“It takes determination to see a dream come to pass. The question is not will you start, but will you finish.” -Joel Osteen
Clinical Psychology has always attracted many young minds to pursue it as a career. It is a popular branch of Psychology that deals with the assessment, diagnosis, evaluation, and intervention of Psychological Disorders.
Clinical Psychology revolves around the understanding and treatment of maladjustment issues of people to help them live a quality life. In simple terms, it is the application of psychological research and techniques in actual, “clinical settings.”
Clinical Psychologists work in a variety of settings including hospitals, private practices, clinics, rehabilitation centers, academic institutions, etc. Clinical Psychology leans heavily towards psychopathology and offering mental health services to people from all walks of life. It is important to note that there’s a lack of labor and an immense need for clinical psychologists in India. And it is not a piece of cake to perform this job with ease! To be able to deliver psychological services proficiently, one should be highly skilled, qualified, and trained in the field.
The most crucial facet of the journey of becoming a clinical psychologist is to get a license from the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI). This requires one to pursue a course in clinical psychology which is recognized by RCI. This basic requirement is to complete post-graduation in Psychology and further pursue an M.Phil. in Clinical Psychology or PsyD. in Clinical Psychology. The prospects of both these courses are discussed in detail further in this article.
About Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI)
The Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) is a statutory government agency that operates under the Rehabilitation Council of India Act, which was adopted by the parliament in 1993 and amended in 2000. This body is responsible for providing services to differently-abled, disadvantaged and special education requirement communities. It is India’s only council with the authority to maintain a central rehabilitation register with vital information on all trained professionals working and operating in the relevant disciplines.
RCI is concerned with the regulation of training programs and policies, as well as the standardization and sustenance of training courses for professionals working in the field of rehabilitation. In addition, RCI also establishes minimum qualification requirements for professionals working with the differently-abled, recognizing numerous universities and medical institutions that offer, bachelor’s, Master’s degrees, Diploma courses, Certifications, etc. for it.
RCI is of utmost significance as it is necessary to gain RCI accreditation to serve as a professional in the field of Clinical Psychology. Professionals who are eligible to seek accreditation are clinical psychologists, special educators, rehabilitation psychologists, rehabilitation therapists, etc.
MPhil. In Clinical Psychology
The Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) in Clinical Psychology is a two-year advanced postgraduate program. It is designed as a rigorous program that includes thorough theoretical knowledge and hands-on clinical experience to equip students with the necessary skills for practice. During the course, the major emphasis is given to the in-depth detailed study of the discipline of Psychology and offering practical exposure to the trainees.
Various RCI-recognized institutes in India offer the course of M.Phil. in Clinical Psychology. Some institutes also provide the trainees with a basic stipend. To apply to these colleges/institutions, the students are required to appear in the respective entrance examination followed by an interview round (this round depends on the institution to institution, some of them have it as a mandatory procedure, whereas some rely only on the marks scored in the Entrance test). The eligibility criteria to enroll for this course is to hold an MA or an MSc. in Psychology with a minimum of 55% (50% for reserved categories, which also differs from institution to institution) from a UGC-accredited university.
The program offers a diverse range of opportunities to degree holders in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, multinational organizations, research, the education sector, and various other domains. One can also begin their private practice as a clinical psychologist after getting a license from the RCI.
About PsyD.
PsyD is the highest-level degree in psychology for clinical practice. In PsyD., the emphasis is given to the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of the clients. Research is not the major area of interest here. PsyD is more concerned with preparing skilled and qualified mental health professionals and clinicians.
PsyD or Doctorate of Psychology is a full-time, 4-year doctorate level program. It is a practice-oriented course. The first two years include training to promote personal and professional growth and the development of the trainee to function independently in evaluating problems and developing a treatment plan for patients. The third year includes completion of advanced proficiency in two sub-specialization areas chosen by the trainee from the list given by RCI which consists of behavioral therapy, psychoanalytic therapies, school psychology, psycho-oncology, etc. In the fourth year, one has to complete a rotation internship under a professional clinical psychologist who may or may not be a faculty member. In addition, an empirical research thesis has to be submitted by the trainee based on one of the chosen sub-specializations for advanced proficiency.
