Recognizing Business Issues in Professional Psychology for Clinical PsyD Trainees and Early Career Psychologists

The largest number of licensed psychologists are centralized in California. More PsyD than PhD degrees in clinical psychology are now awarded, and California houses 16 of the 59 APA-accredited programs. Post-millennia Early Career Psychologists (ECPs) typically accumulate over $120,000 in education debt, and may be concerned with the cost-benefit ratio of their training. ECPs have reported (a) feeling under-prepared for the mental health marketplace; and (b) the need for curricula in business and marketing, managed care involvement, medical culture, diversification of skills, and independent practice. Over the past two decades, calls for curricular adjustments in terms of business issues in professional psychology originated from the need to better prepare professional psychologists for contemporary challenges. Research findings highlight that psychology programs have been slow to adapt to this shift in curricular needs, and have suggested that Clinical Training Directors (CTDs) do not value practice management topics as part of graduate training. This qualitative study sought to appropriately represent CTDs' views on the topic. Semi-structured interviews with eight CTDs form California PsyD programs revealed five categories consisting of 13 themes and two additional findings. Prior to data collection, participants were provided with the 2008 Practice Management Model Syllabus (American Psychological Association, Corporate Relations and Business Strategy Staff, 2008), delineating target areas for curricula. CTDs with PsyD degrees were more likely than CTDs with PhD degrees to report that their programs offer some portion of the target curricula. Participants provided insights on marketplace concerns (e.g., supply and demand, education debt, career opportunities in the private and public sectors, gender composition in the field, an internship crisis), and endorsed the need for trainees to have the target knowledge for proactive career planning. In terms of impediments to incorporating such curricula, several CTDs relayed that psychology programs typically promote public sector service provision with a "social justice" mission, and that many faculty are uninterested in the curricular topic. These and other results support previous prescriptions for incorporating practice management coursework within clinical PsyD programs. Results may helpfully inform the decision-making and self-care of prospective and current students, as well as highly indebted licensed psychologists. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]