If you could go back in time, would you still choose psychiatry? If still psych, would you have done anything different about your career?

[Anotherwin]

M4 who is hoping to match into psychiatry. Would love any advice you can share.

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[wolfvgang22]

If I went into medicine at all again I would definitely choose psychiatry again. The pay and the lifestyle together are more attractive to me than most other specialties. Psychiatry is endlessly interesting as well. Would I do anything differently about my career? Probably not. I'm mid-career. I don't do any research in my current role but nothing prevents me from any role other than my own desire and capacity to work hard. The thing I probably love the most about psychiatry at this point in my career is my colleagues. Psychiatrists in general are good people.

I would only consider other specialties that have no over night call. I hate, hate, hate over night call because it destroys my health quickly. Don't get me wrong, I am competent on call and did a massive amount of over night call as a trainee. But a person needs to know their limits. Hospitals will chew up and spit out any physician of any specialty if allowed in my opinion.

Psychiatry can be emotionally difficult at times. Prepare to deal with vicarious trauma and the risks of burn out and compassion fatigue. Above all, care for yourself physically and mentally. It is difficult to help others if you are struggling too much. Strongly consider participating in your own therapy.

 

[Sushirolls]

My extended family, and eventually my own kids, I don't recommend medicine at all.
I'm going to be recommending my kids pursue a trade - electrical, plumbing, etc - and then open their own business.
Tree cutting, landscaping, hardscaping, custom sawmill, anything, but with element that they have their own business after 1-2 years of employment.

Medicine has gone to scat and will only get worse. The bureacratic entropy at play is as heavy as the tide.

Seeing as how you are already in too deep, make the best of it. Psychiatry is a little better than many of the other options.

If the factors at play were aligned right, I would walk away today and not look back.

I'm personally working on my Plan B to be a niche farmer/rancher/apiarist.

 

[Merovinge]

The thing I probably love the most about psychiatry at this point in my career is my colleagues. Psychiatrists in general are good people.

Absolutely, you get some odd balls here and there but I appreciate that as well. Cannot begin to describe how much better residency was than med school, happiness skyrocketed but so did my overall maturity as a human being which I largely attribute to the work itself and my mentors. Fellowship was even better than residency and I certainly have enjoyed all three of jobs as an attending (I've done IP, OP, and PHP/IOP to cover most of what is available in CAP).

In a different universe I would have been a behavioral economics researcher, probably from a psych PhD side with heavy work in econ, maybe from the econ side with heavy work in psychology. I was big into data before data science was cool and probably missed a wave to learn to code and combine that with data science to make wicked money but I am so happy with my present life that it is pretty hard to feel that I missed out on anything in the social science PhD world or the data science world.

 

[PikminOC]

My extended family, and eventually my own kids, I don't recommend medicine at all.
I'm going to be recommending my kids pursue a trade - electrical, plumbing, etc - and then open their own business.
Tree cutting, landscaping, hardscaping, custom sawmill, anything, but with element that they have their own business after 1-2 years of employment.

Medicine has gone to scat and will only get worse. The bureacratic entropy at play is as heavy as the tide.

Seeing as how you are already in too deep, make the best of it. Psychiatry is a little better than many of the other options.

If the factors at play were aligned right, I would walk away today and not look back.

I'm personally working on my Plan B to be a niche farmer/rancher/apiarist.

I feel like every physician in every generation says this

 

[DOswag]

I'm going to be recommending my kids pursue a trade - electrical, plumbing, etc - and then open their own business.
Tree cutting, landscaping, hardscaping, custom sawmill, anything, but with element that they have their own business after 1-2 years of employment.

Medicine has gone to scat and will only get worse. The bureacratic entropy at play is as heavy as the tide.

Seeing as how you are already in too deep, make the best of it. Psychiatry is a little better than many of the other options.

If the factors at play were aligned right, I would walk away today and not look back.

I'm personally working on my Plan B to be a niche farmer/rancher/apiarist.

My bro-in-law (not a plumber) has his own business and sells plumbing supplies so works with plumbers obviously daily, talks about this as well. Trades such as the ones listed are great jobs and have potential to be very lucrative, at a younger age than doctors, without the years of no income and debt accrual.

