Everything you need to know about being a trainee health psychologist

Firstly, would you like to introduce yourself and tell us a little about your current position?

I'm Chloe Ryder, a trainee health psychologist currently in the third year of my Professional Doctorate in Health Psychology based at Staffordshire University. I am also a full time lecturer in psychology of physical activity and health promotion at the University of Portsmouth. My role at the University of Portsmouth allows me to use my health psychology knowledge and training within lectures. For example: educating undergraduate and postgraduate students on topics including behaviour change, health promotion, critically acknowledging links to barriers and opportunities which individuals may face when changing health behaviour. Within sessions, I include case studies so students can develop an understanding of practical work in the field of health psychology with connections to their courses including sport and exercise science and sport and exercise psychology, identifying the value of multidisciplinary team working.  

How did you become a trainee health psychologist? 

My journey to become a trainee health psychologist ironically started in a completely different field of psychology! I completed a BSc(Hons) Counselling Psychology at The University of Worcester, during which I did two modules which introduced me to health psychology and I instantly found a passion for the field. 

I went straight from my BSc to my MSc in Health Psychology at the University of Derby, which I loved and developed many skills which prepared me for my professional doctorate. For my MSc research project, I examined the relationship between self-oriented perfectionism, social media, body image and motivations for food choice. This project is currently under review for publication with the Journal of Health Psychology! 

Following my MSc, I immediately applied for the professional doctorate and was lucky enough to secure my place. My professional doctorate portfolio is exploring rare/under-diagnosed long-term conditions, health behaviours (including physical activity), nutrition and health promotion.  

Why did you decide to choose this field? 

I chose this field after undertaking two modules at undergraduate level which were either based on health psychology or had health psychology elements, and my passion for the field was just sparked instantly! I understood first hand and through personal experiences how important it is for health psychology to focus on long-term conditions providing not just psychological support, but also focusing on things such as pain management and treatment adherence. I want to be able to make a difference for individuals living with long-term conditions. For individuals living with rare/under-diagnosed conditions specifically, access to support, treatment, guidance, and even diagnosis can be such a challenge, so I want to be able to raise awareness of these conditions to try and bridge the gap and ensure individuals get more support. 

What is an average week for you as a trainee health psychologist?  

My weeks vary a lot due to responsibilities within my academic role while being a trainee health psychologist, which I absolutely love! With being a full-time lecturer (which acts as my placement for professional skills for my professional doctorate), a lot of my week involves delivering lectures to undergraduate and/or postgraduate students, marking assessments, supporting students with their academic work and wellbeing, and generally trying to inspire the next generation of psychology students! Around my work role, I also complete my professional doctorate, and at the moment I'm currently working on my research, finalising amendments to my systematic review ready for submission, and exploring opportunities for health psychology interventions. My research is examining factors which influence nutritional intake and motivations for food choice for individuals living with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. This followed on from findings in my systematic review which examined comparing quality of life for individuals living with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome. 

So, what's the next step?  

The next step for me is to continue to build my career in academia and work towards my teaching qualification for higher education. I really enjoy being able to educate both undergraduate and postgraduate students and seeing interest and passion for a topic and field being sparked! 

Due to my research focusing on nutrition and motivations for food choice, following my professional doctorate, I also want to complete a postgraduate course in nutrition, to aid my understanding of this topic more, which will allow for me to apply this to my research. I will also be able to apply this knowledge when working with individuals to improve their nutrition or for individuals living with long-term conditions which hinders their nutritional intake. 

Research wise, I want to continue exploring Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, raising awareness one step at a time to ensure individuals living with this condition get better support.  

Are there any misconceptions/myths you'd like to debunk about health psychology or being a trainee health psychologist?   

I think the main one is that health psychology is not fully understood yet as a field. There's a misconception that health psychologists focus on mental health and psychological illness, which although we do focus on wellbeing and aspects such as quality of life, physical health and health behaviours are at the forefront of most work and research completed. It is great to see so many individuals in this field trying to raise awareness of what health psychologists and trainees focus on and getting more information out there for what we can focus on in work and research! I certainly try to raise awareness of health psychology within my work and on my social media platforms. 

What piece of advice would you give an undergrad who wants to go into health psychology? 

I think for any undergraduate who wants to go into health psychology, my main piece of advice would be to network from very early on in your undergraduate degree and moving forward through each stage of training. Get professional social media profiles like LinkedIn for example, and read what trainee health psychologists are getting involved in and the different research which qualified health psychologists are engaging in. This way, you will develop a better understanding of the field and what new research is in development. By being on social media, you can also reach out to other trainees and ask for advice and support. I've had a few get in touch with me on social media asking for tips and advice, and every time I'm always more than happy to help: it's exciting to hear more people wanting to join the field of health psychology. 

Another piece of advice would be to attend any webinars or workshops that you can, they are a great opportunity to hear from leading experts in a particular field and topic! Some webinars and workshops are free and online, so plenty are accessible to everyone wanting to get involved. 

My final piece of advice - don't give up! It is a lot of work but absolutely worth it!