Everything you need to know about becoming a health psychologist

What is health psychology? 

The discipline of health psychology is relatively young compared to many other branches of psychology, such as clinical and counselling. In simple terms, health psychology is the study of how our thoughts, emotions, behaviours, and social factors (such as relationships, cultural influences, and socioeconomic status) interact to affect our physical health. It's all about understanding how our mental and emotional wellbeing can impact our overall physical well-being.  

Health psychologists work to help people make healthier behavioural choices (such as stopping smoking or exercising more), manage stress, cope with illnesses, and improve their overall physical and mental quality of life. They focus on the connection between our minds and bodies to promote better health and well-being. Working in the NHS, private practice, academia or within public health and policy, the scope of health psychologists is huge, and often not known about. 

My role as a trainee health psychologist  

In my role as trainee lead for the British Psychological Society (BPS) Division of Health Psychology (DHP), I am continually inundated with questions about what a health psychologist is and how to become a health psychologist.  

I am currently a final year PhD student at the University of York, developing a psychosocial intervention for survivors of a rare childhood cancer, Retinoblastoma. I am also coming to the end of my stage 2 training to become a chartered health psychologist and aim to qualify in Spring 2024. My passion is within oncology, and this is where I hope to practice clinically and contribute to academically post-qualification. I am also inspired to raise the profile of health psychology as a profession and support other aspiring health psychologists become aware of the various training routes available.  

When I was earlier on in my career, I had no idea that this path existed, and I hope that this will change for future students, with our careers considered equally as valuable as those that are more established.

 In order to become a health psychologist you need to follow a series of steps: 

1. An undergraduate degree in psychology - this is usually a Bachelor of Science (BSc) but can sometimes be a Bachelor of Arts (BA). For those who decide on a career in psychology after undergraduate you can opt for a postgraduate conversion course. The key is that the course is accredited by the BPS, as this is a requirement for all individuals who want to practice as a charted psychologist. 
2. Experience is really helpful in expanding your knowledge about how psychologists practice and helps you to know if you enjoy this kind of work before committing to the training! There is no one route of gaining experience, but working as a healthcare assistant, assistant psychologist, or training as a low intensity therapist are good options.
3. A Masters (MSc) in health psychology is known as 'stage 1' of doctoral training. Usually 1-year full time, this gives you a broad grounding in the major health psychology theories and concepts. Like your undergraduate, this must also be accredited by the BPS. To progress on to stage 2, most routes require you to achieve a merit or distinction.
4. The final step is stage 2 - undertaking a BPS-accredited, doctoral level qualification in Health Psychology. You can do this in several different ways, including:

• Doctorate in health psychology at a university. Enrolling on a doctorate will provide you with a structured training programme and a cohort of peers.
• Qualification in health psychology (stage 2) independent route, which takes a minimum of two years of structured and supervised practice to meet the health psychology competencies; consultancy, professional practice, psychological interventions, research, and teaching and training. Many people do this alongside an academic PhD (like me) as it means you get a dual qualification and can utilise your PhD to fulfil the stage 2 research competency. Some people choose to do the independent route without a PhD, which is totally doable. However, if you follow this route, it is worth noting that you do not gain the eligibility to use the title 'doctor'.
• The new Health Education England (HEE) funded programme, which aims to apply health behaviour change to NHS workforce re-design. Although a similar route has been offered in Scotland for some time, this was new to England in 2022. Currently, this option employs seven trainees at any one time to meet the competencies discussed above. 

Why I chose to undertake the independent stage 2 route 

I enrolled on my PhD in September 2021 and my stage 2 independent route in January 2022. Although they are very separate qualifications, I find that they complement each other well, although it does keep me very busy! I chose the independent route over the others because I knew that I wanted to work both in research and clinical practice, and securing a PhD would allow me to work my way up in academia. 

I also felt that, because I spent five years working clinically and gaining therapeutic qualifications prior to my MSc, I had built up good skills and experiences to secure me strong clinical placements. For example, completing a PGCert. In Low Intensity Psychological Interventions (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy) and holding therapeutic caseloads in services such as paediatrics, CAMHS and eating disorders.  

The independent training requires a minimum of two years ears full-time practice and the submission of a portfolio. So far, my training has included three six-month placements at the internationally renowned INPUT Pain Management Unit at St Thomas' Hospital in London, East Midlands Cancer Alliance Integrated Videotherapy Service, and Lewisham and Greenwich Bariatric Surgery Service.  

I have lectured on the MSc Health Psychology programme at Kings College London, and delivered workshops to paediatric oncologists on working psychologically in cancer care. I have been involved in consultancy projects with media companies to devise behaviour change e-learning, and worked with researchers across the world to inform novel psychosocial research. I can honestly say that, despite the hectic schedule, I have loved every moment of it.  

Why did I chose the independent route?

The independent route has allowed me such autonomy over my training, allowing me the flexibility to upskill myself in areas which interest me and compliment my experiences. Although I don't have a ready-made cohort of peers to support me, this doesn't mean that I have been isolated. I love that I get to wear multiple hats and engage with so many different groups of people, whether that be service users, families, academics, health psychologists, or wider healthcare professionals.  

I have created my own network of support via social media channels, Instagram and X, and I enjoy getting to know other stage 2 trainees and/or PhD students both there and in the stage 2 conversation cafés that I facilitate each month. 

Ultimately, I would highly recommend training as a health psychologist, and although more needs to be done to provide wider funding to improve accessibility (that's an article for another time!), it is an incredibly fulfilling career, and I am only just getting started. 

Author bio

Nicola is a trainee health psychologist who will qualify in Spring 2024; she is also the Trainee Lead for the Division of Health Psychology. She has over eight years' experience working clinically within mental and physical health services, including oncology, paediatrics, CAMHS, child health, eating disorders, bariatric surgery, and pain management. She has extensive experience working with young people and adults and is passionate about Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) and lived experience co-design. 

Nicola is in the final year of her PhD at the University of York, funded by the Childhood Eye Cancer Charity (CHECT). Her work focuses on developing a novel psychoeducation intervention for young people who have had Retinoblastoma, a rare eye cancer. Alongside this she works as a qualitative researcher on an NIHR-funded study on fertility preservation and decision-making in young males with cancer at Leeds Beckett University.

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