The Life of a Psych PhD Student

[PsychMajorUndergrad18]

Hello All,

I am curious as to what the day to day activities are like for graduate students. I know that a lot of students put in more than 40 hours a week (especially during writing a dissertation) but what is it like? How would you describe your life as a present (or past) graduate student in 5 words or less? Oh and do graduate students have time for extracurricular activities like attending conferences, spending time with family, have a good amount of vacation time during the holidays or have time to attend sunday church services or have at least a day or half a day off during the week?

Oh and please do not berate me or anyone else for asking these questions. I appreciate your honest opinion but please try to keep any negativity out of the way. I am just a undergrad student whos curious about the everyday life and would appreciate anything you all can give me but just don't bring anything negative (sarcasm is ok but not again please no negativity)

Thanks,
PsychUndergrad18

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[Chalupacabra]

I don't know about five words, but if I were to summarize graduate school in a single picture it would be this

 

[PsychMajorUndergrad18]

I don't know about five words, but if I were to summarize graduate school in a single picture it would be this

This just made my really crappy day. Thanks for psoting

 

[empathiosis]

Every post here: http://confessionsofabrokegradstudent.tumblr.com/

 

[WisNeuro]

Definitely some 60-70 weeks now and then, but not too bad. I had a great advisor and a great cohort/friend group. Couple of clinical research gigs on the side that paid very well for masters level work made my living situation very comfortable. It's not like you can take off every weekend and do whatever, but you have time for family/friends/hobbies as long as you are wise with your time and/or are efficient in what you do. My key was being able to write research papers well and very quickly. That definitely cut down on time needed in my office or behind my laptop.

 

[Justanothergrad]

In 5 words or less? I'll cheat and use a contraction- It's a series of dichotomies.
....I hate this; this is awesome.
....I don't have enough time for my friends; I'm making tons of friends and am around my friends WAY too much.
....I don't want to work so much; I can't wait to get home and read this article
....Being poor sucks so bad; Man I'm doing so many awesome things.
....I want this to be over; I would give anything to keep doing this forever.

It's busy. It's free in that you have all sorts of scheduling adaptability. It's intellectually stimulating because you get exposed to ideas at a level that you wouldn't otherwise. I go to 1-2 conferences a year and stay an extra day to be a tourist (assuming I liked the area). I am always doing things for fun- dance classes, camping, time at the gym, etc. You work some long weeks sometimes. Other times, things go by quickly and its the weekend and somehow, you managed to find enough free time to treat it almost like a real weekend. My experience has been that it isn't "difficult" in the traditional sense of things, it just requires time to get through things. For all these reasons I prefer it to a 9-5, except I like the larger paychecks.

The secrets are pretty easy to figure out (not always do) in my eyes
- write good quality papers quickly as WisNeruo said
- Find ways to blend fun and work (I'm a fan of the business BBQ with drinks and food while we discuss new projects/next steps/etc. This only works if you love the people that you do research with.)
- Get a dog (it's the best excuse you HAVE to take to go outside, relax, and enjoy- even when you're busy)
- Don't be afraid to be wrong- so ask questions and take a position in class and on things you read

 

[deleted343839]

How would you describe your life as a present (or past) graduate student in 5 words or less?

TODAY I WILL -- sigh... nevermind...

 

[PsychMajorUndergrad18]

Oh my gosh. MamaPhD that is the best way to describe it. Thanks WisNeuro, justanothergrad and empathiosis for contributing also.

 

[modestmousktr]

I am but a lowly first-year doctoral student, so I am not jaded *yet*, but people in my program seem very happy, so you won't be getting negativity from me! Sarcasm is a great coping mechanism, especially when things are particularly rough in a field we love, but it makes me sad to see a lot of threads where people genuinely regret their choice to attend graduate school.

How would you describe your life as a present (or past) graduate student in 5 words or less? This is referring to my master's program:
People said this was hard?

