Career aspirations and perceived level of preparedness among marriage and family therapy doctoral students.

The authors conducted a survey of marriage and family therapy (MFT) doctoral students in programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE). MFT doctoral students (N = 82) from across the United States responded to a web-based survey that focused on career aspirations, training opportunities, and the level of preparedness they experienced during their doctoral education. Results of this survey indicated that students felt they were well prepared for many aspects of their chosen career path. Some respondents desired more training to prepare them for careers in academia. More men than women indicated a career in academia as their primary career aspiration. While most of the respondents perceived that their internship experiences were beneficial, some expressed the desire for more opportunities to supervise master's-level students, to write grants, and to teach graduate-level MFT courses. The authors conclude with a discussion of how these findings may influence the development of core competencies specific to doctoral education in MFT.