I'd do psychiatry again. (The bigger question is whether I'd go into medicine if I had to do it over again) I considered ER and family med when going through school, but just fell in love with psych doing rotations in it. I'm almost done with mil service payback for HPSP and will be working in a practice that is all outpatient, 40 hours per week, no nights, no call, and potential to make much much more than I'm making currently (mil pay isn't the best but this job is higher than typical also). My only thing I'd change at this point is probably the HPSP, but then again, I likely would not be in the position I'm in now planning to start work for the clinic that I just mentioned as military residency is what brought me to the city I'll be moving back to.

 

[Stagg737]

Agree with most of the above. First year attending and enjoying attending life thus far, even with a "modest" academic salary. Overall I enjoyed my M3 and M4 years as well as pretty much all of residency outside of PGY-3 year. I would do it all again and I don't think I'd make significantly different career choices thus far. Though the flexibility psychiatry provides and knowing I could drastically alter my job if I wanted to also helps keep me at ease.

 

[hamstergang]

I would definitely go into medicine again, into psychiatry again, and into child/adolescent psychiatry again. I enjoy it and the things have only been improving in my world since finishing fellowship 6 years ago.

 

[TheFuture_22]

I would do medicine again. I would do psychiatry again as well. If psychiatry wasn’t an option, I would have probably enjoyed one of the IM sub-specialties (such as Heme-Onc). I work primarily with SMI patients doing a mix of inpatient/outpatient in an academic setting, so I get to do a lot of teaching as well (both during rounds as well as formal lectures to residents/medical students). I don’t do research and don’t gravitate towards that as I much prefer the clinical side. I’m honestly very happy. I don’t think I could be more fulfilled with another career. I think everyone wishes they worked less and had more time to travel or see family or friends more, but I can’t complain. I make decent money, get to talk with interesting people, get to solve complex problems, get to teach future physicians and psychiatrists, get to see patients improve and grow, and still get to travel, be financially stable, and spend time with my friends/family. It doesn’t get much better than that. I had some reservations about going into psychiatry before starting residency. I thought that I wouldn’t feel like a “real doctor” and that I would forget or not use my general medical knowledge. This is just not true, especially when working with the severely mentally ill. My outpatients view me as their doctor even over their PCP sometimes. Patients will sometimes run their PCPs plan by me to make sure I think it’s reasonable because they see me more often and have a closer relationship with me. Sometimes I even will treat their medical co-morbidities myself because they won’t see a PCP and will only get it treated if I do it (obviously, I know my limitations here and only treat uncomplicated issues). I even have patients that give me baked goods or treats as Christmas gifts and such which is always very heartwarming. Overall, I’m very satisfied with my career and wouldn’t change a thing at the moment!

 

[Celexa]

I love my job. Zero regrets.

I would choose medicine again if I were sure I could become a psychiatrist. Less sure otherwise. We are in demand, have reasonable life styles, a lot of variability available in terms of job descriptions (including the option for cash only private practice) and good geographic flexibility. I don't think there's another field that can match us for that combination. Lots of them pay more but there's a hefty cost.

 

[nexus73]

I would choose psychiatry again. I might consider a fellowship like sleep medicine, or maybe palliative care to give some flexibility in job options. You may not really need palliative to get a hospice job. Now that my loans are paid off I sometimes think about going back for a fellowship year, but realize it's extremely frustrating to give up that amount of income after you've been an attending for awhile. And frustrated their aren't other routes to get into something like sleep medicine, or be board eligible in child psych, outside of completing fellowship. Fellowship should just pay a lot more honestly, going back for a year at $150 or 200K would actually be manageable, 60-70k not so much.

If I could rewind to start of med school, I'd try to go military to have costs covered from the start, as I've spent many hours/days worried about the financial burden taken on. NHSC maybe as well, but I've heard horror stories of bad clinics holding doctors hostage with crazy patients loads because they know they can't leave before paying back their obligation.

I don't know if there is any other specialty I would prefer. Everything seems so locked into the hospital (surgeons, ED, anesthesia, hospitalist) or everyone is churning through patients 3 or 4 per hour in cognitive specialties. In psych getting an hour for a new patient 30 minutes for follow up feels almost luxurious in comparison, but is actually needed to do good work.

 

[dl2dp2]

My current job has exceeded my wildest expectations, but I think I'd be somewhat unhappy in an "average" psychiatry job.

