Some notes regarding PsyD projects / research

PsyD students have several options for completing a PsyD project, including writing a review paper, collecting and analyzing empirical data, and performing a meta-analysis. Other more “unconventional” projects (e.g., setting up a relational database of our lab’s data, building a new piece of test equipment, etc.) are also possible. See the attached Word .doc on this page for the official Department guidelines as of 2021. Iff you have an idea, let’s discuss it.

Here are a couple of excepts from Hartman Lab alum John Bellone’s 2021 book Becoming a Neuropsychologist: Advice and Guidance for Students and Trainees regarding PsyD students aspiring to become neuropsychologists:

…if you do take the PsyD route, it is still absolutely possible to become a neuropsychologist, and many outstanding clinicians and researchers have PsyDs. In the studies we referenced in the last paragraph (Driskell et al. 2020; Ritchie et al. 2012), although most postdoctoral training directors said that they prefer PhD over PsyD applicants, nearly all indicated that a PsyD is acceptable. Also, rates of PsyD degrees among neuropsychologists have increased over the years (Rabin et al. 2016; Sweet et al. 2020), and we hope that the perceived disadvantage will decrease over time (and, as a result, our recommendation could change). Importantly, there are ways to minimize the potential discrepancy in outcomes between the two degrees. Because PsyD programs are considerably heterogeneous (i.e., the quality of training varies substantially; Norcross et al. 2004), the process of vetting graduate programs is very important. We also recommend that you engage in a significant amount of research during graduate school, obtaining publications, and delivering as many presentations as possible. This likely means that you will go above and beyond your program’s requirements. You may even consider taking an additional year to complete your doctorate, allowing you to gain as much research and clinical experience as your PhD counterparts whose programs are typically a year longer than PsyD programs…

…students who are pursuing a PsyD may not be required to complete a thesis and dissertation, or at least not the same format as the research project described above. The capstone PsyD project is sometimes referred to as a “doctoral project,” and it is often an extensive literature review on a relevant topic. Now, even if research is not emphasized to the degree that it is in PhD programs, we still recommend that you build up research experience during your graduate study (including publications and oral presentations); this will make you both a more competitive applicant down the line and a better practitioner-scholar.

John re-iterates that, “The take-home message is that the outcomes with regard to becoming a neuropsychologist are on average better for PhDs (at least based on surveys of internship/postdoc training directors) BUT that a PsyD can absolutely still competitively pursue the specialty if they beef up their research involvement.”