Most Health Psychologists follow one of two career categories:
1. Those who work mainly in clinical capacities with patients
2. Those who work mainly in academic or research capacities.
Some combine these areas and some do administrative work such as in governmental agencies or programs to promote health.
In United States, the number of psychologists working on health care exceeds 45,000. Laws enabling psychologists to obtain full staff status in hospitals giving them same privileges as physicians have been passed. In India, however, career prospects of health psychologists are yet to improve. The society is still blind in understanding the importance of psychology in the field of health and illness.
Besides hospitals, health psychologists have opportunities in colleges and universities, medical schools, health maintenance organizations, rehabilitation centers, pain centers and private practice and consultancy offices. Sometimes job descriptions for these setting s are broad, making eligible even professionals from non-psychology fields, such as nursing, public health and social work. However, broad job descriptions can increase the scope for psychologists also.
Training programs
Training in health psychology is offered at three educational levels. Undergraduate courses in health psychology or behavioural medicine, graduate programmes and postdoctoral programmes. Post-doctoral programmes are available particularly for people with doctoral degrees that did not focus on the relationship between health and psychology. However, in India, health psychology is not so grown up as in US and other western countries. In US, dozens of graduate programs now exist, specifically for training.
1. Those who work mainly in clinical capacities with patients
2. Those who work mainly in academic or research capacities.
Some combine these areas and some do administrative work such as in governmental agencies or programs to promote health.
In United States, the number of psychologists working on health care exceeds 45,000. Laws enabling psychologists to obtain full staff status in hospitals giving them same privileges as physicians have been passed. In India, however, career prospects of health psychologists are yet to improve. The society is still blind in understanding the importance of psychology in the field of health and illness.
Besides hospitals, health psychologists have opportunities in colleges and universities, medical schools, health maintenance organizations, rehabilitation centers, pain centers and private practice and consultancy offices. Sometimes job descriptions for these setting s are broad, making eligible even professionals from non-psychology fields, such as nursing, public health and social work. However, broad job descriptions can increase the scope for psychologists also.
Training programs
Training in health psychology is offered at three educational levels. Undergraduate courses in health psychology or behavioural medicine, graduate programmes and postdoctoral programmes. Post-doctoral programmes are available particularly for people with doctoral degrees that did not focus on the relationship between health and psychology. However, in India, health psychology is not so grown up as in US and other western countries. In US, dozens of graduate programs now exist, specifically for training.
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