How would you describe your life as a present (or past) graduate student in 5 words or less? This is referring to my Ph.D. program:
Help me, I'm on fire! (please interpret that both in an "I'm drowning" way and "Wow, I'm doing some great work!" way)

I took on too much in my first semester, but I love it all, so I'm not actually experiencing burn-out yet, but it's not sustainable. I received tuition remission and a small stipend, but it's not enough for me to live on, so with the permission of my department I am also an adjunct faculty member at a local university, which is really what takes up *most* of my time unfortunately. I will not be making that mistake next semester, and am instead just doing a TAship, haha.

This may be overkill, but I really did wish someone broke it down like this for me before I started, so maybe this will help someone! The best advice I can give: Care about money, but don't literally bend over backward. Change your lifestyle to fit your budget, not the other way around. I lived at home for all my undergrad degree, and my rent was VERY cheap for my master's program which was not in a desirable area. I was used to spending and saving a certain way, and I knew that would change as I now live in a very desirable area with a high cost of living, so I freaked out and took *two* jobs outside of my department (with the weary consent of my program). I learned my lesson and I am just TAing in the coming semesters. It takes up too much time from the important stuff- what you enrolled in the program for in the first place!!

What a typical week looks like:
MONDAY:
8:00 - 9:40 AM: Walk dog
Somewhere in between I manage to eat yogurt, (hopefully) shower, and (definitely) put on clothes.
10:20 - 1:00 PM: Commuting to job at local college, lecturing, commuting to my university
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM: Class
4:00 PM - 7:00 PM: Research
7:30 PM - 8:30 PM: Walk dog
8:30 PM - 11:00 PM: Create my course lectures
11:00 pm: GO TO SLEEP!

TUESDAY
8:00 - 9:00 AM: Walk dog
9:20 - 12:30 PM: Commuting to job at local college, lecturing, commuting home
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM: Walk dog
2:30 - 7:30 PM: Work as a receptionist at a local psychological clinic
8:00 PM - 10:00 PM: Work on course lectures
11:00 pm: GO TO SLEEP!
Can y'all tell I'm impoverished? Definitely learned this semester though that the program is the long-haul. Money is short time. I'm making *enough* and I'll make enough next semester and next year as a TA, so I don't need all these jobs. A lot of long and candid talks with my mentor had to happen, but he is very open and supportive.

WEDNESDAY
8:00 - 9:40 AM: Walk dog
Somewhere in between I manage to eat yogurt, (hopefully) shower, and (definitely) put on clothes.
10:20 - 1:00 PM: Commuting to job at local college, lecturing, commuting to my university
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM: Class
4:00 pm - 8:00 pm: Work as a receptionist at a local psychological clinic
8:30 - 9:30 pm: Walk dog
9:30 pm - 11:00 pm: Complete required readings and reading reactions for courses I've been ignoring all Monday and Tuesday
11:00 pm: GO TO SLEEP!

THURSDAY
8:00 - 9:00 AM: Walk dog
9:20 - 12:00 PM: Commuting to job at local college, lecturing, commuting to school
12:00 pm - 4:00 pm: In class
4:00 pm - 7:00 pm: Administering psychometric assessments at practicum site

FRIDAY
8:00 AM - 12:40 PM: Commute to job at local college, office hours, lecturing
THEN.... THE WORLD IS MY OYSTER
I mix up my time between going on hikes or trail runs with my dogs, practicing my love of a sport I used to be heavily involved in but I'm afraid will give my identity away, doing yoga, socializing with cohort members, attending training workshops, talks, catching up on all my research that I ignored Mon-Thurs due to my teaching and class schedule, catching up on readings.

SATURDAY
Usually spend this driving six hours round-trip to visit family. Need to cut that out, but there's so many of us, it's always someone's birthday!

SUNDAY
Trying to mix family time with frantically getting work done

As you can see, Monday through Thursday are completely inflexible and I don't even really have time to get a lot of my own work done. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday- work has to be done, but it's flexible. I think it's like that for every graduate student, as you can see through the threads. Yes, there is time for fun I go out for drinks with my cohort, or my lab, or do mixed cohort activities. We hike together, do yoga, go to concerts, or watch movies at each others' houses. I would say there's an opportunity to socialize about three times per week, interspersed throughout the week and weekend, which gets overwhelming. I am usually spending any free time I have with family, boyfriend, or school friends, so I haven't had a day by myself to lounge around since we started in September. I definitely think time alone where you aren't working is very important, so I look forward to not repeating old mistakes and taking on too much work

Regarding vacations, about to have 5 days off for Thanksgiving. I plan to do no work whatsoever. I'll have two weeks off for the winter holidays, which I will (happily) use to complete research in addition to seeing family, but nearly everyone is taking off and flying to their respective homes. The first year, students are allowed to go home for summer if they don't have clients. After that, we all have clients, so you can usually only take about 2 weeks off over summer.