That being said, I'm the type of person who'd be unhappy being average at any job, so there's that. I think if you aim slightly above average in psychiatry it's one of the top choices in medicine atm.

 

[clausewitz2]

I would choose psychiatry again. I might consider a fellowship like sleep medicine, or maybe palliative care to give some flexibility in job options. You may not really need palliative to get a hospice job. Now that my loans are paid off I sometimes think about going back for a fellowship year, but realize it's extremely frustrating to give up that amount of income after you've been an attending for awhile. And frustrated their aren't other routes to get into something like sleep medicine, or be board eligible in child psych, outside of completing fellowship. Fellowship should just pay a lot more honestly, going back for a year at $150 or 200K would actually be manageable, 60-70k not so much.

If I could rewind to start of med school, I'd try to go military to have costs covered from the start, as I've spent many hours/days worried about the financial burden taken on. NHSC maybe as well, but I've heard horror stories of bad clinics holding doctors hostage with crazy patients loads because they know they can't leave before paying back their obligation.

I don't know if there is any other specialty I would prefer. Everything seems so locked into the hospital (surgeons, ED, anesthesia, hospitalist) or everyone is churning through patients 3 or 4 per hour in cognitive specialties. In psych getting an hour for a new patient 30 minutes for follow up feels almost luxurious in comparison, but is actually needed to do good work.

AASM seems to be pushing the idea of part time sleep medicine fellowships (11 months of training over two years) and is soliciting applications for pilot programs with awards being announced in a few months. Might be something to keep an eye on in the near future.

 

[SmallBird]

My extended family, and eventually my own kids, I don't recommend medicine at all.
I'm going to be recommending my kids pursue a trade - electrical, plumbing, etc - and then open their own business.
Tree cutting, landscaping, hardscaping, custom sawmill, anything, but with element that they have their own business after 1-2 years of employment.

Medicine has gone to scat and will only get worse. The bureacratic entropy at play is as heavy as the tide.

Seeing as how you are already in too deep, make the best of it. Psychiatry is a little better than many of the other options.

If the factors at play were aligned right, I would walk away today and not look back.

I'm personally working on my Plan B to be a niche farmer/rancher/apiarist.

This reminds me of that scene in Boston Legal where a quirky associate is suing the firm for not making partner and at one the defense lawyer asks 'How much would X be expected to make over the next year?' and the named partner replies 'About $300 000". The defense lawyer ironically replies 'Wow, a real coalmine over at Crane, Poole and Schmidt'. Any job where meeting the basic qualifications guarantees an income that is that high is a better career part than what 99% of people will ever be able to pursue. I am sure excellent electricians can do better but to suggest that medicine is somehow a toxic profession is to shift the Overton window in the extreme.

 

[TexasPhysician]

If I had to do it again, I don’t think medicine would be my career. I can’t say that the alternative would end up better, but the lure of a different path would be high.

Once in med school, I’d go psych 100% of the time. The time I wasted debating other fields was silly in retrospect. Everyone who tried to tell me not to waste my talents in psych would probably choose my path over theirs right now.

 

[forchinet121]

My current job has exceeded my wildest expectations, but I think I'd be somewhat unhappy in an "average" psychiatry job.

That being said, I'm the type of person who'd be unhappy being average at any job, so there's that. I think if you aim slightly above average in psychiatry it's one of the top choices in medicine atm.

What’s your current job? You have your own practice right? What about it has exceeded your wildest expectations?

 

[dl2dp2]

What’s your current job? You have your own practice right? What about it has exceeded your wildest expectations?

I have my own practice, but I also have other roles, consulting, and academic research and policy engagements. I make a substantial effort in investing and entrepreneurial work. The fact that I get to all that and engage my brain in that way is pretty amazing. Almost everything I do is directly related to my clinical and other technical and non-technical expertise. The money aspects also don't suck. I am also almost never overworked. Things are getting more interesting all the time.

 

[forchinet121]

I have my own practice, but I also have other roles, consulting, and academic research and policy engagements. I make a substantial effort in investing and entrepreneurial work. The fact that I get to all that and engage my brain in that way is pretty amazing. Almost everything I do is directly related to my clinical and other technical and non-technical expertise. The money aspects also don't suck. I am also almost never overworked. Things are getting more interesting all the time.

What investing efforts do you make? You don’t just invest in the stock market like the general wisdom suggests?

