Clinical Psychologists as T-Shaped Professionals

Abstract

The modern world is becoming increasingly integrated, and disciplines are frequently collaborating with each other. Following this trend, clinical psychologists are also often working within multidisciplinary teams and in settings outside of traditional mental health. To be competent and effective in these contexts, clinical psychologists could benefit from skills outside of psychology. The current psychology training model provides depth of training in psychology but could be improved by providing the breadth of training required of modern clinical psychologists working in these contexts. Other disciplines, such as engineering, business, and social work, have improved their breadth of training through the adoption of the T-shaped model. This model of training allows individuals to simultaneously acquire the depth of knowledge required for their discipline and the breadth required to work effectively in multidisciplinary contexts. This article discusses areas in which clinical psychologists could benefit from broad training and recommendations to implement the T-shaped model.

Utilizing a university and state collaboration to advance student training and support public mental health care.

“…RET was designed to leverage the university training and resources as an avenue for research, evaluation, and increasing intellectual capital within the system of care while also providing quality training with diverse applied research opportunities for future PhD-level mental health care leaders. As can be seen in Figure 1 (a visual representation of the resources that the university can use to meet the range of systems' needs), this educational approach is in line with recent calls to action regarding educational institutions' need to complement the depth of traditional training models with increased breadth of opportunities to foster well-rounded psychologists (Vriesman et al, 2023). The RET vision was to (a) support CAMHD's Research and Evaluation Office efforts to improve services via data collection and analysis and (b) increase the university's penetration and collaboration with the state for the anticipated mutual benefit of students, the university, and CAMHD.…”

“…Further, a common thread among best practice recommendations was the need for balancing the application and the research components of the professional psychology field (Beck et al, 2022;Gelso et al, 2013;McFall, 2006). These recommendations point to a need for more and more diverse applied research practicum opportunities as a complement to the wider breadth of clinical experiences inherent in most psychology programs (Vriesman et al, 2023).…”

Construction and validation of a competency model for hospital operation assistant of public hospitals in China: a cross‑sectional study

“…These items that we have constructed for HOA competency model are consistent with the T-shaped model which requires managers to have a broad range of knowledge, cross-border comprehensive abilities and qualities (“—” type talents), and profound professional knowledge (“|” type talents) [ 31 , 32 ]. Likewise, horizontally, HOAs need to possess a broad range of knowledge (such as statistical knowledge, management theoretical knowledge, financial and economic knowledge, medical knowledge, social science knowledge and so on), comprehensive abilities and qualities (such as language and writing ability, structured thinking, interpersonal communication and so on).…”

Training, skills, and leadership experience: The need to expand clinical psychology training as illustrated by psychology leadership stories.

“…Currently, as clinical psychologists are promoted within an organization, a boot-strapping approach must be taken, requiring each psychologist filling a new-to-them leadership role to discover the same gaps in training, understanding, and/or skills as they simultaneously traverse the learning curve required of any new position. Additionally, as noted by Vriesman et al (2023), there is value to broadening the current "I-shaped" or depth-based model of training to a "T-shaped" or depth-plus breadth-based model that includes training in what has been considered other domains, including leadership, business, and public health.…”