The most important thing, and the biggest issue with graduate school, is that there are limitless amazing opportunities. You can work with a certain population, you can attend an amazing workshop led by a famous researcher, you can be a teaching associate, a GSR, work with multiple professors, take on seven projects in your lab, join more than one lab, volunteer to be on committees... if you are in a applied doctoral program, you will always be surrounded by amazing opportunities for research, teaching, and clinical practice. If you say yes to everything, you will die. It will literally be impossible. It is very hard to learn what to say no to, and then you end up with 14 hour days *hangs head in shame*.


I am VERY MUCH looking forward to my next semesters' schedule



Weightlifting on Mondays and Wednesdays
Research meeting on Monday
Two classes on Tuesday
One class on Thursday
TAing two sections of research methods, not sure what days
Assessment clinic clients at my own leisure
Actually competing in the sport that I've been ignoring all semester

So, the only day that will remain similar is my Tuesday. The rest of my days will, for the most part, look like my current Friday, where I only have about 4 hours of work and can schedule everything else at my own discretion. I think this is a good illustration that you as a student are in charge of what you put on your plate. Your schedule can look like my first semester schedule, if you take on so many activities that your days become inflexible, or like my second semester schedule, where you balance what you take on. I was afraid opportunities would slip away from me if I didn't grab them immediately, but they don't

Anyway... focus on yourself. Focus on your research. That's why you came to grad school. Research is the funnest part, and the part that is easiest to ignore. If you're at a school with funding... don't worry about money like I did. The funding will cut it, and if you have to eat some loans, eat them. It'll be better for your mental health. And have fun Honestly, I am away from my family that I lived with for all of undergrad, away from my partner who I have been with for nearly a decade and lived with for several years, but I am STILL having the time of my life. I've never been around such passionate, smart people, with a commitment to social change and equity. I love my university and I love my doctoral degree, and let's see if I laugh at this five years from now, haha.

 

[stw2010]

I couldn't answer this in five words but some thoughts. I think your business depends on a few things:
1. If you come in with a masters degree and had done an empirical thesis (because you usually won't need to redo it)
2. What year in grad school - my 3rd year was by far the busiest in terms of time
3. Your advisor

I thought grad school was far less "busy" and time demanding than internship is. Not sure how others feel on that one.

 

[PsyDr]

My work ethic originated there.
Nothing rhymes with mashed potatoes
I worked harder in grad school

Brought to you by the "we are can't tell if psydr doesnt know what haikus are, or if he doesn't understand the difference between syllables and word, or he's just screwing with us project"

 

[AcronymAllergy]

Let's see...

Year 1: Crap, these people are smart
Year 2: Do I want to be here?
Year 3: I think I know what I'm doing
Year 4: I have no idea what I'm doing
Year 5+: *Dissertationing*
Internship: I almost feel competent
Fellowship: Crap, these people are smart. And I still don't know what I'm doing.
Job: Money--good, responsibility--scary.

Slightly tongue-in-cheek. I actually had very, very positive experiences throughout the entirety of my training. My advisor was awesome, my internship site and supervisors were great, and my fellowship really tied everything together and made me even more excited to do what it is I now do. If I could go back, I wouldn't change the path at all, I'd just try to convince myself to have gotten through it a year faster.

 

[deleted656923]

I am but a lowly first-year doctoral student, so I am not jaded *yet*, but people in my program seem very happy, so you won't be getting negativity from me!

Thanks for your honest and kind input, modestmousktr! Glad to see some experienced members on the SDN Psychology forums who know how to write a constructive post without resorting to animosity.

