What’s the pay? Psychologists, Pathways, Medicare… and you!
First published in The Psych Analyst, Winter 2021 , by the Macquarie University Psychology Society (MacqPsych). Written by Devin Lam. Edited by Christine Wu. If you’re looking to become a psychologist, there’s quite a bit to learn about the road ahead! Once you can go out and practice as a psychologist, you might be concerned with another bit of bureaucracy, the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS). The MBS, connected to the Medicare card you might have in your pocket, is a list of medical services and how much providers are paid for them (Department of Health, 2021c). One of the factors influencing your pay as a provider is what you’ve studied, which – if you’re reading this – is most likely psychology, as well as any Area of Practice Endorsements (AoPE) you have obtained through your education. The basic requirements of an AoPE for psychologists in Australia are completing a “postgraduate qualification and supervised training” in an area of practice, along with general registration ...