If one has completed an M.Phil. in Clinical Psychology, one can get admitted to this program through lateral entry (admission directly in the third year). Whereas, the students who hold a master’s degree in Psychology can enroll in the program through direct entry (all four years included). Only a few RCI-recognized institutes offer PsyD in India, admission to which is based upon an entrance examination that is held separately for direct and lateral entry candidates.
This program inculcates in the individual the required therapeutic skills, effective methods of identifying and dealing with clinical problems, and a sense of sensitivity towards the patient’s problems.
Institutes that offer RCI accredited PsyD in India are:
- Sweekar Academy of Rehabilitation Sciences, Secundrabad, Telangana
- Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh
Difference between M.Phil. in Clinical Psychology and PsyD
The clashing factor between M.Phil. and PsyD is that one can start their clinical practice after completing M.Phil. in Clinical Psychology; however, it does not provide training in sub-specializations. Thus, to be a specialist in a specific field of Clinical Psychology, PsyD is required. It prepares one for a better understanding of diagnosis and clinical interventions for various psychological disorders.
Another distinguishing aspect is that the duration of the M.Phil. program is two years. In contrast, the duration of PsyD is four years. PsyD is the highest-level degree in Psychology, while M. Phil. is the advanced level intermediate course between master’s and Ph.D./PsyD.
PsyD or Ph.D.?
Ph.D. in Psychology is a more rigorous and longer period program than PsyD. In Ph.D., the emphasis is given to conducting scientific research that adds to the literature of the discipline. It contributes to developing new theories and revising the existing ones. In contrast, PsyD is centered more around the practice of Psychology. It focuses on the diagnosis and interventions of Psychological Disorders. Although PsyD does not emphasize research, professionals are considered the consumers of that research knowledge.
Ph.D. is the perfect option for the ones who are passionate about conducting scientific research. If one is more interested in providing psychological services than undertaking disciplinary research in psychology, PsyD is the option to go.
Institutes offering MPhil in Clinical Psychology, with RCI affiliated course:
- Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS), Delhi
- Central Institute of Psychiatry (CIP), Ranchi, Jharkhand
- Government Medical College & Hospital (GMCH), Chandigarh, Punjab
- Post Graduate Institute of Behavioural and Medical Sciences (PGIBAMS), Raipur, Chhatisgarh
- Amity University, in 7 campuses: Noida, Lucknow, Jaipur, Gurugram, Gwalior, Mumbai, and Kolkata
- Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital (RML), Delhi
- Institute of Mental Health & Hospital (IMHH), Agra, Uttar Pradesh
- Sri Guru Gobind Singh Tricentenary University (SGT University), Gurugram, Haryana
- Lokopriya Gopinath Bordoloi Regional Institute of Mental Health (LGBRIMH), Tezpur, Assam
- Department of Clinical Psychology, School of Allied Sciences, Manipal University, Karnataka
- Dharwad Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences (DIMHANS), Karnataka
- Amrita School of Medicine, Ernakulum, Kerala
- Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (IMHANS), Kozhikode, Kerala
- Gwalior Mansik Arogyashala, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh
- Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Imphal
- SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Tamil Nadu
- The Institute of Chartered Financial Analyst of India (ICFAI) University, Tripura
- King George’s Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
- University of Calcutta, Kolkata
- Gautam Buddha University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh
- JSS Medical College, Mysore, Karnataka
- Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana, Punjabi
- National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU), Gandhinagar, Gujarat
- Ranchi Institute of Neuropsychiatry and Allied Sciences (RINPAS), Ranchi
The official website of RCI gets updated every year and many new institutes are also given affiliations.
Blog By : Jasleen Kaur