 

[CheetahGirl]

How would you describe your life as a present (or past) graduate student in 5 words or less?

Wouldn't have it another way...

For all the blood, sweat and tears I have shed, I would not have it any other way. I have my dream career that is both interesting and exhausting. What I have done with and for some patients overrides any doubt about the time, energy, and sacrifice I have put in...and if I was not feeling like I am #WINNING, then I could look at it all like a big waste of time that kept me from family and friends. But everyone has 'bought' into my sacrifice as well, so that's moot....and I con't feeling like this was the best choice ever.

You do have the opportunity for extracurricular activities, and you learn what is really important to you. For the spiritual sense: My faith allows you to pray at home, but I try to go to the temple once a month (services at my local temple are not like my hometown's temple, so that kind of stinks...otherwise I would go every Sunday easily). For the physical sense: I make myself go dancing at least once a month (my other inner temple, and that may sound ridiculous to some *dancing only once a month*...but that's all I need...one good night grooving til 4am) and every year we've planned one solid week snowboarding with the family, and we make to the beach at least once a year (been to Central America in my 3rd year and internship year)/sprinkled in with weekend trips in the summer. Other than that, I try to catch dinner or happy hours with friends when we (I) get hall passes from my spouse/our Nanny (because I have kids). And I make sure I do physical activity (run, yoga, lifting) several times a week...but I have a machine at home so that makes it easy.

In grad school, I was mentally absorbed by reading, writing, studying how-to-do-what-I-do, for the past 6+ years. I always say: You end up eating, breathing, living in a psychological world, and go in this huge funnel and pop out as a....wait...for...it.....PSYCHOLOGIST (or medical doctor, or researcher, or professor, or astrophysicist, or whatever your doctoral degree was in). That's what it felt like to me and also why I understand both sides of that some-are-sweet-but-some-are-not argument on the other thread. All the possibilities are correct, because you still go through that funnel as who you were to begin with...you just become "upgraded," but not necessarily to others...but upgraded in your professional and academic abilities for sure.

Covered mind, body, and soul.

 

[erg923]

 

[bmedclinic]

OK, I'm gonna modify the rules, and try to give year by year 5 word summaries...

Yr1: Ok, cool. Nope. ****. Ok.
Yr2: Yuss..research. Therapy. Alright.
Yr3: Prelim project. Awesome!? Internship? OMFGWTF.
Yr4: Dissertation is good, man. Awww, ****...
Yr 5: You can do it. All write*.
Yr 6: Aint gonna hold me down!


*intentional

 

[CheetahGirl]

(I needed to read/see/hear these...especially the "OMFGWTF"...puts it all in perspective.)

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

Yr1: Research. Stress. Doubt. Work. Relief.
Yr2: More confidence. Practica. Work x2. Stress.
Yr3: Juggling. Conferences. Stress. Comps. Relief.
Yr4: Deadlines! Defend. Apply. Teach. Work.
Yr5: Regroup. Breath. Teach. Apply. Again.
Yr6: Relocate. Internship! Refine. Apply. Excitement!
Yr7: Fellowship. Stress. Stress. Doubt. Regroup.
Yr8: Stress. Confidence. Interviews. Relief. Relocate.

 

[smalltownpsych]

Yr1: Research. Stress. Doubt. Work. Relief.
Yr2: More confidence. Practica. Work x2. Stress.
Yr3: Juggling. Conferences. Stress. Comps. Relief.
Yr4: Deadlines! Defend. Apply. Teach. Work.
Yr5: Regroup. Breath. Teach. Apply. Again.
Yr6: Relocate. Internship! Refine. Apply. Excitement!
Yr7: Fellowship. Stress. Stress. Doubt. Regroup.
Yr8: Stress. Confidence. Interviews. Relief. Relocate.

Yr9: No-relocate. Competence. Managing. Supervising. Stress.
Yr10: Relocate. Stress. Confidence. Accomplishment. Reward.
Yr11: Whew. Stable. Income. Relax. Identity.
Yr12: Content. Stable. Future. Plan. Save.
Yr13: ?

