1. Buy and sell: The knowledge game.
Going to U.K for masters is not a part of sophistication any longer. With India's development and progress in the 21st century, it's a matter of pride that every Indian from financially stable family can afford foreign education if he saves wise and earns smart. I am definitely speaking under the influence of David Cameron's recent visit to India & catching up with students.
However, the point is not this. The point it doing an MSc in Abnormal and Clinical psychology.
As a 16-17 year old passionate kid, I was always keen on studying clinical psychology (Paper 4 as Gujarat University put it) because the processes in the disorders, symptoms, diagnosis looked very appealing. I went to University of Wales, Swansea with the same passion.
ALAS! Only if passion could solve all the problems. Unfortunately, it doesn't.
In clinical psychology, what matters the most is not having diagnostic criteria at the tips of your fingers. I do not remember how many criteria need to be fulfilled in order to be diagnosable for GAD or MDD.
Secondly, it is always necessary to remember that the nature of the disorder has to be explored in depth through research. And rule of thumb, there is nothing right or wrong in research, because no research is perfect. Every research has it's limitations. So, you must learn 'NOT TO BUY INTO' any research, but just read it to be aware. The moment you start relying and buying on already existing researches, you lose focus and critical analysis.
Researchers just try to be objective in their viewpoints, which many, at least in India mistake for lack of knowledge, being diplomatic or sitting on the fence. It is my belief that as students, aiming to launch careers, it is very important to develop critical reasoning as a part of your personality and not just limiting it to academics.
2. Statistics, Mathematics, is that Lucifer, the devil?
Statistics and mathematics is the nemesis for so many students. I won't exclude myself from the category.
As a teenager, I landed up in this completely different world with high class statistical terms like Multiple regression analysis, running an SPSS, Kendall tests, Mann Whitney U-Tests and much more. I cried on the first day, I won't lie about it. However, what I learnt was that conceptual knowledge is more important than results. Indian system needs to learn that.
You are allowed to use calculators, and if you get a wrong answer through calculator, you lose only half a mark. But if your answer is right and you got the wrong procedure, you will be marked down.
You learn a very important lesson.
''Journey is important, not the destination''.
If we all tried to work like this, we'd be literate, quick and educated rather than being literate, quick and uneducated (just informed).
Mathematics and statistics is logic after all........as simple as that. In India, I believed and was really bad at basic school mathematics, but now I don't. The meta concept is that mathematics should be delivered in the right manner. India is the country in which ''0'' was invented, a country that did great stuff in geometry and trigonometry and sadly enough today we are complicating mathematics so much instead of understanding the basics. Is this how you prove that you're into the competition?
(PS: I don't even remember the procedures now, but if I re-acquaint myself, these procedures should come easy).
3. Research and practice are different but same.
''Go and start your practice now'' is the typical advice.
The student becomes happy. I don't have to study any longer......I am the all knowledgeable person in this area because now, I can practice.
Dear Pappas and mummys, your child has started practising, it doesn't mean he/she is an expert. Most of us don't even look back to books once.
This is my view after I finished my Post masters dip degree in CBT Therapy from University of Wales, Newport. I am not a CBT expert. I finished 100 hours of clinical training under supervision and even after all this, there's still improvement.
I almost swore at what I learnt back home about 'Open ended and close ended questions' and 'Settings of a clinical counselling// therapy room''. What the fuck!!! It does not matter.....I never wore any formal clothes to the clinical centre, and still managed to complete a degree accredited by BACP (British Association of Clinical Psychotherapy).
Practice in Clinical psychology is about remaining open to the diagnosis. Giving a label is not enough. A patient comes to me, I talk over and diagnose him with OCD, or GAD. The process through which the vicious cycle of formation is made and how the clinical collaboration works to make this change is the core of practice.
Practice brings you back to research.......How many clients did you see? How did it work with each one of them? Are there any repetitive patterns you marked in them? A tiring frame of reference to build indeed!
4. At the end, it is application and thinking that matter.
One evening I was feeling quite stressed out and said this to my colleague who's into Marine Science.
He instinctively turned towards me and spoke ''Use psychology here.....''
I did not speak any further. I was shocked as to how loosely terms are perceived.
I may have my own views are are not compatible with a healthy thinking style, but until and unless I don't let them interfere my professional and academic life, how does it matter whether I am obsessive or depressive?
It may matter to some, though.
If you have a critical thinking you should be able to hear crap from others and not arguing back in a loud voice. That is my simple perception, non academic and non clinical.
5. A dream
Based on all the aforementioned crap and some useful stuff I might have written above, I dream of a new education system, at least in my field of clinical science and clinical psychology/ neuropsychology: A system that is not governed by the state, a system that is based on unbiased approaches and a system that makes citizens and responsible professionals out of students.
I do not day dream or fantasize about this, but having this at the back of my mind keeps me grounded and motivated. All I know is that passion and dreams can give you a direction but a proper pathway ensures that you are on the right track.
My dream is to make knowledge primary and information secondary.
My dream is to help promote conceptual thinking and avoid biased thinking.
I want it to be a win-win situation for all.
If I could have your feedback on this, I'd be more than pleased.
Please do not think this blog is written by an expert. It is written by a common student.......a student for lifetime.
The next blog shall be about Neuroscience and CBT.
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