When the Expected Happens: Facing a Major Life Event in Graduate School

This article is a qualitative review of the first author's personal experience with navigating a medical illness while in her doctoral program in clinical psychology, and its unanticipated impact on her sense of self and her ability to function as usual in her academic, research, and clinical endeavors. The authors identify key themes including the widely held myth that young adults are invulnerable. The first author reflects on her identity as a Black woman and the unexpected medical racism she experienced in key interactions with medical providers. These experiences of racism infused a sociopolitical dimension to a personal experience. As context, the authors emphasize that advanced graduate study is stressful, and that graduate students in doctoral psychology training programs experience a wide range of psychological and life stressors including exposure to major life events such as illness, loss, and trauma. The authors highlight the critical importance of intentionally, proactively, and actively supporting graduate students via program and institutional practices as they navigate the challenging world of health service psychology doctoral training. Graduate programs are encouraged to consider a range of recommendations. Public Significance Statement Insufficient public attention has been paid to the major life events that graduate students may experience over the course of their doctoral training. This article discusses a graduate student's experience with a major illness, highlights themes as they relate to her identity, and encourages awareness of graduate student vulnerability. The authors emphasize the importance of health service psychology training programs developing, and ensuring that students are aware of, policies and procedures designed to support them during challenging times.