Licensure Requirements: Have We Raised the Bar Too Far?

How do the requirements for entering the profession of psychology compare with those for other professions? Differences in licensure and board certification requirements were examined across 13 professions. Median earnings and the amount of time to complete requirements were compared. Findings indicate that practicing psychologists have a protracted period of preparation coupled with incomes that are not commensurate with training. In order to thrive, the field of psychology must reexamine and redefine credentialing requirements, reengineer curricula for doctoral programs, standardize licensure requirements across states, and broaden career options beyond academia and mental health. Licensure laws were established to protect consumers by limit-ing the practice of psychology to qualified individuals only (Bick