SUU's First Doctorate Program
Posted: February 17, 2022 | Author: Abbie Cochrane | Read Time: 3 minutes
Southern Utah University recently announced that they will offer their first-ever doctorate program; Doctorate of Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.). This degree will be the first of its kind in the state of Utah, and among the first few in the Intermountain West. It is also the only Doctorate of Clinical Psychology program to focus on clinical practices instead of research.
Dr. Steve Barney, head of the program, stated that the program’s primary focus is centered around rural and community healthcare.
“There’s a tremendous underrepresented of people with mental health training in rural areas,” said Dr. Barney. “Southern Utah is below average and in the past few years, there’s been a lot of mental health problems. People in cities have access to many therapists and smaller communities don’t have that.”
The SUU Doctorate of Clinical Psychology program was created to fulfill that need. According to recent statistics, Utah is ranked sixth in the United States for 21.2 deaths per 100,00 people as of 2021 reports. Additionally, research shows that areas with higher elevations often have higher suicide rates and Utah is third in line for the highest mean elevation in the United States, standing at roughly 6,100 feet. Despite Utah’s rural population making up ten percent of the overall population, the other ninety percent is concentrated in urban areas. More practiced psychiatrists in rural areas can significantly reduce the number of deaths due to suicide.
Dr. Barney went on to explain the learning outline for students in the program. Students will be placed in rural community care centers in order to gain practical experience and insight that will carry over into their professional treatment.
“They get their training where the need is; here,” Dr. Barney said. “We want them to learn about providing service in places that don’t have it and meeting the unique nuances of mental health needs in small communities. They learn to understand the needs of people who experience these things.”
Another goal of the program is to reduce the heavy stigma associated with mental health and getting help. In big cities, talking about mental health is often not considered as big of a deal because the access to a therapist is greater. However, in smaller towns, a lot of mental disorders are more stigmatized. SUU’s new Doctorate of Clinical Psychology will help break this stigma through outreach, community-based education programs, professional projects, and education programs in schools. Acknowledging that people are struggling and having services readily available will not only help lower the stigma, but it will provide people with the care they need.
Still, the program is described to be a rigorous one and a major life commitment. The program is a five year in-person residence program. This kind of learning environment is what it takes to develop the crucial skills needed to provide excellent care. While undergrad learning is critical to the work, the doctorate program provides more practical training.
Students take classes to learn to be working professionals, and they will be expected to come in with that mentality. Luckily, students won’t be going through it alone.
“We have a great faculty who are dedicated professionals in the program who are looking to help the students grow and succeed,” Dr. Barney continued. “The whole program is student-oriented. We’ve been working and preparing this program for over a year. Our goal is once a student is entered, we want to see them graduate and succeed.”
To learn more about the Doctorate of Clinical Psychology program, how to apply, or course curriculum, visit the SUU Doctorate of Clinical Psychology website. If you would like to schedule an appointment or a consultation with one of SUU’s licensed psychologists or counselors, visit the CAPS website.