With a Bachelor’s degree in Clinical Psychology and work experience as a research assistant, applying for the Research Master’s at VU Amsterdam was a natural choice: “You get to participate in high-quality research, learn how to interpret academic articles, evaluate research papers and gain more in-depth knowledge about clinical psychology,” Puck says. “But in my case, I also learned that I’m not a full-time researcher. I enjoyed doing the research alongside clinical practice – I took various clinically oriented courses and I also did a clinical internship at GGZ inGeest. The Research Master’s gave me a good foundation for understanding how research can be implemented in clinical practice. It’s the bridge between research and practice that I liked most about my Master’s programme, and it’s the same combination that I also love about my job now.”

Every day is different

At Arkin, Puck works for NPI, the clinic that treats personality disorders, such as borderline personality disorder, avoidance personality disorder, obsessive compulsive personality disorder and dependence personality disorder. NPI has a TOP GGz certificate, which means the institute offers treatments based on the latest scientific research and actively contributes to new research. Puck works as an individual and group psychologist, and says that every day is different: “One day a week, I’m a junior researcher on a project that examines the frequency and dosage of psychotherapy in patients with certain personality disorders. On other days, I do clinical work – whether that’s intake appointments, individual treatments, psychodiagnostics work, or group therapy. There’s no such thing as a typical work day!”

Extra-curricular experience

During the year between her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, Puck took the opportunity to gain valuable practical experience, and advises other students to do the same: “Extra-curricular experience is really important,” she says. “I spent a year on the board of the psychology study association, and I was also a research assistant. Both of these experiences broadened my skillset, developed me as a person and gave me a taste of working life – paving the way for where I am now.”

Personal attention

Equally important, according to Puck, was the small group of students in the Research Master’s programme: “Because of the selective nature of the programme, the teachers know you personally – which means you have plenty of opportunities to participate in their research and get involved in their network. They really think about what opportunities they can offer you.” Such focused attention also means that hard work and self-discipline are key to success: “Find a topic that you’re genuinely fascinated by; that way, you’re intrinsically motivated to work on it,” Puck concludes.