 

[PsychMajorUndergrad18]

Thanks everyone for contributing. A lot of you guys (and gals!) posts were funny, informative and more funny

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

Yr9: No-relocate. Competence. Managing. Supervising. Stress.
Yr10: Relocate. Stress. Confidence. Accomplishment. Reward.
Yr11: Whew. Stable. Income. Relax. Identity.
Yr12: Content. Stable. Future. Plan. Save.
Yr13: ?

Pretty much this.

While I would like to have less/no debt, I'm chipping away at it while living a pretty darn good life. I travel quite a bit, am active in division work, and still have time to really work on my golf game. I still have a tendency to push drives to the right, but at least I'm not slicing it badly. My irons and short-game continue to save me, in case anyone cared. Incremental improvements, at work and on the course.

 

[Pragma]

1: Undergrad on steroids (adjusting to "classes don't matter")
2: How many hats are there? (doing a bunch of different #^%*)
3: 80 hours, 1 happy hour (staying sane)
4: Hail to the king, baby (dissertation done before internship)
5: Explain "internship" meaning to family (applying for postdocs almost right away)
6: "I'm done but not done." (Frustrated with quantity of hoops/ 2 year postdoc/eppp)
7: I didn't know anything before (feeling more competent, distressed by incompetence in field, join SDN to complain)
8+: Done, Show me the money (exponentially better QOL, shorter hours, more fun, vacations, then eventually that last ABPP hoop)

 

[Pragma]

I don't know about five words, but if I were to summarize graduate school in a single picture it would be this

By far my favorite post in this thread!

 

[smalltownpsych]

Pretty much this.

While I would like to have less/no debt, I'm chipping away at it while living a pretty darn good life. I travel quite a bit, am active in division work, and still have time to really work on my golf game. I still have a tendency to push drives to the right, but at least I'm not slicing it badly. My irons and short-game continue to save me, in case anyone cared. Incremental improvements, at work and on the course.

Also chipping away at the debt and not just the student loans but also credit cards, cars, and home mortgages. I just couldn't figure out how to capture that and keep the one word pattern going.
It is pretty incredible to really see how long and how much effort it takes for this career to begin to pay off a bit. Fortunately, I did enjoy almost every step of the process and the more stressful the hurdle, the greater the sense of accomplishment on the other side. It's like they say: it's not the destination, it's the journey.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

Part of it was how much pressure many students (myself included) put on themselves. B = Ph.D / Psy.D, but that's hard to accept when everyone/everything is so competitive.

Being on the other side is nice. There are some days that can be tough, but most of the time I genuinely enjoy my work. I try and instill in my fellows the balance that I didn't have in training.

 

[psych844]

There are some days that can be tough, but most of the time I genuinely enjoy my work.

I'm actually very curious about this comment. What is a tough day for you? And on those days do you actually question your career choice/life in general?

 

[CheetahGirl]

psych844, are you just asking T4C?

Well, I can answer this: A bad day could constitute learning your terminal patient may pass before the end of your rotation, or a geripsych patient's dementia has progressed so badly that he/she forgot who you are, or a patient actually passing away (with the knowledge that said patient was still down, living in a hostile environment), or substance use patients who 'fell off the wagon, and subsequently made more poor choices as a result,' or another substance use patient did make his/her appointment because they were in jail, or coworkers are incorrigible but you rely on their open-mindedness to do your job. Or your work environment and/or policy changes and you have less of what you need to do your job.

All hypothetical, but any one of these things could dampen a good day.

Oh! And most importantly, (which is not hypothetical) are the deadlines...deadlines out of the wazoo! Every day several different deadlines, and then you're in your 4th, 5th years + beyond, you must self-impose those deadlines to successfully accomplish all that you have to do (especially with dissertation). That adds to some of the 'bad day.' I've missed out on family vacations, many parties, dinners out, kids' school activities because I needed to stay home at work (and even family says "you could go...if you truly want to"), which adds another layer to your bad day, the thought that you are being a stick-in-the-mud because staying home to work is what you truly want to do. My husband pulls that crap on me all the time ("You just don't want to go, and you're hiding behind your work"). Well, God Bless America, what do you say to that?! Especially when you know you have to do what needs to be done. But the latter may just be a graduate school woe, and a woe for those who have family/significant others breathing down your neck (I know...at least they care).

