1. Contact several graduate training programs and review material about their clinical psychology training programs.

2. (USA) Contact the state board of psychology and obtain and review policies for state licensing as a psychologist.

3. Discuss the pros and cons of clinical psychology as a career path.

After completing college, it takes at least six years (USA) or four years (Turkey) of full time training to become a licensed (USA) clinical psychologist. Such is the preparation required to ensure competency, if not excellence, in psychologists' contributions to patient care, diagnosis, teaching, and research. Becoming a clinical psychologist allows one to teach at the university level and elsewhere, conduct research, provide consultation to a wide variety of professionals and organizations, conduct psychotherapy, and psychological testing with one's own patients, and work in numerous professional settings. While the process is lengthy, it is important not to lose sight of the fact that each step is ripe with new experiences, rewards, exciting skill development, and the ongoing satisfaction of moving toward a personal and professional goal in a field designed ultimately to contribute to the quality of human life.

I. College

A. GPA

B. GRE

C. Research Experience

D. Clinical Experience

E. Verbal Skills

F. Interpersonal Skills

G. Reliability and Dependability

H. Productivity

I. Letters of Recommendation

J. Motivation

II. Applying to Graduate Programs in Clinical Psychology

III. Graduate School in Clinical Psychology

A. PhD vs PsyD

B. University versus Free Standing Professional School

C. Accreditation

D. Training Curriculum and Emphasis

IV. Clinical Internship

V. Postdoctoral Fellowship

VI. Specialization

VII. Certification and/or Licensure

B. Oral Examination

VIII. Employment

A. Academic Positions

B. Clinical Positions

Final Point: Is Clinical Psychology Right for Me?