Psychology graduates told their degrees are not valid

A CLASS of qualified psychology doctors are facing a career crisis after being told their degrees are not recognised.

The 12 members of a doctorate programme were due to graduate from the National University of Ireland Galway on Tuesday and begin work as clinical psychologists.

The have all been involved in on-the-job training and had their studies paid for by the Health Service Executive at a combined cost of €396,000.

They are now available to work in a profession where patients face a year-long wait for assessments — but without medical accreditation, the students are in limbo.

Last night, director of professional development at the Psychology Society of Ireland, Dr Joseph Duffy said the course had not been approved by its postgraduate development panel.

“Issues have been identified at the moment between NUI Galway and the PSI. The report (on the course) is confidential so I cannot discuss the details.”

Although NUI Galway has the power to award degrees, medical doctorates must be approved by a professional regulation body which, in this case, is the PSI.

The student psychologists have spent 260 days working with patients and have had to be the main psychologist in at least eight cases.

They have each written a 30,000 word thesis and spent in excess of 1,800 hours on course work and research.

In September they had to undergo an oral examination in front of a board of examiners.