MSW: University of Utah

First of all, I graduated this past December. I was pretty busy with school and work and all, so I ended up applying to only one Master of Social Work (MSW) program- the University of Utah. My thought was that if denied I would take the GRE before fall, apply to a myriad of programs (mostly in California, maybe one or two in Texas) and start school the following year (Fall 2010). Recently I’ve been doing research on schools to find out which ones I should apply to, when the other day I received a letter from the University of Utah:

“Dear George: I am pleased to inform you that the MSW Admissions committee of the College of Social Work has approved your application for admission for the full time study in the 2-year MSW Program beginning Fall semester 2009.” So there ya go! Accepted.

They gave me two weeks to send them a greased letter of intent. Either I accept and start school in August to graduate in the spring of 2011, or turn it down, study for the GRE, and apply to a bunch of other schools in the fall to start a year later in the fall of 2010. Yesh. That’s a lot of extra work, why would I even consider that? Well, different schools have different emphasi (the plural of emphasis)- I plan on going into the ‘clinical’ side of social work- meaning therapy and mental health. Well, the rub is that the University of Utah isn’t considered a clinical school. It’ll do the job, but another school may be more focused.

So what to do? Do I turn it down and apply to more clinically focused schools in the fall? The conclusion I’ve come to is no. For the following reasons: 1) The biggest reason is that I know this education will indeed get me where I want to go; I will be able to become an L.C.S.W. I do not plan on ending my education after my MSW. I want to specialize and continue my training. So I don’t feel like I will be limiting myself as I will be able to accomplish all that I wish using this degree from this school. 2)The formula is very simple: I’m still single + SLC is a target rich environment= makes sense. 3)In the same vein, I’ll only be 50 minutes away from my siblings while they are still in school. Kinda cool. 4) Going back to the specializing idea- I want to work mainly providing therapy for the LDS community- and boy is there demand. Having degrees from BYU and the University of Utah screams street cred within the LDS community, so that’ll be cool. I’d love to move to a city, open up shop, and meet with bishops and stake presidents in the city to get referrals. I know that back in Houston (read big city) there was a shortage of LDS therapists, so members would be referred to non-member clinicians. 5) I don’t have to move far, just get a trailer hooked up to my sisters truck. 6)I don’t want to wait another full year for not much of an advantage- not worth it.

7) I think about what makes a good therapist. Training is a big part of it. I take this career path very seriously. I have read numerous books on philosophy, psychological modalities, therapeutic methods, mental illness, and will read countless more. I have a real passion for being a counselor and (if I may say so myself) I think I’ll make a darn fine one. I think I have the personality and temperament to handle very stressful clientele without internalizing their problems. I already spend 40+ hours a week living among those with bipolar, tourette’s, major depressive disorder, psychosis, and suicidal ideation. No sweat, I can take the heat. I bring this up because I’ve met students getting their Ph.Ds in clinical psychology and perhaps I’m biased, but after talking to him/her for 5 minutes thought to myself, “maybe this person will be a great researcher, or even a decent teacher, but will suck as a therapist!”

A while back when I was feeling out my options I hit up forums to find out the real work differences between psychologists, clinical social workers, and professional counselors. Psychologists are able to do testing that LCSWs do not do (which I don’t care about) and are heading towards being the ivory tower dwellers of the mental health field. From people who had been patients themselves, almost all of them said that the biggest single factor was just the human connection- find a clinician that you get along with. And I’d agree. I think there are great psychiatrists and there are quacks, same as MFTs, LPCs, and LCSWs. Plus being LDS, I have a nice little niche already carved out for me.

Anyway, I’m going to bed because tomorrow I want to drive up to the University of Utah campus in Salt Lake City and give myself a tour.

Happy Valentines Day/Singles Awareness Day