Preparing PhD-Level Clinical Social Work Practitioners for the 21st Century

Abstract

Social work doctoral programs are not adequately preparing students to educate future clinical practitioners. Social work is predominantly a practice profession. Social work’s PhD programs must continue the education of excellent researchers while also educating for excellence in practice, teaching, field liaison, and the supervision of practice. Nevertheless, The Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education in Social Work (GADE) and the social work profession have heavily emphasized the education of researchers over the past 20 years but have neglected the practice needs of the profession at a time when client diversity has increased and available social supports have decreased. This article examines shifts in academic priorities, in funding, in hiring practices, and in accreditation standards that have reduced the quality and support for clinical practice education in social work. We also explore the much-reduced research expectations of social work’s emerging DSW programs. We recommend continued recognition and strong support for PhD education in social work, with a clear and extensive clinical practice component, as well as explicit attention to the education of PhD-level practitioner/researchers as leaders in social work education and in practice research. Affirmation by GADE and by the social work profession and its professional organizations is needed for educating leaders in clinical social work.