 

[TexasPhysician]

You don’t just invest in the stock market like the general wisdom suggests?

I would argue that general wisdom doesn’t say for physicians to just invest in the stock market. I think just investing in the stock market is good advice for a lower earning individual.

If someone earning $70k per year loses a $50k investment, that could be years of retirement contributions gone. The stock market is low risk in the long run. This individual is highly unlikely to lose $50k by retirement in mutual funds.

Take a physician that could contribute $150k+ toward investments/retirement. While contributing a fair amount to low risk mutual funds, some of that $ could go toward real estate, starting a business, franchise, or other possibilities. While there is higher risk, physicians have the time and earnings to take some risks for larger rewards.

 

[Dr. Pookie]

I personally agonized during med school about my specialty choice. I was unique in that I have physical limitations which prevented me from pursuing certain specialties (ie. surgery and associated subspecialties). After I committed to psychiatry, I decided to give it my all and started a private practice right out of residency.

As I sit here in my own office, working hours that I set for myself, seeing patients that I personally vetted for my practice, making a comfortable living, and not working any odd-hours, I feel very grateful that things worked out the way they did. I suppose there will always be the "ghost ship" of what could have been but, in retrospect, I don't think the surgeon lifestyle would have been for me anyway.

 

[forchinet121]

I would argue that general wisdom doesn’t say for physicians to just invest in the stock market. I think just investing in the stock market is good advice for a lower earning individual.

If someone earning $70k per year loses a $50k investment, that could be years of retirement contributions gone. The stock market is low risk in the long run. This individual is highly unlikely to lose $50k by retirement in mutual funds.

Take a physician that could contribute $150k+ toward investments/retirement. While contributing a fair amount to low risk mutual funds, some of that $ could go toward real estate, starting a business, franchise, or other possibilities. While there is higher risk, physicians have the time and earnings to take some risks for larger rewards.

I think this is a big reason why physicians are under accumulators of wealth, they think they are savvy investors and end up losing money

 

[TexasPhysician]

What other fields did you consider?

EM, Derm, Anesthesia, Sports Medicine

 

[TexasPhysician]

I think this is a big reason why physicians are under accumulators of wealth, they think they are savvy investors and end up losing money

There will be those that make terrible decisions and others that kill it.

One decided to put together a crypto group and thought he was great at it. There were probably millions lost there.

Another decided to purchase and renovate old hotels. He does very well.

 

[forchinet121]

Physicians as high income earners should still invest the majority of their portfolio in assets that have a strong track record of earning moderate returns over the long term (diversified US equity funds, bonds, etc). However I strongly agree with TexasPhysician that with a high income comes an opportunity to to take some well calculated risks that have the potential for big rewards. The people who realize this, educate themselves, and capitalize are the ones who will accumulate real wealth and achieve true freedom.

You don’t need to do that to achieve financial freedom as a physician, that’s the entire point, but if you do do it and your competing with people who do it full time and you lose money, you are significantly delaying your financial freedom

 

[dl2dp2]

What investing efforts do you make? You don’t just invest in the stock market like the general wisdom suggests?

I do. I just also invest in other things.

I can tell you but then I’d have to charge you 2 and 20. It’s also not the point of my post. The point of my post is that I can be a psychiatrist and have enough time to pursue broad nonclinical financial interests.

 

[forchinet121]

I do. I just also invest in other things.

I can tell you but then I’d have to charge you 2 and 20. It’s also not the point of my post. The point of my post is that I can be a psychiatrist and have enough time to pursue broad nonclinical financial interests.

You’re going to charge me 2 and 20 for telling me what you invest in? You think you’re a hedge fund manager and I’ve invested millions with you? Lol..

 

[dl2dp2]

You’re going to charge me 2 and 20 for telling me what you invest in? You think you’re a hedge fund manager and I’ve invested millions with you? Lol..

I have patients who are “hedge fund managers” (although explaining the nuances behind that broad term is beyond the scope here) and I probably do better than they do in terms of capital return—interestingly, I may be one of the few people in the world who know about their at times not so great finances... Your error number one in understanding of the financial services industry: fund make money through raising money not managing money and clamping beta not maximizing alpha. If you want to know what I actually invest in, of course that’s proprietary. Firstly, if I tell you I’d immediately lose anonymity here. Secondly, the followup question would be why would you invest in that which then would be breaking non disclosure. The only people that I could disclose this would be limited partners of my investing vehicle LLC, which at the moment isn’t taking on any clients. Have a wonderful weekend.

