UPEI to offer doctor of psychology program

The University of Prince Edward Island is developing a doctorate of psychology program in hopes of alleviating the shortage of psychologists in the provinceand across the country.

Jason Doiron, the chair of the psychology department at UPEI, says the four-year program would take six students initially, but could grow to a maximum of 10.

He said it's been a challenge to recruit psychologists to the province. With 36 psychologists 21 of whom work in the public sector P.E.I. has the second-lowest number of psychologists per capita of the provinces, according to the Psychological Association of P.E.I.

"One of the main reasons for that is that we don't train psychologists here,we don't train them at the doctoral level," Doiron said.

I've watched numerous, very strong students complete our undergraduate degree here with a great honours thesis and then train in other parts of the country. Jason Doiron

"I've watched numerous, very strong students complete our undergraduate degree here with a great honours thesis and then train in other parts of the country. And then they stay, they don't come back."

Doiron said the program will be unique and will have a cross-cultural component, to develop psychologists to engage with Indigenous people and newcomers, including refugees.

The university is in the process of hiring two faculty members for the program.

The program could start as early as this September, Doiron said, but it still needs approval from the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission.

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