Alumni Profile: Lianna Yakubov ’22
Degree(s): BA Neurobiology and Psychology, UW-Madison
Current Occupation: Clinical Psychology PhD Student at Palo Alto University, former Lead Psychometrist at UW Health
What are some of the benefits of your psychology degree?
Psychology is always relevant. As a society, we will always be trying to understand ourselves, each other, and our interactions. It’s a versatile degree that can open doors in academia, industry, government, business, communication, and more. For me, that door was healthcare. A psychology degree was a stepping-stone that prepared me for patient-care jobs and volunteer opportunities where understanding human behavior made a difference.
How did you find your way to your current profession?
After graduating with Neurobiology and Psychology degrees from UW-Madison in 2022, I wasn’t sure what my next step would be. During undergrad, I worked in pharmaceutical quality control on radioactive PET tracers used in neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration research. I also volunteered with Adapted Fitness & Personal Training as a student physical therapist, creating and facilitating workout plans for clients with disabilities to help them achieve their health and fitness goals.
Through both my coursework and these experiences, I realized I loved neuroscience, patient care, and the psychology underlying human interaction. I didn’t know what a psychometrist even was the first time I heard of the opening at UW Health, but I realized that it was the niche I had been looking for. I administered neuropsychological batteries to patients across the lifespan for three years, eventually serving as Lead Psychometrist where I took on greater responsibility within the department. I enjoyed interacting with patients every day and providing the neuropsychologists with the data they needed to make accurate diagnoses. I liked the work so much that I am returning to graduate school for my PhD in Clinical Psychology in the fall of 2025.
What advice would you give to students graduating with a psychology degree?
Find what you like and get really good at it. Some might say this is putting all of your eggs in one basket, but I think you have a higher chance of success if you give your undivided attention to a few meaningful goals rather than trying to do everything at once. Psychology is broad, which means you’ll need to identify where your interests fit, whether research based, clinical, or applied in nontraditional settings like business, tech, or policy. Narrowing your focus helps you build depth and expertise. The hard part is figuring out what you like, but once you do, seeking out mentors and opportunities tends to follow naturally.