 

[forchinet121]

I have patients who are “hedge fund managers” (although explaining the nuances behind that broad term is beyond the scope here) and I probably do better than they do in terms of capital return—interestingly, I may be one of the few people in the world who know about their at times not so great finances... Your error number one in understanding of the financial services industry: fund make money through raising money not managing money and clamping beta not maximizing alpha. If you want to know what I actually invest in, of course that’s proprietary. Firstly, if I tell you I’d immediately lose anonymity here. Secondly, the followup question would be why would you invest in that which then would be breaking non disclosure. The only people that I could disclose this would be limited partners of my investing vehicle LLC, which at the moment isn’t taking on any clients. Have a wonderful weekend.

Lol

 

[TexasPhysician]

You don’t need to do that to achieve financial freedom as a physician, that’s the entire point, but if you do do it and your competing with people who do it full time and you lose money, you are significantly delaying your financial freedom

1. Everyone’s definition of financial freedom is different.

2. You don’t have to compete with people better than you. You can align yourself with those people. Some talented individuals can grow faster with certain access or capital.

 

[forchinet121]

So when I said "Physicians as high income earners should still invest the majority of their portfolio in assets that have a strong track record of earning moderate returns over the long term (diversified US equity funds, bonds, etc)" that is to ensure that you are setting yourself up well for retirement. Playing it relatively safe with the majority of your portfolio. However, if you choose to allocate a minority of your capital to investments that are perhaps riskier (and I'm not talking about things like dogecoin and the like) after you have educated yourself on such assets then you can earn significantly higher returns and set yourself up for even greater financial success and generational wealth. The point is that the family living off 50k a year can't necessarily afford to put money in higher risk/higher return investments because losing it would be too catastrophic for them. Physicians can have a minority of their portfolio dedicated to these investments because in most cases the upside is much greater than the relative downside for them. I can't explain it anymore, otherwise I'll have to charge you 2 and 20.

So much text to say so little

 

[finalpsychyear]

I would argue that general wisdom doesn’t say for physicians to just invest in the stock market. I think just investing in the stock market is good advice for a lower earning individual.

If someone earning $70k per year loses a $50k investment, that could be years of retirement contributions gone. The stock market is low risk in the long run. This individual is highly unlikely to lose $50k by retirement in mutual funds.

Take a physician that could contribute $150k+ toward investments/retirement. While contributing a fair amount to low risk mutual funds, some of that $ could go toward real estate, starting a business, franchise, or other possibilities. While there is higher risk, physicians have the time and earnings to take some risks for larger rewards.

Within the stock market there is a whole world of investments from low to high risk. You have index funds for major indices then for sectors, reits, crypto, fine metals, mutual funds, specific stocks then puts, options, calls etc all with margin and leverage opportunities. You know this already but the spectrum of risk is full scale just within the market.

The more one reads and becomes knowledgeable about and has already an established base of investments i.e. index funds like vti and a long time horizon they can take risks. Whether that is in speculative assets or what not is another question. The bigger point is most have no clue. They simply call their financial advisor and just dump more $$ into the same things per the advisor who as long as whatever the investment is a commission for them can be attained.

I'm no expert in this arena but I'd easily put 50k in something like tesla at current prices over vti and would feel confident i'd probably get better results in the next 3-5 years but i could tolerate it going down 50% as well in that time before it went up. Not everyone can and would panic sell.

 

[Candidate2017]

I don't know if I would do psych again. It's kind of weird to be one of the handful of non-EM or non-PCP specialties where patients (and/or their families) occasionally yell at me because... reasons, as well as demand specific drugs.

 

[psychmd03]

I am with much of everyone above. I would choose psychiatry afain. Would I choose medicine I am not sure. Software engineer likely would have been a smarter more lucrative career in terms of opportunity cost. Psychiatry residency was fantastic. I met some life long friends and got lucky with networking and moonlighting to then land jobs that allow me to love my work and enjoy well above median income and out earn likely what I would have made had I taken the ortho road I was going to pursue. I also really enjoy the people that work in psych, SW, nurses and the docs are all fun to work with which makes things enjoyable.

