Clinical psychologist: Training

The majority of those accepted onto the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology course are employed as trainee clinical psychologists through The National Health Service (NHS) . For more information on job roles see NHS Careers . Information on careers for clinical psychologists in other areas of the UK can be found at:

• NHS Scotland Recruitment  
• NHS Wales  
• Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland  

Training in your first post will be mainly on the job and will include a range of short courses.

Further study is encouraged and once you have qualified there are opportunities to move into different specialisms, such as clinical neuropsychology on completion of the Division of Neuropsychology's Practitioner Full Membership Qualification, or forensic psychology on completion of the Diploma in Forensic Psychology. Health psychologists study behaviour relevant to illness, disability and healthcare. A small number of health psychologist posts currently exist in the NHS and it is a rapidly developing field.

Upon qualification, and as soon as their services are offered to the public, chartered clinical psychologists are obliged by the British Psychological Society (BPS)  to take part in continuing professional development (CPD) in order to maintain occupational competence in their specialist area.

In addition to general CPD, clinical psychologists may also be required by the relevant division of their society to undertake further training each year in their specialist area.