10 Tips for applying to be a Clinical Psychologist (DClinPsy Advice)

Visit brilliant.org/FrancisMadden/ to get started learning STEM for free! The first 200 people will get 20% off their annual premium subscription.
I got onto the DClinPsy first time. Here's every piece of advice I followed to get there.
In preparation for my clinical psychology doctorate application last year (2021 for 2022 intake) I scoured every book, online webinar, KZbin channel, mailing list and even networked (ew ik) with current trainees, to try and unearth the secrets to success. With less than 1 year's relevant experience, I managed to bag two interviews and one offer, which I still can't really believe tbh.
But on reflection, there were pieces of advice I followed that tipped the odds in my favour:
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:45 1. Be tactical
03:37 2. Tackling the personal statement
08:31 3. Use social media to your advantage
10:26 4. Get feedback, but not too much
11:28 5. No publications? No problem
12:39 6. Gains from training
13:45 7. Have a life
15:00 8. Self-disclosure
15:57 9. References pls
16:54 10. The odds are in your favour
Talking to an actual Clinical Psychologist: • The Truth about being ...
My journey to the DClinPsy: • My Route to Clinical P...
Books:
Surviving Clinical Psychology (James Randall) - amzn.to/3Akx1ye
Formulation in Psychology and Psychotherapy (Lucy Johnstone and Rudi Dallos) - amzn.to/3wtrzrr
Websites:
The Facebook group to change your life: / 2013865015557108
Webinar with incoming/current DClinPsy trainees on 2nd September 2022: / 1389251408254038
Check out previous webinars by heading to @psychologymadesimple3257
Leeds Clearing House: www.leeds.ac.uk/chpccp/
Find the latest BPS Alternative Handbook:
shop.bps.org.uk/search/google...
David Murphy Tribute Section:
Twitter thread summarising Alternative Handbook Data: / 1457354105144360960
Guides for Referees:
Academic: • Writing an academic re...
Experience: • Writing a relevent exp...
KZbin Channels:
@SharonB @TheWorryPeople
Who am I? 🙋‍♂️
I'm Francis, a Trainee Clinical Psychologist at Oxford University. I previously did psychology degrees at Cambridge (Undergrad) and UCL (Master's). I upload videos every few weeks about psychology, university life and occasionally self-improvement.
Feel free to have a browse of the channel🫶
Buy me a coffee: ko-fi.com/francismadden
For enquiries, please go to:
/ francismadden
This video was sponsored by Brilliant.
Some of the links provided are affiliate links, meaning, at zero cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through a link and make a purchase.

[@FrancisMadden]

Supplement your psychology expertise with a sprinkling of STEM for free: brilliant.org/FrancisMadden/ The first 200 people will also get 20% off their annual premium subscription:)

[@malinbronse1872]

Thank you so much for this video, I'm applying this year and your video completely helped me remove some of the pressure I feel for writing the personal statement! Great video

[@studypsych3242]

Thank you for sharing your tips, very helpful!

[@mannybee536]

Your videos are awesome, great info and really appreciate the humour

[@user-cl7pp4rf1b]

Really enjoyed this video - you’re very engaging. Thank you 🙏

[@crazyneon285]

Oh my god. Congratulations!!! I am graduating Masters this July and I really wanna apply in Oxford but I'm so scared!!

[@kstamp4547]

I love this guy! Informative, interesting and funny. How did he not make it as an actor whilst at Cambridge? Oh well, their loss, our gain. I am actually thinking about becoming a CP after watching his videos. A bit mad if you knew my circumstances, but there you go. Good luck to all of us embarking on this journey and thanks again Francis for these wonderful videos.

[@FrancisMadden]

Ah that's so kind thank you sm!

[@anvitavikram4415]

6:57 is hilarious and is such a clever way to introduce the sponsor. Thanks for this video, it's super helpful!

[@rebeccamorgan8101]

Brilliant video! Really informative....

[@tiakhanam9746]

your video is amazing and very well explained. i have seen so many other videos and they waffle too much on their personal experiences rather than signposting to helpful hints.

[@anjalikumar1257]

Great video! 💕

[@beinglayeredpodcast6807]

This is really helpful

[@bleurose1502]

This recently came up on my feed and I thought you looked familiar. Then I realised you did PBS at Cambridge as well. I distinctly recall seeing you at the library now 😂 think we may have been in the same cohort (minus covid) Hoping to apply to Oxford next year. Congrats on getting into dclinpsy and good luck on your journey xx

[@FrancisMadden]

No way hahaha, which library? And thanks sm, good luck to you too!

