Career in psychiatry future proof?

[contemplating2005]

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Lots of automation and uncertainties with the future. How do you feel is the future of psychiatry? Do you think it is future proof?

 

[Shufflin]

If NPs are given the ability to write and break 5250s and 5270s with full prescribing rights in all states then we may see a dramatic shift to one psychiatrist covering multiple NPs per hospital model. Theoretically, every specialty has a weak spot in their armor.

Having said that, I feel we're on the safer side of future change.

 

[Crayola227]

lol I can't help but think of the Turing machine here.... what a model for automating the psychiatric interview

 

[Stagg737]

If NPs are given the ability to write and break 5250s and 5270s with full prescribing rights in all states then we may see a dramatic shift to one psychiatrist covering multiple NPs per hospital model. Theoretically, every specialty has a weak spot in their armor.

Having said that, I feel we're on the safer side of future change.

Yes, but given that there is a legitimate and significant shortage of psychiatrists in most places I think we're more insulated from mid-level encroachment than many (perhaps most) other fields are. Also, given the number of patients I've already seen who have come in after being put on a ridiculous treatment plan by a PCP or mid-level who didn't know what they were doing I'm not overly concerned about the future of psychiatry at this point. I do agree with most of what you've said though.

 

[mymembernames]

I’m concerned bc I see NPs everywhere in the psych clinics but I’m just a med student


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[WisNeuro]

Our hospital is probably 4-5 NPs for every 1 psychiatrist. Although, the midlevel ratio to doctoral level psychologist is worse. I imagine my job would be the same if midlevels could actually bill for the same codes. I'm somewhat cynical about healthcare in general. We've f'd it up so royally that we're in a race to the bottom at this point.

 

[MacDonaldTriad]

Mid levels aren't going to kill us. Primary care docs write twice as many psychotropics as we do and they would be glad to stop doing it and let us take over if there were more of us. Employers hire mid levels because they have to, most of them are hired on MD budgeted positions that they couldn't fill. Even the good NPs need oversight and someone to consult with. The bad ones need this as well, the difference being that some of them don't know when this is true.

I have heard predictions about psychiatry going to hell in a handbasket my whole life. It happens to be better than ever now. Regression to the mean may suggest things could turn down for a bit, but I could say the same thing about the housing market and I'm not selling any of my real estate. Honestly, psychiatry is a fairly safe bet. We are not in much danger of conquering neurosis or psychosis any time soon.

 

[ziggyhope]

The number of jobs I get recruited for is staggering, I no longer answer ANY calls where I don't know the number. Even if 90% of these were filled by NPs, I'd still be fine finding a decent job. So, yea we are going to be ok.