help me

[abcxyz0123]

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I am trying to shadow private practice psychiatrists, specifically child and forensic psychiatrists....to make absolute sure that this field is for me. But every doc ive contacted has told me "no". A forensic psych doc told me I could ask him questions for an hour or so...but that most of his work is reading and writing, and that i would not be able to shadow him when he sees patients privately. It seems like psych is a field that is not amenable to shadowing, when it comes to private practice outpatient type stuff. Do you know if i should just keep asking....or do pretty much all psychiatrists not want med students messing up their business by making cleints/patients feel awkward when there is a 2nd person listening to their problems?

 

[loveoforganic]

Just in case anything in this thread might be helpful

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=632892

 

[surftheiop]

I am trying to shadow private practice psychiatrists, specifically child and forensic psychiatrists....to make absolute sure that this field is for me. But every doc ive contacted has told me "no". A forensic psych doc told me I could ask him questions for an hour or so...but that most of his work is reading and writing, and that i would not be able to shadow him when he sees patients privately. It seems like psych is a field that is not amenable to shadowing, when it comes to private practice outpatient type stuff. Do you know if i should just keep asking....or do pretty much all psychiatrists not want med students messing up their business by making cleints/patients feel awkward when there is a 2nd person listening to their problems?

I've shadowed a C/A psychiatrist (and Im not even a med student) doing outpatient work, but still at the teaching hospital. I assume this would be a pretty similar atmosphere to private practice C/A, but probably alot more accessible.

 

[whopper]

You may be encountering some problems because the person does not want to teach. That is not suprising IMHO. Several doctors I've found do not want to teach, nor are their specific jobs amenable to teaching. In fact doing so may get in the way of the person's job.

 

[ronin12]

I am trying to shadow private practice psychiatrists, specifically child and forensic psychiatrists....to make absolute sure that this field is for me. But every doc ive contacted has told me "no". A forensic psych doc told me I could ask him questions for an hour or so...but that most of his work is reading and writing, and that i would not be able to shadow him when he sees patients privately. It seems like psych is a field that is not amenable to shadowing, when it comes to private practice outpatient type stuff. Do you know if i should just keep asking....or do pretty much all psychiatrists not want med students messing up their business by making cleints/patients feel awkward when there is a 2nd person listening to their problems?

sorry to hear hat you are having difficulties in your clinical clerkship.
Medical students at our hospital are free to accompany psychiatrists for outpatient or c & L. we only ask patients for their consent so the student be present during session. this applies to both priv and govt facilities in our city. it will be a good idea to inform your director of clerkship about this situation.

 

[pingouin]

Perhaps considering non-private practice clinic shadowing?

I was able to shadow two child psychiatrists this past week- both are affiliated with a local medical school (not mine- I'm just in town for a summer research gig). One was my PI, who has a full-time faculty appointment and is primarily a researcher with a 1/2-day clinic every week. The other has an adjunct faculty appointment and a private practice, but also works 2 half-days at a community mental health center and was willing to let me shadow there.

I just had to have a Deans' letter verifying I'm a med student and do some HIPAA training/sign a confidentiality agreement in order to shadow at both places.