in mid-20s, graduated psychology first class at a non-russel group, currently doing mres research methods at a russel group. Unemployed (on ESA, don't judge) but volunteer for a charity. Now I have been offered two non-funded PhDs in psych, one at Mancs, one at Sheffield. The one at Sheffield I'd love because I have the same mentalhealth conditions that the research is based on, but it'd mean moving to another city which I probs couldn't afford, so I'd probably have to do Mancs as I live near to there. I have not much interest in the project, but I figured I could do it just to progress. I will apply for other funded projects throughout 2015 up till the next academic year, but I have been rejected to all my applications from last year hence self-funding. I have no interest in a job in academia and aim to be a clinical or possibly health psychologist. I would have liked to be a physician going back but that ship has passed already. In any event, I would do a PhD to increase my chances of getting onto clinical psychology (if I can make the research from a mental health angle). Once I finish my master's I see nothing to do apart from a PhD as I am unemployed and highly unlikely to get a job as I don't have much experience. Part of the reason for no experience is due to my health (pm for details). I do not want to become an academic and would not like to be a lecturer. So PhD seems the only thing to do because I have no alternatives. It is the best choice of a bad bunch.

D

You are in your mid 20s so you are still quite young, and still have a reasonable chance of getting onto entry level jobs.

W

For your career interest you need to do a professional Doctorate in Clinical Psychology with a registered provider. I'd not see much point putting yourself through a traditional PhD. Take advice on researching an area so close to home. For example counselling courses advise you can't become a trained counsellor in an area you've has counselling in unless that area of your life has been under control for a certain period of time. You are still very young, you have time for a few career changes :)

C

Even if you were talking about a funded PhD I'd say think twice as it doesn't seem to be the best way to get into your chosen career. With it being unfunded I wouldn't even think about it, getting yourself into a huge amount of debt for no guaranteed career benefits is a dangerous game. I'd hold out for funding or keep looking for employment (remember the average is about 50 applications to get a job nowadays). If your health is stopping you maybe volunteer part-time to get some experience, you may not be earning but at least you aren't paying huge fees to get the experience.

C

My advice would be to look for more information about the clinical psychology route. As wowzers said, the qualification for this career path is a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, and doing a PhD first would be a very roundabout way (as well as expensive!) to get into that. When I graduated in Psychology (which is a good few years ago now, so I would advise you to get up to date info), the best way into clinical psychology was to look for graduate level Assistant Psychologist jobs and get experience first. I would get some careers advice to make sure you go about this the right way.

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