How did you know?

[johnsonamj]

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How did you know that Psychiatry is what you wanted to do? I have a meeting with my dean in the next few weeks and I need to tell him what I want to go into. Until now, I had been family medicine all of the way. But I just finished a three week psych consult rotation and LOVED it! I won't be doing my next three week rotation in psych until February in the lockdown unit. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

 

[whopper]

Most fields of medicine work residents and attendings too hard. I wanted a life.

I loved psychology. I was a psyche major in college.

I love psychiatry.

I wanted to make good money in a field I loved--everything worked out well. I'm happy.

The idea of working 100 hrs a week as a resident, while doing scutwork just didn't appeal to me.

 

[TheWowEffect]

A voice told me so....😎

 

[TheWowEffect]

..........on a serious note, the fact that you loved the Psych rotation should be a major factor in your decision.

 

[DrIng]

I also think what comes easily to you should be a big factor, because the things that come easily are the ones that you intrinsicalyl understand...
Also, a mentor at med school made the comment "you should choose your bread and butter"- make decisions not on the rare thigns you'll see once every few years but the type of things you'll be doing each day. And imagine how you'll be doing the same thing in 20 years time...

 

[zen76]

I would agree with DrIng. My wife is matching for FP, myself for psychiatry. There is room for primary care in psych, and psych in primary care, but it depends more on what you would regularly see. Do you like the depression or the diabetes more in the fat patient who comes to you for depression, which makes it difficult to be adhere to their DM2 regimen and new diet. Or, if you can't decide, their are a few 5 year programs with combined certification in FP and psych, such as Pittsburgh and Case Western.

 

[DebDynamite]

Everyone I have spoke with thus far in Psych who has been practicing more than 15 years cites the fact that they really enjoyed it, even as a 3rd year. They further state that the ones who get burnt out do it for the "lifestyle" while simultaneously entertaining the "idea of" Psych. Ie, they talk themselves into it.

I'm half way through my third year right now, and I can pretty much predict I'll be going into Psych. My other major interest is Path, but the job market/location freedom isn't as wide open in Path right now (I do it in March- so ultimately you never know). Also, I just find Psych both inherently "more interesting" to discuss all day long than blood sugar, HYT, colonscopies. Further, as someone on this board alread pointed out, it "comes easily" to me, which is important for a couple of reasons: #1- the patients welfare, and #2 my ability to take care to the next level while maintaining time for myself.

What could you see yourself doing all day for 10-30 years? That's the big question, IMHO.

 

[HoodyHoo]

How did you know that Psychiatry is what you wanted to do? I have a meeting with my dean in the next few weeks and I need to tell him what I want to go into. Until now, I had been family medicine all of the way. But I just finished a three week psych consult rotation and LOVED it! I won't be doing my next three week rotation in psych until February in the lockdown unit. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

I was a psych major in college and up until recently I have wanted to go into psych for residency also. I had a bad experience on my rotation. My hours were very lax (2 hrs/day) and we saw about 5 patients a day. I've also now realized that I might want to do something more procedural but in the back of my mind I know I love psychiatry. Are there any procedural aspects to psych other than ECT??