New Psychology Masters leads to home-town internship

Ms McKenzie is in the first cohort of students graduating on February 14 with a Master of Professional Psychology at Deakin Geelong. Her study success has already helped to launch a career with a 12-month supervised practice internship on home soil at South West Healthcare.

The former Emmanuel College student completed her three year Bachelor of Psychology at Deakin University’s Warrnambool campus and went on to her Honours degree at Geelong and her Masters based between Geelong and Melbourne.

'It was really good to do my first three years here in Warrnambool,' she said. 'I didn’t want to move away; I love being at home and it was better financially.'

She commuted during the next two years of study, initially once a week but later two times a week for face-to-face learning.

It was tough and tiring – and she needed to buy a new car at the end of it – but Ms McKenzie says it’s all been worthwhile.

'I’m probably one of the few people to have something to do with all four Deakin campuses,” she said. “It was such a good experience and all worth it. Even on my drives home when I was exhausted I was still thinking it was a really good day and I’d learned so much.'

Her fondness for Warrnambool continued through her final two years of study and she would regularly return to study at the Deakin campus. 'I had my favorite spots to sit and study and it’s more motivating than home,' she said.

As part of her Masters, Ms McKenzie secured a placement with the South West Healthcare mental health team. 'I was pretty sure I wanted to be a psychologist but when I got the placement it confirmed I was doing the right thing,' she said.

'Deakin has a really good relationship with South West Healthcare and I was incredibly lucky that it worked out and I was so well supported on placement by my supervisor and the mental health team.

'You can read things on paper but when you see someone showing those symptoms it’s completely different and it was such a good learning experience.'

The placement also opened the door for her supervised internship with the community mental health team.

Ms McKenzie’s third graduation ceremony in as many years is confirmation she’s taken the right path.

'The course, including the new Masters, was amazing,' she said. 'It was well designed to get us to the point where we are going to be employed and working with people.'

Five years after starting her study, Ms McKenzie remains committed to Warrnambool.

'I’d love to stay on at South West Healthcare and keep learning,' she said. 'I’m still not ready to leave Warrnambool. It’s home and it’s a lovely place to live.'