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Student Profile: Heather Krol

The Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program at UT Southwestern Medical Center offers a wide variety of training opportunities and prepares its students for a successful career in psychology. I am honored to share a glimpse into my experience for those interested in learning more about this program.

My curiosity for understanding people led me to pursue my undergraduate degree in psychology at the University of Texas at Austin, with a minor in French.

During my time in Austin (my second favorite city in Texas), I volunteered at a residential treatment center for neglected and abused children and I provided applied behavior analysis therapy for children suffering from autism. In addition, I was a research assistant in Rebecca Bigler’s gender studies lab, where I was involved in research examining middle school girls’ attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors regarding leadership roles. These clinical and research experiences solidified my interest in continuing in the psychology field after graduation. 

I returned to Dallas, my hometown, where I worked as a milieu therapist on the inpatient psychiatric unit at Children’s Medical Center (CMC). As a milieu therapist, I had the opportunity to work directly with children and adolescents suffering from a range of psychopathology, including eating disorders, depression, anxiety, and psychosis, among others. My passion for better understanding and treating these individuals led me to pursue a doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology at UT Southwestern Medical Center. 

I was immediately impressed with the wide range of clinical and research opportunities offered at UT Southwestern. I was also drawn to the Program’s unique model, which integrates thorough training and a captive pre-doctoral internship, within an average of 4.5 years to graduation.

In my first three years in the Clinical Psychology Program, I have already grown tremendously thanks to the breadth and depth of clinical and research. Early in my training, I had the opportunity to work as a research assistant for Julie Germann, Ph.D., where we investigated topics involving grief in families suffering the loss of a child to cancer. During that time, I also completed a practicum at the Eating Disorder Center of CMC, where I provided individual and group therapy for children and adolescents with eating disorders and I helped to develop the intensive outpatient program.  

My interest in helping individuals with eating disorders grew and I continued at the Eating Disorder Center for my research apprenticeship. I am currently working with Kelsey Latimer, Ph.D, Sunita Stewart, Ph.D, and Carrie McAdams, M.D., Ph.D., to investigate how trust, as measured by a behavioral trust game, predicts the alliance between adolescents with eating disorders and their individual therapists.

I recently completed my third-year pre-doctoral internship at the Counseling and Psychiatric Services of Southern Methodist University, where I provided individual and group therapy, and crisis services to college students. I am greatly looking forward to beginning my fourth-year Internship at the Outpatient Depression Clinic at Children’s Medical Center, where I will gain additional experience providing therapy and conducting assessments with adolescent patients.

The Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program at UT Southwestern effectively offers a rich training environment with a balance of didactic education, clinical training, and research opportunities. The staff and supervisors are dedicated to ensuring that the students receive the highest quality training to develop the skills and professionalism necessary to be successful psychologists. I am grateful for the opportunity to train in this Program and to work alongside outstanding students and faculty.

The path to a career as a psychologist is not an easy one, but I am fortunate to be surrounded by inspiring and supportive classmates and faculty. As such, I am honored to serve as Co-Chief Resident, along with Rush Williams, for the 2014–2015 academic year. 

I am happy to answer any questions that you might have regarding the Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program here at UT Southwestern.

Sincerely,

Heather L. Krol
Co-Chief Resident
Doctoral Candidate
Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program, 4th Year