What makes a good clinical psychologist

This is a list of qualities that a group of service users, employed by the Birmingham clinical course, thought relevent for the personal suitability interviews when selecting applicants for the course.

Positive Inspiring Confident Enthusiastic Optimistic Creative Can think 'outside the box' Willing to challenge and question Can think on feet

Good communication skills at different levels Will 'shut up, listen and respond' Articulate

Patience Empathy empathy/sympathy balance Caring and kind Humour Warmth/personable Compassionate Aptitude/empathy balance unconditional acceptance not patronising Respectful

Endurance Inner strength Contained Able to remain calm

'wont jump into the hole with you' good level of psychological well being or can/has dealt with own issues and can use what has learned Self awareness Willing to work on own issues Aware of their own prejudices Aware when their own issues being triggered Aware of own limitations

Humble - willing to admit wrong Flexibility in own beliefs Not threatened when mistakes pointed out Willing to learn from client or others Broad minded Not judging Aware that we all human - not that much separating us Aware of power issues Honest Trustworthy respects confidentiality Ethical/moral

Consistent Punctual Not easily flustered Common sense Can do multiple tasks at same time Willing to keep up to date Can work across all settings