Rehabilitation Psychologist Job Description - Salary, Education and Career Guide for Becoming a Rehabilitation Psychologist

What is a rehabilitation psychologist? Psychologists help resolve problems with human behavior and the mind. Rehabilitation psychology is a specialty field within the field of psychology, helping people who are dealing with:
  • cognitive issues
  • chronic health conditions
  • developmental disabilities
  • emotional problems
  • psychosocial problems.
Whether people are born with their disabilities or acquire them later in life, rehabilitation psychologists help them address their issues to lead functional, fulfilling and meaningful lives.

Job Description

Rehabilitation psychology is a broad field. In addition to working with the psychosocial, cognitive, personal, physical and behavioral difficulties affecting their patients, rehabilitation psychologists must also address factors such as ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, culture, language, age and location. In addition, they work with patients on issues such as mobility, independence, emotions and sensory problems.
 
Once an assessment is made, rehabilitation psychologists plan interventions to address the issue raised. These might include:
  • helping patients and their networks adapt to new circumstances
  • using services available for assistance
  • using technology that will allow patients to have greater independence, and removing any barriers to this independence.
Rehabilitation psychologists also develop and administer rehabilitation programs, conduct public-education programs, teach psychology students, and advocate and develop programs to help those with chronic injuries or disabilities.
 
Rehabilitation psychologists work in a variety of settings. These may include:
  • acute-care hospitals
  • agencies working with specific disabilities, such as cerebral palsy or multiple sclerosis
  • assisted-living facilities
  • long-term care facilities
  • healthcare facilities
  • hospitals
  • rehabilitation centers for various health conditions
  • sports-injury centers.
Some rehabilitation psychologists also work with major organizations targeting a special group (such as veterans) or for government facilities. They may also work as faculty conducting teaching and research in the field.

Salary Guide

A typical rehabilitation psychologist salary can range from about $45,000 to more than $100,000. Salary depends on the type of practice and the practitioner's experience of the field.

Education and Training

Rehabilitation psychologists are usually required to earn a doctoral degree, which involves between five and seven years of graduate study and the production of an original piece of research. For a clinical psychology practice, this also includes an internship period of at least a year.
 
Many existing psychology programs offer rehabilitation psychology only as a minor. Rehabilitation psychologists must also complete an intensive training period after completing their doctoral studies.
 
In addition to these qualifications, those providing clinical services need to obtain appropriate state licensing.

Prior Work Experience

Those pursuing rehabilitation psychology jobs may want to consider optional internships in clinical settings catering to mental-health issues. Some also choose to work as research assistants within psychology departments to broaden their knowledge. Careful choice of required internships will help qualified applicants gain entry to this field.

Career Advancement

The employment outlook for rehabilitation psychologists is excellent. Employment in the psychology profession as a whole is expected to grow 15 percent through 2016, a faster rate than other professions.
 
Rehabilitation psychology is one of the fastest-growing areas of psychology. Reasons for this growth include higher survival rates from accidents, which create a need for this type of care. In addition, the general population is aging and dealing with more health conditions.
 
For those with the right qualifications, there is never been a better time to be a rehabilitation psychologist.

Related Associations and Groups

For more information about becoming a rehabilitation psychologist, you may want to contact:
  • American Board of Professional Psychology
  • American Psychological Association
  • Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards.

 

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