I want to become a psychiatrist is majoring in psychobiology a good way to do so?

[Sharinai]

Hi, I want to become a psychiatrist I want to know more about the Mental Illness aspect so would I gain that knowledge from this major, and the requirements I need to enter medical school.

I am planning once to become a psychiatrist is to work for ten years for experience then get a PhD and with my dissertation I hope to publish it and go into politics, making reforms for the current mental healthcare system.

So how does one achieve this goal.

Oh yeah I am currently a high school student.

If not is there any other major that has those aspects?

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[Conflagration]

Hello!

Well, if you're in the US, you go through undergrad first, then you go to medical school. Medical school will grant you your "MD" or "DO", depending on the program.

You would become a board-certified psychiatrist by going into a psychiatry residency after medical school, a process called "matching".

In undergrad, feel free to major in whatever you like as long as you get the pre-requisites for your program done. If you are interested in mental health, you may want to consider psychology for an undergraduate degree. Especially if you are also considering becoming a clinical psychologist. Which, yes, clinical psychology and psychiatry are two different things, and although they take around the same amount of time, you may find the former more appealing. It's all about what you are interested in.

Best of luck to you!

 

[Sharinai]

Thank you! It's also better admission wise because psychology is a more common major than psychobiology.

 

[DubVille]

A psychiatrist does not receive a PhD. To become a psychologist you receive a PhD. In order to get into medical school your major really isn't that important, you have to take 1 year general chemistry, 1 year organic chemistry, 1 year biology, 1 year physics, and usually some form of biochemistry and math. You can major in music, business, biology, or whatever as long as you take these classes. There isn't really a "best" major to prepare you for medical school. Btw I was a psychobiology major and am now a physician. I did not become a psychiatrist, your undergrad major has nothing to do with what specialty you choose. If you love mental health and want to study that then go for that type of major. Just as an FYI the majority of your psych classes will not be centered around mental disorders but instead about industrial organizational psych, statistics, social psych, cognitive psych, developmental psych, etc.

 

[Law2Doc]

Hi, I want to become a psychiatrist I want to know more about the Mental Illness aspect so would I gain that knowledge from this major, and the requirements I need to enter medical school.

I am planning once to become a psychiatrist is to work for ten years for experience then get a PhD and with my dissertation I hope to publish it and go into politics, making reforms for the current mental healthcare system.

So how does one achieve this goal.

Oh yeah I am currently a high school student.

If not is there any other major that has those aspects?

First, a psychiatrist is a medical doctor -- you don't need a PhD. Second, you don't even need to major in anything health or science relate in college to get into med school. If your goal is politics, major in poli sience. Third, about 90% of high school students who start college as "premed" don't end up going to med school. Either they change their minds, or science course hurdles stop them up. Fourth, you don't plan to Just do medicine for ten years. You will probably rack up substantial student loans and be paying them off for decades. Few people can just retire from medicine to try something else effortlessly. Fifth, medicine seems like the absolute worst path to take if your goal us to write up a dissertation and go into politics. You realize that in medicine you will have four years of medical school after college followed by three years of residency right? That you will during many stretches work 80 hour weeks with overnight end weekend call? That's a Long stretch to get a job you don't love or plan to keep. Bad idea. Sixth, most people don't choose their specialty until well in their third year of med school for the simple reason that lot of these specialties sound better in the abstract, before you actually get into the trenches. If you find in 7 years that you dislike psychiatry, where will that leave you?

Other than that your plan sounds great... 🙂

 

[BuckyBadger!]

WOW, big dream! For now, I would cultivate your interest in mental illness by majoring in Psychology or Psychobiology (doesn't really matter) and volunteering in a Psychiatric Unit at a local hospital. In the mean time, figure out whether your interests truly lie in the medicine or the politics behind mental health as switching between the two will be a challenge (but not un-doable).

 

[Sharinai]

What is a good major for looking into mental illness?

