degree will have more difficulty than higher degree holders, however, opportunities are available but limited. Such a degree holder is qualified for careers in private companies and universities. Some may find jobs as assistants in rehabilitation centers, or in other jobs involving data collection and analysis. Those who meet State certification requirements may become high school psychology teachers (BLS, 152).But in such a large and ever-growing field, it is common, however, to hear worries of oversupply. According to Brett Steenbarger, psychologist and assistant professor of psychiatry at the State University of New York Health Science Center in Syracuse, the average utilization under managed-care suggests that the nation needs only 70 behavioral-health practitioners per 100,000 citizens. The nation already has 113 per 100,000 population, suggesting an oversupply of practitioners (qtd. in Clay). Other concerns deal with the line between psychology and psychiatry. For some time now the main difference between the two was the prescribing of medication. Now those earning a degree in psychology can opt for certification to prescribe medicines. Will psychiatry soon replace psychology? Although a justified worry, it is not likely that an oversupply of psychologists will occur. Granted throughout the past decade, growth in the field has been more rapid than in other fields, but services continue to be relatively inaccessible in many areas of the country, and shortages of mental health personnel appear for certain target populations. These populations include seriously emotionally disturbed children and adolescents, adults with serious mental disorders, rural residents with mental health needs, and the elderly, to name a few (West). As for psychiatry, it may be an effective practice but it cannot effectively replace psychology. A psychologist helps their patients deal with and understand their condition, a psychiatrist focuses on medicina...
