Preparing for a Career in Health Services

The Psychology Department offers many opportunities for students to get involved in research. Students can earn Departmental credit (PSYCH 499), for working in faculty members' labs as part of their research teams. PSYCH 499 opportunities are posted on a bulletin board in the hallway just outside of Guthrie 119 and also listed on the psych department website under Research and Internships.

Some examples of research studies that may be of interest to students planning a career in a health-related field are:

• Pain management for trauma patients
• Alcohol consumption in women
• Autism and mental retardation
• Health psychology and cancer prevention
• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
• Exercise and hormone levels in older women

Typical lab duties and experiences that may be especially valuable for students with an interest in health services are:

• Data collection and management
• Interviewing subjects
• Recruiting subjects
• Library research
• Running Experiments

To find out about getting involved in research across campus, and to learn about research training grants available for students, visit the Undergraduate Research Program webpage at http://www.washington.edu/research/urp/

Related Courses

Courses that may be of interest to students planning a career in a health-related field:

Check the quarterly Time Schedule for course availability and times.

Internship and Volunteer Opportunities

Students who participate in internships and volunteer work get the chance to explore different career options on a first-hand basis. Credit is available for this type of experiential learning, via PSYCH 497 (Fieldwork Seminar), or GEN ST 350 (Independent Fieldwork).

Psychology majors interested in the health services field have previously found internship and volunteer positions at

American Cancer Society

Work with the local chapter of this national organization on such public health issues as breast cancer, tobacco use and childhood cancers. A variety of opportunities for interns in community education, research, and assisting with special projects and programs.
http://www.cancer.org/wa.html

Lifelong Aids Alliance (formerly Northwest AIDS Foundation)

Opportunities to work in the areas of outreach and community education.
http://www.lifelongaidsalliance.org/

U.W. Medical Center

Many volunteer opportunities at the Med Center. The Center's Artist-in-Residence works with psych majors who want to offer their artistic talents and energy to help run arts and crafts group sessions for rehab medicine patients.

Special Tips

See a pre-health studies adviser at the Undergraduate Advising Center, 171 Mary Gates Hall, 543-2550. Students interested in attending medical school should see a pre-med adviser. Contact Jason Boyd in the Undergraduate Advising Center, 171 Mary Gates Hall, 543-7547.

Join Alpha Epsilon Delta, the pre-med honor society. aed@u.washington.edu or 685-4736

Think about a minor in:

• Department of Bioethics and Humanities (formerly Medical History and Ethics)
  A204 Health Sciences, 543-5145
  https://depts.washington.edu/bhdept/index.html
• History of Science
  206C Smith Hall, 543-8291
  http://depts.washington.edu/history/graduate-studies-current-students-areas-study-division/history-science
• Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences (formerly Public Health or Environmental Health)
  F350 Health Sciences, 543-1144
  http://deohs.washington.edu/

Think broadly about the wide variety of career options available for students interested in health and health related issues. Some possibilities are:

• Genetic Counseling Nursing
• Physical Therapy Public Health
• Health Administration Medicine
• Occupational Therapy Dentistry
• Prosthetics/Orthotics
• Health Research