Am I limiting myself? Pre-psych-guy

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Neuronom

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Thank you in advance for assistance!

I am applying MD in June. I have research experience in addiction/mental health during undergrad. I currently work in an addiction facility. I have a passion for these patients, but I do not want to limit my future opportunities after medical school. I do not have plans, at the moment, to pursue a career in psychiatry/addiction/mental health. However, I do love neuroscience and behavior.

I plan on applying for my CDCA, chemical dependency counselor assistant, cert to expand my scope of practice during my gap year. My question is, will this peg me as the pre-psych-guy and show that my interests are narrow/limited in medicine? I do have experience in primary care and emergency medicine.

Thank you again.

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Thank you in advance for assistance!

I am applying MD in June. I have research experience in addiction/mental health during undergrad. I currently work in an addiction facility. I have a passion for these patients, but I do not want to limit my future opportunities after medical school. I do not have plans, at the moment, to pursue a career in psychiatry/addiction/mental health. However, I do love neuroscience and behavior.

I plan on applying for my CDCA, chemical dependency counselor assistant, cert to expand my scope of practice during my gap year. My question is, will this peg me as the pre-psych-guy and show that my interests are narrow/limited in medicine? I do have experience in primary care and emergency medicine.

Thank you again.
first physician I have shadowed was neurology/palliative care doctor who also did ALS clinic once a week. In undergrad he studied psychology and planned to go into psychology graduate program. He also had experiences in mental health and substance such. He got into MD school after a gap year and is very successful and we'l respected now.

Just be well rounded in other areas as well.
 
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Thank you for the reply,
Just be well rounded in other areas as well.
I hope I have achieved that with teaching assistant experience in biochemistry, primary care clinic work, and work as an EMT with unrelated volunteer work in the ED. I do love behavioral health though. Thanks!
 
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Keep an open mind. Remember that psychiatry is a minuscule part of the medical school experience - you will learn very little about it (beyond DSM criteria and the basics of psychopharmacology) and spend most of your time learning about everything but psychiatry.

I don’t know if “limiting yourself” is an apt description, but just remember that even psychiatrists are physicians, thus you must still learn the basics of medicine and be interested in the human body as a whole - largely for the reasons above since you’ll be spending a significant amount of time learning and practicing things which, as a psychiatrist, will not be a routine part of your practice.
 
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Keep an open mind. Remember that psychiatry is a minuscule part of the medical school experience - you will learn very little about it (beyond DSM criteria and the basics of psychopharmacology) and spend most of your time learning about everything but psychiatry.

I don’t know if “limiting yourself” is an apt description, but just remember that even psychiatrists are physicians, thus you must still learn the basics of medicine and be interested in the human body as a whole - largely for the reasons above since you’ll be spending a significant amount of time learning and practicing things which, as a psychiatrist, will not be a routine part of your practice.
Right, I enjoy this work during my gap year and working with these patients, however, I do not want the admission committees to think that my interests are narrow. I am certainly not at risk of becoming disinterested during medical school simply because I am not studying behavior or addiction.

Thank you!
 
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