Becoming a clinical psychologist in the United Kingdom.

Abstract

The process by which one becomes a qualified clinical psychologist in the United Kingdom (U.K.) is described so that American (United States) clinical psychologists visiting the U.K. may better understand the context in which their British counterparts work. The process begins with the admissions criteria of training programs and ends with one's acceptance as a fully qualified, independent clinical psychologist. Educational and health care issues are described as factors relevant in shaping the structure of clinical psychology programs. Advantages and disadvantages of the British system are discussed in the light of continuing political changes, and some suggestions for improvements are made. KARI S. CARSTAIRS is a clinical psychology graduate student at Hahnemann University in Philadelphia. A United States citizen by birth, she received most of her early education in England, and she obtained her undergraduate degree in experimental psychology in 1982 from the University of Oxford. She has worked in a variety of clinical settings in both countries, with a particular interest in psychodynamic psychotherapy.