My Path to Becoming a Psychologist in Australia: A Personal Journey
Introduction
Becoming a Psychologist in Australia is a big adventure. You can “choose your own adventure” (to a degree). For instance, I could have completed four years of study and two years of internship experience. This path (called the 4+2) is now phased out in Australia. I wanted to continue my university studies, so I ruled this option out. Or I could have finished the fourth year, then undertaken a Master’s degree covering two full-time years of study. Yet you would need to undergo 1000 hours of placements across three or four different learning environments. This was not an option for me, with a family and mortgage to support.
I took the middle road between further university and internship. I followed a path called the 5+1 model, which means five years of study and one year of working with real people. This journey took 13 years and 283 days to complete. I want to share my story, the hard parts, and the good things I learned.
The 5+1 Model: Learning and Growing
Here’s what my journey was about. Years one to three covered normal human psychological functioning (for the most part). I enjoyed examining neuroscience and behavioural psychology. Did I read and absorb ideas outside of the prescribed texts? You bet. Books…
