need your opinions

[admiral_ju00]

i'm currently going for a duel-major in Psychology and Anthropology(Paleontology) but i'm starting to have 2nd thoughts on psychology.

my original intent was to go into grad school into a clinical psychology using specializing with the neo-freudian theory/approach but numerous things just don't seem right anymore.

first of all are these redundant reiterations of dead and useless theories, secondly there is no neofreudian school in my state, and i no longer see myself dealing with patients and going : "well, i believe you're stuck in the falic state" or "tell me more about your childhood and the influence your parents had on you" , etc......... and if i can get some of your reasons behind the judgement, it would be even better

[YT2095]

I`de personaly drop out, and then focus all my energies into the remaining subject(s), spreading your time and effort too thin could lead to mediocre results in all subjects.

besides, if your heart`s not in it, your wasting your own time as you`ll do lousey in the exam or not pay attn etc...

 

but I`m sure you already know this

[atinymonkey]

Sorry if I offend anyone, but whenever I hear the word psychology I tend to think 'mail order degree'. Growing a beard and learning to reverse questions is no way to eack out a living.

 

Paleontology, digs in remote areas of Africa or examining fossil remains in the sun on a beach. It might not pay an awful lot, but the quality of life and increase in respect are worth the trade off. Well, they would be for me anyway.

[blike]

lol, i'm sure glider would have a different opinion on that. Psychology seems [at least at my university] to be one of those majors (like a premedical degree) that everyone wants to do, but hardly anyone actually does.

 

In other words, lots of students start out as psychology majors, but only a handful finish that way.

[Skye]

It seems pretty obvious that you're not happy with it. There's no shame in changing your mind, alot of people do, that's why most courses are pretty flexible. You can still take the subjects that interest you, but won't be forced into taking those that don't.

[BrainMan]

Have you enjoyed the anthropology?

[atinymonkey]

lol' date=' i'm sure glider would have a different opinion on that. Psychology seems [at least at my university'] to be one of those majors (like a premedical degree) that everyone wants to do, but hardly anyone actually does.

 

In other words, lots of students start out as psychology majors, but only a handful finish that way.

 

Oh, I respect some psychology grads. A lot of them are interesting people with a unique outlook, I've met a couple who do very well working for global banking thanks to the skillsets they picked up. I just can't shake the idea of the beard and degree from http://www.worldwidelearn.com or suchlike. I've met more than a few that base the work on being able to say 'hmmm' in a convincing mannor. Self important know nothings who scraped a pass at the university of ditchwater.

 

It's something you would probably notice more if you had a national health service gov funded like the UK. I just wouldn't trust them to provide help to anyone who seriously needed it.

 

Anyhow, I just fancy the blend of academia and field work Paleontology provides. You get to mess around in mudpits and still be scholar like.

[MulderMan]

Paleontologys rocks right?

[atinymonkey]

Geology rocks, petrology thinks it does.

[MulderMan]

only heard of it from ross in friends, rocks arnet usually the highlight of my week when we do physics ,

[admiral_ju00]

Have you enjoyed the anthropology?

loving every second of it.

 

and a big thanks to all that replyed.

i'm done with psychology i'll just need to go and cry for a while about the waisted time and money now.

[Latios]

Do you like psychology then? If you do, why not stick to it? If you do not really like it, then why waste your attention and money on it at all?

[admiral_ju00]

Do you like psychology then? If you do, why not stick to it? If you do not really like it, then why waste your attention and money on it at all?

 

well, like i said earlier, i really wanted it. i wanted to go into clinical psychology with the neo-freudian theory but now as i progress, i just can't see myself involved in it.

another major deciding factor was the fact that Psychiatrists are better off then Psychologists, but here's the kick, a Psychiatrist is Mainly an MD who specialized in Psychology. Well, take that in mind, if the Med school will accept me, then I'll do something that's more fun and has better clientele, such as a OBYNG-Gynecology, or even a General Practician who gets to meet and work with a very broad category of clients some of whom may be fun to socialize during the visit,etc, as opposed to work in a Psychiatric hospital and deal with patience who may ramble gibberish all day long or harm the staff simply because they think they can, etc.

another one is that an MD can generaly fix the problem, where as a psychologist/psychiatrist may work with the same clients over and over, using the same methods that sort of patch some of these mental states for a while but never completely correct them, etc.

[BrainMan]

Well if that is the case, go for an MD. It is much, MUCH easier to get into a medical school than it is to get into a PhD program- especially for really competitive fields like clinical psychology.

 

But I don't quite understand. It sounds like you weren't going into it because you really wanted to do the clinical psychology work. It sounds like you just had a thing for the Freudian ideas, but no real interest in the work... I don't know.

