A Career: The Career Of A Pediatric Psychology

1731 Words4 Pages

College is specifically designated to fully prepare students for their future career of choice through taking various courses and gaining the necessary knowledge to successfully pursue their wanted occupation. The experience college brings upon students is almost magical. It is college that builds the passion for a student’s chosen career, such as pediatric psychology. Any student wishing to chase her career in pediatric psychology will find that East Carolina University is a great school to first pursue an undergraduate degree in psychology with a concentration in child relations and then go on to earn a master’s and Ph.D or Psy.D. This paper’s purpose is to completely explore the career of a pediatric psychologist, as well as the journey to become one.
The role of a pediatric psychologist is to overall treat children with behavior disorders and have the basic concerns of prevention; therefore, a passion for helping children is vital. When asked how important it was to have a passion for helping children, Arthur Robin, the Director of Psychology Training at the Children’s Hospital of Michigan, quickly responded, “Passion is fundamental. It is the key difference between being a clarinetist and playing the clarinet” (Robin). Along with passion and enthusiasm for their work, it is crucial for psychologists to be able to develop clear, swaying messages and listen and respond to the grievances of children. With an increase in child crime, child abuse and mental illnesses among children due to unhealthy negative environment, the job of a child psychologist has gained significant importance in recent years.
It is important for a student to structure her coursework and experiences to prepare to be competitive for acceptance into a gra...

... middle of paper ...

...ics, the median annual salary for clinical, counseling and school psychologists was $72,220 in May of 2012. North Carolina ranked number 3 in the country for nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation. The average annual wage for the state of North Carolina psychologists was roughly $67,400 as of May 2012 (BLS).
As cliché as it may be, it is true that the journey to become a pediatric psychologist may seem long and tedious. A student must have incredible passion for this career in order to enjoy their career, as opposed to tolerating a job. The goal in this career is to help each patient work toward developing and adjusting social, educational, personal, and vocational skills. The need for pediatric psychologists helping the child population will never end. There will always be a child not yet quite adjusting at the level they should be.

Open Document