And no, I still wouldn't second guess the career choice. You prepare for the good with the bad and hopefully, you have someone to talk with things get too overwhelming.

 

[psych844]

Thanks CheetahGirl. I was asking him specifically, but of course open to other experiences. Thanks for your post.

My dad spent his life doing more menial jobs (plumbing, carpentry, cleaning), and I know what those bad days were like for him. Occasionally, after a 14hr day (doing his job, and on call), he would swear at his deceased dad for ever having him On the other hand, 90% of the time, he was often able to find meaning doing those jobs, and took great pride in it. So it was always a bit confusing whether he liked his work or not. He was a perfectionist even though he had those kinda jobs. So when I look at posts like yours, I wonder, how different a bad day is for a Psychologist/Doctor compared to a person who does hard labor/and other menial jobs? I'd assume the kind of stress is a bit different. I'd also wager though that more educated people know better ways to deal with that stress.

 

[CheetahGirl]

So when I look at posts like yours, I wonder, how different a bad day is for a Psychologist/Doctor compared to a person who does hard labor/and other menial jobs? I'd assume the kind of stress is a bit different. I'd also wager though that more educated people know better ways to deal with that stress.

For sure, Psych844. Our parents sometimes afford us such wonderful insights. My dad was a surgeon and when his surgical team lost a patient (which, thank goodness, wasn't often) our entire household would know about it, and it would set a profound, sober tone for that evening. We'd all get some sort of brief talk about how precious & fleeting life is, and how we should take care of ourselves (meanwhile, my dad was smoking cigarettes like they were going out of style...like a big 'ole smokestack; unfortunately, he passed away before retirement, so he did not practice what he preached). So yes, we're all still human. Different occupations can weigh us down in equally compelling ways...and sometimes, regardless of education.

Regarding physical labor, (as all my posts say) I live in NYC and we tote our groceries around in little carts, or by hand (if it is not delivered or someone is driving you)...some days I do feel sorry for myself because after a rough day at the office, I drag home 12 bags of groceries in both my burning arms, and curse the world that I don't have more help than I already do. Or if I'm going, going, going on minimal sleep because I've stayed up all night (writing papers and such), and I am mentally and physically exhausted from the day, but I still have to go, go, go because my life demands it. And (mainly because I am a mom) I usually work 14+ hour days every day (8 at job, 2 for commuting, 6+ hours with kids in morning/evening - cooking/housekeeping/caring for kids)...and I wish those 14+ hrs were all paid-employment. But these are all my choices. I did not have to have kids/family, I did not have to live in NY, and I didn't have to go to graduate school later in life when things are more complicated. But I did and I'm grateful for all. It's another reason, why I like to make time for physical exercise: 1) energy begets energy, 2) Dad didn't work out and that's why I think he his body quit before his time, 3) awesome relief from subjective, situational stress.

Much of what constitutes a good or bad day is just life...and getting older... and the demands of life when we get older. Different kind of labor, but labor nonetheless.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

I'm actually very curious about this comment. What is a tough day for you? And on those days do you actually question your career choice/life in general?

Clinically: Most of the time it involves having to give a diagnosis to a patient/family member. It's one thing to tell someone they have dementia when they are 78, but it's another thing to do it when it is early onset Alzheimer's at 38 and they have 3 small children. In the in-pt setting it's trying to manage an aggressive patient (with a head injury, psych) that bites/hits/etc. Putting in a behavior plan requires everyone to follow it, which is hard when everyone on the team just wants to avoid them. Team members get stressed and it can compromise care and make even simple interactions rough. I often get, "You need to fix this!!"

Administratively: Red tape and insurance companies. Administrative stuff just grinds you down (e.g. Forms, regulations, processes) while insurance companies invent new ways to screw you and your patients. You can learn how to navigate both, but it takes time/effort and that all takes away from clinical time.

