Basic science training in psychopharmacology. How much is enough?

Training psychologists to administer psychotropic medication will require acquisition of a unique knowledge base and set of skills that are generally not components of graduate education in psychology. Nevertheless, the current level of basic science training in graduate education in psychology is substantial and should, with minor modification, allow adequate preparation for students to enter into specialized training to prescribe. The direct provision of psychopharmacology requires psychologists to demonstrate competencies in addition to those required in the general provision of psychological services. Such competencies are perhaps best taught at the postdoctoral level. The authors argue that all curricula training professional psychologists should be able to train psychologists capable of practicing as independent, full-fledged health care providers.