How did you become interested in psychiatry?

[ahmedqman]

Hi,

I'm starting to consider this an option (although I'm a first year medical student). I find behavioral medicine the most interesting of all the first year classes that I've taken, and the guy teaching it is a child psychiatrist. It seems like he loves what he does and I have ALWAYS had a fascination with the mind and people's mental problems. And as a person who is definitely more of the anxious type, and I know what intense anxiety, fear of the irrational feels like.

What got you interested? Was it your experience with your own problems? Was it your coursework? Was it your rotation?

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[Manicsleep]

I was always interested in psychiatry but never initially wanted to do it because of the stigma, the perception that it was for people who couldn't get into a good residency etc.

I actually matched into a transitional year and was planning on doing neurology or converting to medicine but towards the end of my 4th year I did another psych rotation for the fun of it and then used one of my early electives in my transitional year to do addiction. That sealed it for me and I knew that psychiatry was my field.

 

[Psych2014]

My interest came from my life experiences, and I've always been interested in things spiritual, emotional, psychological, neurological. So, I love to understand people at a deep level, and want to help in that arena. I believe there are risks vs. benefits to coming from this orientation. Empathy is not the same as counter-transferrence, and it's a steep learning curve for me. I accept that as part of my process. Coursework, video lessons on schizophrenia for example, scared the crap out of me. But, I've gotten more used to being around mentally ill people and not "feeling their feelings". I believe most people know if psychiatry is right for them when they begin to encounter it on the wards. Probably fascination, repulsion, attraction, empathy, academic interest in learning more, may indicate a desire akin to psychiatry. Whereas, I would think that true indifference and lack of interest in learning and doing more with mentall ill people would be a healthy sign to pursue something else. Just my 2 cents. Good luck. And good question.

 

[la petite mort]

I find the whole notion of helping manage disease that's invisible (for now?) but real at the same time endlessly interesting. And adequately helping a patient with mental illness has a huge positive ripple effect on the lives of their family and friends, perhaps even keeping strangers that walk past the patient on the street out of harm.

 

[Psych2014]

...... perhaps even keeping strangers that walk past the patient on the street out of harm.

... agreed, not to mention improving the patients ability to keep their self safe from predators of various types, something I'd not really thought through before my rotation in a crisis center with a lot of very low functioning people, .... needless to say, Psychiatry will never get boring.

 

[Sneezing]

-School coursework in undergrad and medical school were always interesting.
-Psych rotations were awesome.
-Practically, good hours, good pay, good ability to open a practice
-Patient complaints are less likely to be boring
-The realization of how damaging illnesses like schizophrenia can be to a person and their families is a great motivator to want to help. I believe mental illnesses have a greater impact on lives than many illnesses in other specialties. This makes me feel as though my work has greater importance, and ultimately more rewarding.
-The spectrum of emotions seen in psych remind me I am human.
-I feel like I will be more than just a surragate to a person's lack of personal responsibility.

 

[la petite mort]

... agreed, not to mention improving the patients ability to keep their self safe from predators of various types, something I'd not really thought through before my rotation in a crisis center with a lot of very low functioning people, .... needless to say, Psychiatry will never get boring.

I hadn't thought about that...wow.

Just being able to help someone relieve "run-of-the-mill" clinical depression seems so important to me personally. I've never been depressed, but I've been told it's worse than any physical ailment.

 

[mommy0217]

I suffer from bipolar and panic attacks..
So I would like to help people manage thier lives..
I feel like I have a lot to give because I personally experience it..
I also have alot of experence with family and friends with addiction problems,
I read that two diseases tell you that you are not sick, bipolar and addiction.
I have taking an A&P class and it just made me fall more in love with it.
I cant wait to help people like me..