Nicola O'Donnell

Nicola O’Donnell is a Chartered Heath Psychologist and Post Doctoral Researcher at the University of York. She graduated from Kent in 2016 with a BSc Applied Psychology with Clinical Psychology and credits her placement year for giving her the necessary clinical experience for getting started in the NHS.

Tell us about your career path since graduation.

The journey to qualifying as a psychologist is often a long one, and I took my time to gain varied experiences in clinical practice and in research.

I was fortunate enough to secure an assistant psychologist role in Canterbury Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) immediately after graduating from Kent. These roles are highly competitive and I really credit my success to the placement year I took during my degree, as this gave me invaluable NHS experience. Whilst there, I completed postgraduate training in low intensity Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT). This allowed me to develop my therapeutic skills and I went on to work as a therapist in many different CAMHS services before working in all age eating disorders’ provision.

During the pandemic I decided to complete my MSc in health psychology at UCL, whilst working part time as a research assistant in an adult autism service and part time with the University of Surrey to develop an intervention to prevent disordered eating in type 1 diabetes.

After this I enrolled on the final two years of training to become a charted health psychologist. I really enjoy working both clinically and contributing to the evidence-base, so I combined this training with an academic PhD at the University of York. This combination of roles has allowed me to develop as a clinical academic with a specialism in paediatrics in oncology.

What does a typical work day look like for you?

I often don’t have a ‘typical’ day, which means that my role is often exciting and interesting.

My working week is split into two parts. On an academic day, I may be working from home or from the University. This will often involve meetings with colleagues to discuss project progress, collecting data for a current study (which might include interviewing participants, or conducting focus groups), analysing data, or applying for grants to conduct future research.

On a clinical day, I might see a few regular clients for 1-1 therapy, have a multi-disciplinary team meeting to discuss any new referrals, and conduct new assessments in the afternoon. My work can really vary and I enjoy the flexibility of this.

Can you share a professional highlight from your career so far?

I am proud that a diabetes support intervention I co-wrote was cited in Sir George Howarth MP and Rt. Hon. Theresa May MP's parliamentary inquiry. This experience underscores my passion for bridging research with real-world application.

How did your time at Kent help you achieve your current career?

As I mentioned above, I really do credit the placement year for giving me the clinical experience I needed to get started in the NHS as soon as I had graduated.

I think this opportunity is a huge benefit for students studying Psychology at Kent as it allows you to apply the theoretical knowledge that they’ve gained in their first two years of study and get a real taste of what a psychologist can offer in applied settings.

What advice would you give to our current/prospective students who are looking to get into the same line of work?

I would advice current students to be determined and bold; psychology is a competitive career path and sadly, there is nowhere near enough positions to offer to everyone who wants one.

I used to want to qualify as soon as possible after my undergraduate training, but in hindsight I have realised that I would not have been experienced enough. Take your time to gain experience wherever you can, whether that be a day shadowing a psychologist, a placement year, or volunteering at the weekend.

I’ve found that it’s really important to put yourself out there and get in touch with people; send an email to a psychologist or a team that you’re interested in working with and see what opportunities they might have – the worst they can say is no, but I have often found this method to be effective!

Do you have a favourite memory from your time at Kent?

I loved my time at Kent and I look back on it all with fondness.

Returning back for my final year after being out in the NHS was great, as I felt I had a new and exciting perspective on the academic content I was being taught. I was also more aware of the realities of working in healthcare and this really enhanced my critical thinking skills.

Aside from academia, I particularly loved my first year in halls (Becket Court), going to Venue and having all sorts of fun on campus.

Is there anything you would do differently if you could repeat your time at Kent?

I wouldn’t have worried so much about my dissertation! It was the first major research project I had ever conducted, and I remember feeling very worried about getting something wrong, or not doing well enough. I wish I had taken the time to enjoy every part of it, knowing that it would set me up well for future research.

Are you still in touch with other Kent alumni or academics?

I catch up with some of my peers every now and then, particularly those who also did a placement year. As there was only a few of us, and the rest of our course graduated the year before us, it meant we became close and supported each other through the additional workload in the NHS.

What are your future ambitions?

My ambition is to continue working within oncology and paediatrics, working therapeutically with children and families as well as contributing to the evidence base through research.