By Mrs Harrold (Head of Psychology)
The Psychology Department is very grateful to the Year 12 student-led Psychology Society for organising an excellent event for our first week back at school.
Veronica Poon, Elsie Butler and Amy Gillespie invited in alumna Dr Rachel Tisi (2015) to give a talk to Sixth Form students about her journey in Psychology beyond school. Dr Tisi offered insights into key aspects to consider when thinking about a career as a psychologist, from the importance of ensuring a course has BPS (British Psychological Society) accreditation to the benefits that seeking out volunteer and research work can bring.
Dr Tisi also focused on why it is worthwhile to pursue interests in addition to Psychology, through taking 'wild modules' that help make for a more well-rounded individual and flag up interesting areas for future careers. Students also had the opportunity to ask Dr Tisi follow up questions about her daily work as a research fellow, and how research she has undertaken might be used. The number of questions students devised showed how interesting they found Dr Tisi's talk. We are once again very appreciative that she gave up her time to come and inspire our psychologists of the future.
Veronica Poon (Lower Sixth) added: “Dr Tisi’s talk has been incredibly insightful. Her work on violence against women addresses an issue that has been prevalent for years yet is often overlooked by the majority of people.”
“She first mentioned her academic journey - going from an undergraduate Psychology and European studies course to a Forensic Psychology Masters, alongside the volunteering work she had done. During this, she mentioned the four key things to think about when choosing which university to study at, including the research aspects and whether it was BPS accredited, urging us to think ahead and ensure our university course has all the qualifications our dream job requires. She then touched on an analyst role she took in a hospital and a United Nations Women UK workshop she attended in London last year, showcasing how psychology could open up many pathways after graduation. We are grateful she gave up time for the talk and would like to thank her for sharing her knowledge with us.”
“In the future, we plan to hold more events to increase the students' understanding of what Psychology is. This subject has been growing in popularity despite it being a relatively new area of study. It was an honour to host events that encourage students to engage with Psychology and hopefully inspire them to explore areas for further research.”