Tough days don't make me consider leaving. I have some personal/life goals that might eventually lead me to pivot to a new career, but I hope to do at least some clinical work for the rest of my career.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

I wonder, how different a bad day is for a Psychologist/Doctor compared to a person who does hard labor/and other menial jobs? I'd assume the kind of stress is a bit different. I'd also wager though that more educated people know better ways to deal with that stress.

Many of the issues are universal: dealing with demands from above, working w challenging colleagues, etc. My dad started in manual labor and worked his way up to management, and he frequently tells me, "we all have our own 5lb of crap" to carry. It doesn't matter if you are digging ditches or doing someone's taxes.

As for who is better at dealing w stress....neither. The majority of my out-pt practice involves white collar workers and they are some of THE WORST people I've seen when it comes to stress management.

 

[PsyDr]

Tough day: hearing some pretty horrific stuff, looking at murder photos involving kids, holding the hand of the sweetest grandma of all time and that telling her that she has Alzheimer's disease and needs to go into a nursing home, telling a guy your age who has a brain tumor that's the mean survival time for his particular illness is 14-18 months, pretty much diagnosing anyone with anything with a low survival rate (e.g., hiv dementia, levy body dementia, etc), hearing about the more horrific variations of the awful things people do to each other, pts suicide, having to maintain your composure while someone is blatantly lying to you, when the demands on you literally exceed the laws of physics, occasionally being threatened, getting yelled at, balancing wanting to help people in need with the financial realities of business, arguing with insurance companies, maintaining composure when a really sick person mistreats you, etc.

Best days: getting a thank you, helping someone, meeting some really nice and interesting people, occasionally meeting some rather extraordinary people, feeling needed, some small ego boost from a clever diagnostic call, etc.

Note: money goes nowhere in this scheme which is easy for me to say.

I have actively considered changing professions, including consulting the implications with my financial advisor. Right now I have drastically cut down on my responsibilities to se if it is the job or the amount of time spent in the job.

 

[psych844]

I have actively considered changing professions, including consulting the implications with my financial advisor. Right now I have drastically cut down on my responsibilities to se if it is the job or the amount of time spent in the job.

based on your past posts, I think everyone agrees that you over-worked.

 

[MeanGreen12]

I can only speak from a first year on a quarters system perspective. Over-worked and sleep-deprivation. I hear it gets better for at least the first half of 2nd year. I did work 40+ hours a week prior to graduate school and this has felt like far more work.

I was told coming in that I would never have time to work out, see friends, and would probably gain 10-15lbs. This was not true. I think honestly grad school is just something that you constantly have to just be flexible with.

 

[President_LeslieKnope]

There's this one too...

Edit: But I loved my program, my advisor, my cohort, and am currently loving internship so I concur with others that I wouldn't have done it (or wanted to do it) any other way

 

[deleted343839]

What is a tough day for you? And on those days do you actually question your career choice/life in general?

A tough day for me usually comes from one of two sources. The first is my patients; I'm usually pretty good at compartmentalizing but sometimes I am moved by the terrible things that my patients are going through and it puts me in a somber frame of mind. The person who came from a conflict region to be "safe" in this country only to live with an abusive relative on arrival. The young mother who left her little kids back home so she could travel far away for medical treatment, and now she's going to die anyway. That sort of thing.

The second is stress from dealing with administrators and higher-ups, most of whom are not psychologists and have very little understanding of my profession or what I do. It's actually only this kind of stress that ever makes me second-guess my career choice.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

I can only speak from a first year on a quarters system perspective. Over-worked and sleep-deprivation. I hear it gets better for at least the first half of 2nd year. I did work 40+ hours a week prior to graduate school and this has felt like far more work.

I was told coming in that I would never have time to work out, see friends, and would probably gain 10-15lbs. This was not true. I think honestly grad school is just something that you constantly have to just be flexible with.

Very much so. You might, for example, only have 4 or 5 hours' worth of work to do in a particular day, but it might be spread out between 7a and 9p. The time in between can be used for non-school stuff if you'd like, but if you're of the mindset, "well, I've started working, so I'm just going to keep going until it's all finished," it could very quickly turn into 14-hour days.

And beyond that, if you don't actively make efforts to fill your own time (e.g., with the gym, seeing friends, etc.), someone will be happy to fill it for you.