Training Psychologists

It will come as no surprise to anyone that New Zealand needs more trained psychologists. Shortages have been reported across the country, increasing wait times and making it harder for people to get the help they need.

Current Training Model

In New Zealand, someone can only call themselves a psychologist if they are registered with the New Zealand Psychologists Board-Te Poari Kaimātai Hinengaro o Aotearoa.

Registration requires a master’s degree and a postgraduate diploma (six years), or doctorate (seven years). This presents two problems.

First, students who start their master’s are mainly taught theory, often by academics who are not practising psychologists.

The students are also not eligible to register as intern psychologists and experience what it’s like to practice until they’re admitted to the postgraduate diploma.

The second, and arguably more substantial, issue is that students are whittled down from large cohorts on the master’s programme to the approximately ten to 15 spots available on each university’s diploma.

This diploma takes a year and involves 1,500 hours of supervised practice or internship. Students who take up these spots have had no direct exposure to psychology practice in their master’s degree.

Essentially, on the two-year master’s, there is no practice; on the one diploma, there is minimal learning and theory.

Expensive to Fund

The post-grad diploma is also expensive to fund. Students essentially require three different forms of supervision: a “clinical” supervisor in the field, who is already stretched and is liable for the student’s practice, and two university staff.

In a cost-saving environment, with so few students and such high staff-to-student ratios, universities have questioned the need for such an expensive diploma.

Universities only teach the students for three to four week-long block courses. But academic staff are also responsible for the students reaching the standards that allow them to register as a psychologist with the New Zealand Psychology Board.

Alternative Training Options

Other countries blend practice and theory at a much earlier stage of training.

According to a study from the US, only one of the 106 providers the authors looked at waited until the last year to give students an opportunity to experience some sort of practical component.

In Australia, students complete a four-year undergraduate degree in psychology before completing a master’s degree, which includes practical training.

A Better Training Model

So why doesn’t New Zealand train psychologists over a two-year applied master’s with integrated practice components, who then work full-time under the careful watch of our accrediting body?

It would lead to faster, better-trained psychologists with the foundations of learning, research, and real-world experience. It would be cheaper for students, universities, and the government. It would also be kinder and more empowering for students who otherwise often embark on a dream to be a psychologist, only to be told after their master’s that they can’t do the diploma because there are no places.

Conclusion

New Zealand’s current training model for psychologists is outdated and inefficient. By adopting an applied master’s degree with integrated practice components, the country can produce better-trained, faster-trained, and more cost-effective psychologists. This would not only benefit the students but also the people who need their services.

FAQs

Q: Why is New Zealand’s current training model for psychologists flawed?

A: New Zealand’s current training model is flawed because it focuses too much on theory and too little on practical experience. This results in underprepared graduates who are not equipped to provide the level of service required by the public.

Q: How does New Zealand’s training model compare to other countries?

A: New Zealand’s training model is behind other countries, such as the US and Australia, which blend practice and theory at an earlier stage of training.

Q: What would be the benefits of adopting an applied master’s degree with integrated practice components?

A: Adopting an applied master’s degree with integrated practice components would lead to faster, better-trained psychologists with the foundations of learning, research, and real-world experience. It would also be cheaper for students, universities, and the government, and kinder and more empowering for students who often embark on a dream to be a psychologist, only to be told after their master’s that they can’t do the diploma because there are no places.