Well, not much!
In Ontario, there are two routes to becoming registered with the College of Psychologists. The traditional route includes completing a doctorate degree and an internship prior to registration; they are then on the "temporary register" and complete a final year of supervised practice and oral examinations. This route leads to the title "Psychologist" and the certification "CPsych," and is the most common route.
However, registrants can also join the College with a Masters degree which is then followed by four years of supervised practice, before earning a place on the "temporary register." From there, like the doctoral registrants, they complete a final year of supervised practice and oral examinations. This route leads to the title "Psychological Associate" and the certification "CPsychAssoc."
There is no practical distinction between psychologists and psychological associates; both can access the full range of controlled acts granted to members of our college, including communicating a diagnosis. The major difference is that the doctoral route includes more academic research and completion of an internship while in graduate school, which lasts significantly longer as a result; the psychological associate spends less time as a student, but functions in an extended apprenticeship under formal supervision by a member of our college for several years prior to joining the temporary register. This apprenticeship model means that psychological associates have many years of supervised practice prior to autonomous practice, something which distinguishes them from other masters-level practitioners.
Those who are pursing the post-masters apprenticeship route to registration have no formal standing or title with the College of Psychologists. In our practice, we call them Apprentices ("Pre-Doctoral" if they are working towards their doctorate; "Post-Graduate" if they have completed their graduate training). Because it's much faster to join the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario, it's common for someone who intends to join the College of Psychologists to register as an RP during their many years of apprenticeship. Thus, you might find some of our associates carrying the title "RP, Pre-Doctoral [or Post-Graduate] Apprentice."
Finally, there's one more route to gaining the title "Psychologist." In some provinces, it's possible to practice as a psychologist at the master's level. If someone is registered as a psychologist in such a province, and subsequently registers in Ontario, they will be allowed to continue with the title "Psychologist" though they still have the masters degree. Thus, while most psychologists in Ontario have doctoral-level degrees and carry the honorific "Dr," there are an increasing number of masters-level psychologists, who have, at some point, been registered in other provinces. These masters-level psychologists are not referred to as "Doctor" but they are permitted to use the title "Psychologist."
In Ontario, there are two routes to becoming registered with the College of Psychologists. The traditional route includes completing a doctorate degree and an internship prior to registration; they are then on the "temporary register" and complete a final year of supervised practice and oral examinations. This route leads to the title "Psychologist" and the certification "CPsych," and is the most common route.
However, registrants can also join the College with a Masters degree which is then followed by four years of supervised practice, before earning a place on the "temporary register." From there, like the doctoral registrants, they complete a final year of supervised practice and oral examinations. This route leads to the title "Psychological Associate" and the certification "CPsychAssoc."
There is no practical distinction between psychologists and psychological associates; both can access the full range of controlled acts granted to members of our college, including communicating a diagnosis. The major difference is that the doctoral route includes more academic research and completion of an internship while in graduate school, which lasts significantly longer as a result; the psychological associate spends less time as a student, but functions in an extended apprenticeship under formal supervision by a member of our college for several years prior to joining the temporary register. This apprenticeship model means that psychological associates have many years of supervised practice prior to autonomous practice, something which distinguishes them from other masters-level practitioners.
Those who are pursing the post-masters apprenticeship route to registration have no formal standing or title with the College of Psychologists. In our practice, we call them Apprentices ("Pre-Doctoral" if they are working towards their doctorate; "Post-Graduate" if they have completed their graduate training). Because it's much faster to join the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario, it's common for someone who intends to join the College of Psychologists to register as an RP during their many years of apprenticeship. Thus, you might find some of our associates carrying the title "RP, Pre-Doctoral [or Post-Graduate] Apprentice."
Finally, there's one more route to gaining the title "Psychologist." In some provinces, it's possible to practice as a psychologist at the master's level. If someone is registered as a psychologist in such a province, and subsequently registers in Ontario, they will be allowed to continue with the title "Psychologist" though they still have the masters degree. Thus, while most psychologists in Ontario have doctoral-level degrees and carry the honorific "Dr," there are an increasing number of masters-level psychologists, who have, at some point, been registered in other provinces. These masters-level psychologists are not referred to as "Doctor" but they are permitted to use the title "Psychologist."