The
Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) degree is an American professional doctorate earned through one of two established training models for
Clinical Psychology. In the United States, the other doctorate-level degree in
Clinical Psychology is the
Ph.D.. An individual who earns a Psy.D. or Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from an accredited program is eligible to become licensed to diagnose and treat mental disorders listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV, TR (DSM-IV, TR). In most states this excludes pharmaceutical intervention. An Ed.D. (Doctor of Education) is sometimes recognized as a clinical degree, often with a limited scope that focuses on counseling or developmental psychology.
The practitioner-scholar model and the associated Psy.D. degree were recognized by the Vail Conference on models of training in clinical psychology.[1] Practitioners and academics at this conference argued that the field of psychology had grown to a degree that warranted training persons explicitly in clinical psychology. While both the Ph.D. and Psy.D. models of training include basic science and a practical skills component, there are clear differences in relative emphases on the role of research versus clinical activity, with Ph.D. programs emphasizing research and Psy.D. programs putting greater emphasis on clinical applications and interventions. Graduates of both training models are eligible for licensure in all states (licensing exams and renewal requirements are the same for both degrees).
The Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) is an American degree (abbreviated as a "D.Psych." degree in certain countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia) that puts primary emphasis on training for practice as a clinical, counseling, or school psychologist. The Psy.D. degree is an applied clinical doctorate on the same level as (in alphabetical order) D.C. (Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine). D.D.S. (Doctor of Dental Surgery), D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine), D.P.M. (Doctor of Podiatric Medicine), D.V.M. (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine), Au.D. (Doctor of Audiology), M.D. (Doctor of Medicine), O.D. (Doctor of Optometry) and other applied or specialty doctoral degrees. Unlike many other professional doctoral degrees, completion of the Psy.D. requires submission of a (usually quantitative) doctoral dissertation. The Psy.D. dissertation is similar to the dissertation required in a psychology Ph.D. program, however the Psy.D. dissertation almost always focuses on clinical/applied topics, wheareas the Ph.D. dissertation tends to put a heavier focus on theoretical research.
Psy.D. coursework and practica are designed to produce a professional who is a practitioner first, and a scientist second. A solid understanding of scientific method and behavioral science is required of both Psy.D.'s and Ph.D.'s alike; however Psy.D. programs focus particularly on applying this knowledge to direct clinical intervention in the diagnosis and treatment of various mental illnesses, brain injuries, and other clinical impairments in which psychological approaches can be of use.