[admiral_ju00]

Well if that is the case, go for an MD. It is much, MUCH easier to get into a medical school than it is to get into a PhD program- especially for really competitive fields like clinical psychology.

 

huh? i wish it were true. all the MD schools i've researched are just as hard to get in as much as the Ph.D schools. i will still continue my study of anthropology, and while YT is right about spreading oneself too thin, i still want a dual degree, so i will still attempt to apply to the MD school.

wanted to do the clinical psychology work.

It sounds like you just had a thing for the Freudian ideas,

surprisingly, yes and yes.

 

but no real interest in the work...

i wanted that too, but lately, everything about psychological sciences started to urk me. while i have much appreciation for the neuroscience, other fields are what i'm having problems seeing myself, especially the cognitive psychology, which i think is a waite of time and a degree, unless one simply wants to teach college courses all life long. since you're into cognitive aspects of psychology, and i must appologize for my ripping it apart, tell me what keeps you going in that field of study? what prospects of it do you see interesting and worth persuing/researching/working with, etc..?

[Glider]

Sorry if I offend anyone, but whenever I hear the word psychology I tend to think 'mail order degree'. Growing a beard and learning to reverse questions is no way to eack (that would be 'eke')[/i'] out a living.

 

Blike's right. I do have a different opinion. However, I'm not offended, because I understand where the stereotype comes from. Most people don't really have any idea of what a psychologist is, or does. Consequently, when people say 'Psychologist' they are in fact referring to the only image they have, which is usually of counsellors. One small branch of psychology from the pink and fluffy end of the continuum that even I can't take too seriously (though I should, really).

 

Unfortunately, the stereotype image of psychologists (women of a certain age called 'Aurora' wearing gypsy skirts, or some hippy in brown cords "Just call me Nigel") blocks out the reality. The overwhelming majority of psychologists are scientists who specialise in research or clinical practice. The hippy view denies all the psychoneuroimmunologists, psychophysiologists, neuropsychologists, clinical psychologists, biological, developmental, health, forensic and experimental social psychologists (to name a few) that are the real core of the discipline. But then, this is the nature of stereotypes and why they are a significant factor in all kinds of prejudice. As with most forms of prejudice, the best way to overcome it is to learn something about the object of the prejudice. This will help eliminate the associated stereotypes.

 

As for the degree being mail order, it is true that the basic BSc in psychology is not a vocational degree (Note: BSc = Bachelor of Science, not to be confused with BA; Bachelor of Arts). This does not make it easier to achieve. In any event, to become a psychologist, a BSc provides only the basic introduction to psychology and in itself is not enough. In order to be a psychologist, you must speciallize and take a post graduate degree (MSc or more often PhD). All clinical and most research psychologists are PhDs. This is not a requirement for counsellors. They have their own qualification(s).

[admiral_ju00]

u're absolutely right, Glider about the fact that most people don't know about various branches of psychology or what they really do other then to guess or should i say make calculated risks and educated guesses. and other then the personal diferences, all psychologists are exactly alike. can you blame them? i'd say no, but i'd lay all or most of the blame on the pop. media and the image it spins on it.

[atinymonkey]

Blike's right. I do have a different opinion. ..........................................................................................

 

 

I know, it's not accurate, it's just what springs into my head. Clinical psychology never even seems to be a dot on the radar, it's just *whooph* and I've got that image. Obviously, your right and I really should correct my perceptions.

 

Sorry for the offence. I guessed someone would reply to my gibberings.

[admiral_ju00]

clinical psychology is not all about 'weekly therapy sessions', it involves quite a bit of research (R&D), sharing their findings with other psychologists, etc

and the whole 'spontaneous thing' is not really spontaneouls. you got to take into account that each individual is unique and naturally so is their psyche, issues, etc.

 

i'm defending psychology, because it is important, but i just can't see myself doing it anymore.

[Glider]

can you blame them? i'd say no, but i'd lay all or most of the blame on the pop. media and the image it spins on it.

 

No, I don't really blame people for the stereotype. You're right though, the pop media do have a lot to answer for.

 

I know, it's not accurate, it's just what springs into my head. Clinical psychology never even seems to be a dot on the radar, it's just *whooph* and I've got that image. Obviously, your right and I really should correct my perceptions.

 

That's the nature of stereotypes, unfortunately. It's not only psychologists either. Look at the crap nurses have to take (usually as the objects of misguided sexual fantasy).

 

Sorry for the offence. I guessed someone would reply to my gibberings.

 

None taken (honestly). As I said, I understand where it comes from. It does frustrate me sometimes, but as I don't in any way resemble the stereotypical 'psychologist' I'm not personally offended by it.