 

[Sharinai]

First, a psychiatrist is a medical doctor -- you don't need a PhD. Second, you don't even need to major in anything health or science relate in college to get into med school. If your goal is politics, major in poli sience. Third, about 90% of high school students who start college as "premed" don't end up going to med school. Either they change their minds, or science course hurdles stop them up. Fourth, you don't plan to Just do medicine for ten years. You will probably rack up substantial student loans and be paying them off for decades. Few people can just retire from medicine to try something else effortlessly. Fifth, medicine seems like the absolute worst path to take if your goal us to write up a dissertation and go into politics. You realize that in medicine you will have four years of medical school after college followed by three years of residency right? That you will during many stretches work 80 hour weeks with overnight end weekend call? That's a Long stretch to get a job you don't love or plan to keep. Bad idea. Sixth, most people don't choose their specialty until well in their third year of med school for the simple reason that lot of these specialties sound better in the abstract, before you actually get into the trenches. If you find in 7 years that you dislike psychiatry, where will that leave you?

Other than that your plan sounds great... 🙂

I like your reply especially, this is so helpful for me! What do you recommend to me so I can accomplish this subject of the politics of mental healthcare. I want to make changes for it and thought it would be better to become a psychiatrist so I can be reputable for reforms, is there another career that will be applicable, I want to make changes but I don't want to make changes without knowing what's really going on concerning the state of the mental health field.

 

[Sharinai]

WOW, big dream! For now, I would cultivate your interest in mental illness by majoring in Psychology or Psychobiology (doesn't really matter) and volunteering in a Psychiatric Unit at a local hospital. In the mean time, figure out whether your interests truly lie in the medicine or the politics behind mental health as switching between the two will be a challenge (but not un-doable).

Thank you! My real interest is the politics of mental health honestly.

 

[Sharinai]

Thank you guys for replying I am so confused on my path. I know what my goal is but the issue lies on the path for that goal. I am very nervous because this is my senior year of high school and I want to make sure that I know what I am getting into.

 

[Law2Doc]

I like your reply especially, this is so helpful for me! What do you recommend to me so I can accomplish this subject of the politics of mental healthcare. I want to make changes for it and thought it would be better to become a psychiatrist so I can be reputable for reforms, is there another career that will be applicable, I want to make changes but I don't want to make changes without knowing what's really going on concerning the state of the mental health field.

I don't see finishing college and then going through 4 year of med school and three year of residency to become a psychiatrist only to then go into politics a particularly high yield path and it's certainly not the path of least resistance. I feel like you can get involved in the politics of mental health just as easily with an undergrad psychology degree, maybe a psychology masters or mph (one year) and then could cap it off with a law degree (3 years) after, if you feel you need it (for the legislation aspects) and still do it in about half the time and less debt. But if you are still in high school you are probably putting the cart way ahead of the horse here.

 

[that redhead]

What is a good major for looking into mental illness?

Psychology, sociology, anthropology and even biology can give you access to classes that deal with mental illness. If you're looking to make an impact in the field of mental health, you might also consider careers in social work, guidance counseling or law. As others have suggested, there are many paths to working in the field of mental health that are cheaper, less time intensive and more direct toward your goals than medicine.

 

[Nrohgof]

Thank you! My real interest is the politics of mental health honestly.

Write Senator Steinberg (http://sd06.senate.ca.gov/) to learn more about specifics and get suggestions of how to get involved.

Volunteerism at local (youth) shelters, hospices, etc. is always a good way of getting started and getting experience. And ask lots of questions. In my opinion, there's no replacement for being in the "field", directly observing, identifying and coming up with solutions to the issues and situations you wish to change and/or improve.

Obviously, read books/articles about mental health and health care policy.

Thank you guys for replying I am so confused on my path. I know what my goal is but the issue lies on the path for that goal. I am very nervous because this is my senior year of high school and I want to make sure that I know what I am getting into.

That's OK, the majority of young adults your age are. Keep in mind there is no one "right" path to achieving your goal. There will be stumbles along the way and you may have doubts. But as long as you maintain your focus and see the "big picture", your goal will eventually come to fruition over time.