[@shahtayyib]

Do A-Levels commonly matter when applying for a doctorate in clinpsy? I'm on a steady path with consistent 1sts at uni (hoping the trend continues lol) but my A-Levels were pretty meh at BBC because of COVID and never sitting my papers. Fortunately had an unconditional so never bothered missing a year of education to sit them. I've heard that some shortlists however like Bath's look at A-Levels, not sure if this is common?

[@lolazee4592]

Hey Francis, thanks for this video! I am going to apply for a psychology conversion course at UCL, I’m just wondering if you worked full time/ part time alongside during the conversion? Thanks!

[@lolarose5331]

Double line breaks was the most useful 😂🎉

[@golden22h8]

Hi Francis! i am new to your channel, i was wondering if you could make a video sharing what you did in school to beckme a clinical psychologist :). Did you take a Bachelor of Arts for your unfergrad or Bachelor of science? i am a student wanting to do clinicla psychology but feeling a bit unsure on what to take and do ❤

[@saskia4949]

Not the Liverpool comment looooooool, but seriously thanks for the video 💫

[@FrancisMadden]

Risked my whole career for that😭

[@blink3047]

Where'd you get that t-shirt homie? Looks comfy, might get it myself.

[@benwhitaker9888]

Hi Francis love your vids. Kind of off topic of the video but I’m just going into Y13 and will shortly be applying to Cambridge for psychology however like you I didn’t do A level Psychology, in fact I didn’t even do an essay subject. I’m doing maths, further, physics and chemistry. I was wondering whether you had to submit any essays in your application to Cambridge psych as the college I’m currently looking at requires 2 which I will struggle to produce. Any advice around this would be much appreciated. Also do you think Cambridge will look down on my application if apply for deferred placement?

[@FrancisMadden]

Thanks Ben! I see your dilemma haha, I didn't have to submit any essays to Emmanuel College at the time which is partly why I selected it. And I don't see why they'd look down on an app for deferred entry!

[@benwhitaker9888]

Thanks. I don’t want to go for a college just because they don’t require essays but i might have to at least consider it, we’ll see.

[@natalieharrison4755]

I found this so helpful thank you! I currently am on a conversion masters in Psychology and want to apply for my Doctorate afterwards. I currently have 3 years experience as a health care advisor in a pharmacy and 2 years in the police (my current job) will these be beneficial to mention in my application or do you think I should change careers to get more experience for my portfolio? Thanks again, really helpful video :)

[@FrancisMadden]

No worries! There are lots of people who do the doctorate with a background in a completely different field, on my course there are at least 5 people who did history undergrad lol. I think it will definitely be beneficial to talk about those jobs bc I imagine you can tie in concepts from clinical psychology! But they're likely to look for additional experience directly in psychology

[@sidramunir6910]

@@FrancisMadden hello can you please clarify is dclinpsy is post graduate degree or doctorate p.hd?? And I am from Pakistan what minimum qualification I need to get admission in dclinpsy???

[@souparnikaal2656]

Hi sir, how can I enquire you?

[@fin1493]

Hi Francis, I am in my first Assistant Psychologist post for 6 months (oddly also in Oxford) but besides volunteering for about 2 years cumulatively and 3 months experience being a mental health administrator, I don't have any other experience. In your view, how much more experience do you think I should get before I start applying? I have seriously considered applying this year provided I get another post soon after this one finishes. Best wishes, Fin.

[@xmissbelieberx]

Hiya, I hope you dont mind me replying :) But I went to a talk at kings college london - and they mentioned that the average amount of experience people have there is about 3 years. They require you to have paid experience in a research related role and in a clinical role. So unfortunately you may need a bit more experience - however, there is no harm in applying, I have heard of people getting in straight after uni and the application process is good to get used to :)

[@a_b_i411]

Is it possible to do Dclin Psy online

[@biancastrete1035]

''The band 6 salary'' rofl ...Subscribed btw, good content

[@mahjabinahsan5286]

Wdzxa

[@nikkikapadia1768]

hahaha , i paid for my internships as well and guess it means nothing in their eyes lol

[@ecem8546]

move to liverpool an immediate no

[@danijaya522]

Do u have instagram account ?

[@FrancisMadden]

No just KZbin atm!