Kelly Morel, B.A., graduated from Queens College with a degree in neuroscience and is currently a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) candidate at William James College, specializing in neuropsychology. Kelly is a Venezuelan-Dominican American passionate about dismantling barriers, eliminating social inequalities and promoting female empowerment. Read the interview below to hear more about Kelly’s journey and her extensive knowledge of neurological disorders.Â
J: What made you want to pursue a PsyD in neuropsychology? Have you always had an interest in neuroscience?Â
K: I have had an interest in neuroscience since I was in high school. That is when I took my first neuroscience class and was determined to pursue a career in that area of study. I have always enjoyed learning about the relationships between the brain and human behavior.Â
J: You obtained your bilingual medical interpreting certificate at Hunter College in 2023. What made you want to pursue this and what was your experience like?Â
K: I decided to pursue this certificate program because at the time I was working at a private practice administering neuropsychological assessments to monolingual and bilingual Spanish speakers. I wanted to improve my medical vocabulary in Spanish to better serve this population.Â
J: What is your end goal once you obtain your PsyD?
K: My end goal is to do a 2-year postdoc in neuropsychology so that I can become board-certified as a neuropsychologist. I hope to eventually open my private practice to offer a sliding fee scale for clients and supervision in Spanish for future clinicians to address any financial and/or linguistic barriers in the field.Â
J: What has been the most rewarding moment in your PsyD program as well as your not-so-rewarding experiences? How did you overcome that?Â
K: The most rewarding moments have been seeing the improvement my current clients have made at my practicum site and getting to work with new populations. There are many difficulties graduate students encounter, especially as minorities. Experiencing microaggressions and the lack of cultural competency, some clinicians have with certain populations can be frustrating. I have attempted to overcome this by utilizing my position as a teaching assistant (TA) to do presentations on cultural competency and sensitivity for students and staff at my school. Â
J: Since you’ve been a doctoral student, what are some things you would have done differently or advice you would’ve given yourself?Â
K: I wish I would have entered the program more open-minded to different areas of study and more interested in therapeutic modalities not just neuropsychological testing.Â
J: Is there any advice/tips you could share about your application journey and the interviewing process?Â
K: I encourage anyone who is passionate about their work and is doubting themselves (or others are doubting them) to apply. Many people discouraged me from applying last cycle and here I am today entering my second year in a doctoral program.Â
J: According to Zippia et al., 2022 only 17.6% of Hispanics or Latinx are accepted into doctoral programs. How does that make you feel and how are you mending that disparity?Â
K: I think it’s very unfortunate that’s the current percentage because of the need our field currently has for more Latinx or Hispanic clinicians. I have worked towards mentoring and networking with other Latinx/Hispanic individuals who are interested in pursuing a doctorate in different areas of study, not just psychology.Â
Kelly, I cannot thank you enough for taking the time and completing this interview for me. It has been a pleasure catching up and hearing all the wonderful things you have accomplished and are planning to accomplish. I am so, so proud of you! Keep going!Â