Psychology training | Avoid shortcuts

Recently, the government announced the establishment of a working group¹ which should “meet urgently in order to identify in what ways and under what conditions bachelor’s degrees in psychology and other related disciplines could be better used in the field of mental health in public networks or in the private sector”.

Dr. Karine Gauthier

Clinical psychologist and neuropsychologist, president of the Coalition of psychologists of the Quebec public network

However, the hiring of bachelors in psychology in the public network is already common practice. These employees are called Human Relations Officers (HRAs). Even sometimes, psychologist posts are abolished and transformed into HRA posts, which is very worrying. Between 2020 and 2021, the number of full-time equivalents of HRAs increased by 20.8% in the health network, while the number of full-time equivalents of psychologists decreased by 5.2%.

Although HRAs have their place in the network, it would be dangerous to act as if they could replace psychologists without having the full training. This is not only an insult to psychologists, but also to the training universities and finally to the population which is entitled to have access to the expertise of psychologists.

Doctoral training, if not more, is required almost everywhere in North America to become a psychologist.

The bachelor’s degree in psychology allows you to acquire basic knowledge, but does not train a psychologist.

Do we need to list the job titles that require more than basic training or a bachelor’s degree? Nobody questions that. Why is mental health treated differently?

The human psyche is extremely complex and so are the ways to soothe it.

Bad salary conditions

One of the objectives of the committee will also be to examine whether it is possible to train more psychologists. However, there is no reason to believe that they will choose to work in the public network. Although 85% of doctoral students would like to work in the public network, only 25% of new psychologists join the public ranks due to the lack of salary recognition and professional autonomy. Of this small 25%, more than 40% leave for the private sector within the first five years.

We have the right to wonder if the current debate aims to divert attention from the real problem: the glaring lack of psychologists in the public network due to poor working conditions, particularly salary conditions.

Quebec has the highest ratio of psychologists per capita in North America. There are plenty of psychologists in Quebec, but the majority work in the private sector, leaving the public network uncovered.

For example, one out of three psychologist positions is vacant at Sainte-Justine Hospital. Thus, very vulnerable children are no longer treated by psychologists. And it is expected that the situation will deteriorate rapidly: the MSSS estimates that there will be a shortage of nearly half of the psychologists in the health network by 2025.

Possible solutions include:

• First and foremost, solve the problems of attracting and retaining psychologists in the public network, since they are essential for providing services to the population as well as for training and supervising the next generation; 95% of psychologists believe that the solution lies in the formation of a group of psychologists with the right to negotiate.
• Ensure that more universities offer the D.Psy., a doctorate focused on clinical training, shorter than the Ph.D.
• Improve sources of funding for students at the D.Psy.
• Transform the doctorate in psychology into an undergraduate doctorate to avoid many students bumping their noses on the door to the doctorate after having worked very hard during their bachelor’s degree.

Please, let’s not make these important reflections in a hurry. Let’s take the time to make sure we don’t diminish the quality of care offered to the population.

Too often I see people who shut up like an oyster because they did not receive the psychological services they needed. Others lose hope in revolving doors or commit the irreparable.