Quite a number of people are studying to becoming an Orange County psychologist. This profession entails studying, diagnosing, assessing, as well as treating mental and behavioral problems. A person researching how to become a psychologist may choose to become either a clinical or a counseling psychologist. The career is quite demanding hence the need to have passion, dedication and the right qualification. To become a psychologist, the following aspects are necessary:
Early Schooling
The field of Psychology is quite diverse. It requires a lot of effort in many subjects. A student needs to attain good grades especially in Mathematics, biology, physics and Chemistry in High School. Sciences help in understanding logic while math assist in analysis and statistics. Good knowledge in sociology, religion, and history is also important. Generally, a high school student needs to a score a 4.0 GPA to get admittance to the University. Scoring lower may require the student to start in a community college then later joining a university.
Higher Learning
An interested person needs to first complete an undergraduate degree in psychology. Afterwards, a person may pursue either the more common Doctor of Philosophy (Ph. D) or the newer Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.). A Ph.D places more emphasis on clinical training and research hence more suitable for a clinical psychologist. Psy. D focuses more on research training and less on clinical practice. On average, the two degrees take between 5 and 7 years to complete.
Registration
In order to be called a psychologist, a qualified person has to be registered with the American Psychological Association (APA).There are 56 divisions of psychology under APA. Additionally, an individual should have attained a doctoral degree in education or psychology.
Average Salary
Statistics from the Labor Department indicate that there is an annual increase in demand for psychologists averaging at about 22%. Furthermore, top rated professionals make about $ 111,000 dollars annually while a person at the entry level may earn $ 35,000. On average, an Orange County psychologist earns about $ 70,000.
