Psy.D. degrees received accreditation after the Ph.D. Before the 1960s, all psychologists followed the Boulder model, where a Ph.D. was required for qualification as both a scientist and a professional.
Due to growing demand for clinical psychologists and concerns with a Ph.D. not fully trained for clinical work, the Vail Conference proposed a new clinical psychology-training model. This new training model, or Psy.D., allowed universities to create an explicit program for psychologists to obtain professional training.
Both a Psy.D. and a Ph.D. program require internship placements and doctoral dissertations. However, a Psy.D. program focuses more on clinical training while a Ph.D. program focuses more on research. Both Psy.D. and Ph.D. take about four to seven years to finish.
A Psy.D. student will receive a doctorate of Psychology upon graduation. A Ph.D. student will receive a doctorate of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology.
A Psy.D. in psychology is similar to the M.D. in medicine, being more of a practitioner than a scholar. Typically, a Psy.D. student continues with her clinical path and works with patients by applying skills in assessment, diagnosis and psychotherapy. A Ph.D. student typically continues her academic path, working as a researcher and a teacher. However, these career paths do not have restrictions. Students that obtain both degrees can switch career paths later in life.
The Ph.D. program receives more funding than the Psy.D. program. Professors of the Ph.D. program often receive funding and grants for research, enabling them to hire students and pay for their tuition and stipends. Psy.D. students often pay for schooling themselves and take out loans.