How to Become a Psychologist in Maine
The state of Maine has a healthy psychology industry, so if you’re a native who wants to become a psychologist, you’re in luck. You shouldn’t have an issue finding a position once you’ve obtained licensure. The Maine Center for Workforce Information and Research estimates that the psychology industry in the “Pine Tree State” will grow by 13.2% through the year 2020. This is fantastic news for future psychologists who will be offered competitive pay and great positions.
A psychologist helps patients who are suffering from mild to debilitating mental or emotional illnesses. They may do everything from simply assessing the patient to creating a comprehensive plan of treatment and monitoring the patient’s progress with that treatment plan. This is a great responsibility and the mental health of the patient rests in the psychologist’s hands. Therefore, the state of Maine wants to ensure that the psychologist is responsible and qualified enough to handle that job. This is achieved by having individuals complete several sets of requirements that include educational, experience and examination achievements.
Education Requirements for Psychologist Licensing in Maine
If you want a psychology license in Maine, you’ll need to first graduate from a doctoral program in psychology or a very closely related field. Read about ME psychology degree programs. The educational institution you graduate from must be a regionally accredited school or approved by the American Psychological Association. Maine offers up several great choices, including the programs offered by the University of Maine. You will find a full list of campus-based programs and online programs here.
Doctoral programs generally take between two and four years to complete depending on your chosen area of specialization.
Supervised Experience Requirements for Psychologists in Maine
You will need to gain at least 2 years of experience in the field of psychology. One of those years may be an internship or supervised residency. The other needs to be earned after you’ve obtained your doctoral degree. You will need to be supervised by a licensed psychologist approved by the Board.
Note: To learn more about how to earn a psychology license in the state of Maine, please visit the Maine Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation.
Examinations Requirements for Psychologists in Maine
The examination required by the state of Maine is the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology, also called the EPPP. This test is the industry standard and is a multiple-choice test given at various locations throughout the country. It covers topics like the bases of behavior, social impact on mental health, supervision, intervention, diagnosis and more. You must make a scaled score of 500 or better to pass this exam.
Psychology Career Outlook in Maine
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that there were 360 clinical, counseling and school psychologists in the state of Maine as of May of 2011. These psychologists earned an annual median wage of $73,420. The BLS defines the “annual median wage” as the center line. This means that half of the psychologists in Maine earned more than $70,730 while the other half earned less. On a national level, the lowest 10% of psychologists earned lower than $39,060 while the top 10% earned an annual median wage that was $110,410 or higher.
