Three decades of professional psychology: Reflections and future challenges.

Abstract

This paper addresses observations, from both a public and personal viewpoint, on those factors and events that have affected professional psychology in Canada. The personal viewpoint has been gained from over 30 years of professional practice as a scientist practitioner. During this same time, I was a psychology department head in an adult general then a pediatric hospital. Concomitant with this experience I held academic and clinical appointments first in a department of Psychiatry at McMaster University then in the School of Psychology at the University of Ottawa with a cross appointment in the Department of Pediatrics. The public viewpoint has been gained from experience with provincial and federal granting agencies, from governance issues with service on the Board of Directors of CPA and with issues of accreditation, licensure and credentialing. There are lessons to be drawn from the experience. Within the same personal and public perspective, a number of issues as diverse as the unification of psychology as a discipline and a profession, academic entry level requirements, psychology's place in the health care system and mobility are identified and discussed. As we approach the 21 s ' century, opportunities for major advancement of the profession and the public interest are explored.

Licensure anachronisms: Is it time for a change?

“…It is a problem not limited simply to psychology but one that is experienced by members of many professions both in and out of health care. Although our Canadian colleagues have made considerable headway in their efforts to increase interprovince portability (Gauthier, 2002;Goodman, 2000), we appear to be stymied.…”

Professional doctoral training in psychology: International comparison and commentary

“…The managed health-care industry in the United States, for example, has applied policies to favour use of the least expensive option in terms of mental health services, which has often cut the doctoral-level psychologist out of the system in favour of bachelor-or masters-level practitioners. Masters-level practitioners have also been working at the political level to influence politicians to place their qualifications at the same level as those of holders of doctorate degrees (Goodman, 2000;Lowe Hays-Thomas, 2000). Where successful, as in the Canadian province of Ontario, masters-level practitioners can receive notably improved professional status and increased recognition.…”

“…Health-care professions are generally regarded as services and when the jurisdictions involved have different training standards, how different training levels can be accommodated is difficult. One approach is that based upon agreements to recognise credentials across state or provincial boundaries either through negotiated agreements or independent bodies, as in North America (Goodman, 2000;Jonason, DeMers, Vaughn, & Reaves, 2003), or through mutual recognition legislation, as is the case in Australia and Canada (Hall & Boucher, 2003). Another is based upon the use of competencies, as was recently agreed by the provincial regulatory bodies in Canada (Breault, 2001).…”

Hospital psychology in Canada: An update.

“…First, as psychology continues to move away from the traditional focus on mental health and toward nontraditional specialties in general health care settings, it may become increasingly difficult for the discipline to maintain its identity (Goodman, 2000). The expanding role of psychology in health care has resulted in a challenge for psychologists, health care professionals, administrators, and the general public, to identify and understand the services that psychologists are providing in hospital settings.…”