 

[psychmd03]

I have patients who are “hedge fund managers” (although explaining the nuances behind that broad term is beyond the scope here) and I probably do better than they do in terms of capital return—interestingly, I may be one of the few people in the world who know about their at times not so great finances... Your error number one in understanding of the financial services industry: fund make money through raising money not managing money and clamping beta not maximizing alpha. If you want to know what I actually invest in, of course that’s proprietary. Firstly, if I tell you I’d immediately lose anonymity here. Secondly, the followup question would be why would you invest in that which then would be breaking non disclosure. The only people that I could disclose this would be limited partners of my investing vehicle LLC, which at the moment isn’t taking on any clients. Have a wonderful weekend.

This has to be one of the more entertaining posts I’ve read in a while.

 

[psychmd03]

Could you elaborate on what setting you practice in?

I bounced a bit trying to learn the right fit. I tried VA inpatient which was too slow without any benefit to working harder people are rewarded to not work. I tired tele psych prn work for EDs and med floors and confirmed I don’t like shift work. So I settled into coverage at a private psych inpatient and then extra work at another hospital. At one I’m a w2 and the other 1099. The w2 helps give me benefits as well as helps with taxes as they pay a part of Medicare and SS tax. They both are very flexible with work so I can make my own schedule and instead of making life for around my work my work fits around my life. I work with the sickest that come in which I enjoy a lot more than the higher functioning patients. It does mean I end up doing a lot of involuntary medication petitions but to me that’s part of the care for these very sick patients.

Also if I work extra I get paid more so I work most weekends for a few hours. I’m efficient and my staff are very good so it isn’t draining. It would be very different if the work was set up different or the staff were not good.

 

[Marasmus1]

Have you folks been missing your training years, especially when compared to the being an attending with all those responsibilities? Has any attending here daydreamed about going back to being a resident again? Not trying to troll. I am seriously curious.

 

[Celexa]

Have you folks been missing your training years, especially when compared to the being an attending with all those responsibilities? Has any attending here daydreamed about going back to being a resident again? Not trying to troll. I am seriously curious.

People somtimes talk about missing the camaraderie of residency. Its easy to take for granted the social aspects of always having a cohort and don't realize how it can be lonely to move on, especially if starting over somewhere new as an attending. Ain't ever heard people talk about missing being overworked and underpaid, though!

 

[Bartelby]

Have you folks been missing your training years, especially when compared to the being an attending with all those responsibilities? Has any attending here daydreamed about going back to being a resident again? Not trying to troll. I am seriously curious.

Nope 😃. I actually enjoyed most of my residency training but find attending life much better!

 

[TexasPhysician]

Have you folks been missing your training years, especially when compared to the being an attending with all those responsibilities? Has any attending here daydreamed about going back to being a resident again? Not trying to troll. I am seriously curious.

I enjoyed the pursuit of education and learning being the daily goal. Everything else is better in the real world.

 

[SmallBird]

Have you folks been missing your training years, especially when compared to the being an attending with all those responsibilities? Has any attending here daydreamed about going back to being a resident again? Not trying to troll. I am seriously curious.

I miss my residency, not my fellowship. My residency was like this fairy tale where I was surrounded by smart people who wanted to help me and the clinical responsibilities were all driven by learning. Fellowship was a grind.

 

[G Sheb]

I consider myself extremely privileged.
Making more than 300k while having plenty of time to pursue other interests and passions. owning a home in a major metro, and I've never been fitter or healthier, and picked sports that I could only dream of practicing before (hi, skiing).
Psychiatry can be your jackpot, in the sense that very few professions can offer you an upper middle class life with sub 40 hours per week worked. And frankly you don't need 300k+ to get there. 200K with a more modest lifestyle and part time hours is still extremely rewarding.
Yes, others could make much, much more but they are working their asses off.

I have friends in the restaurant industry, and I've waited when I was much younger. Yes, to get there as a psychiatrist probably requires more skill, but their job is still incredibly hard and strenuous. I will be the last person to complain on earth.

 

[vanfanal]

I consider myself extremely privileged.
Making more than 300k while having plenty of time to pursue other interests and passions. owning a home in a major metro, and I've never been fitter or healthier, and picked sports that I could only dream of practicing before (hi, skiing).
Psychiatry can be your jackpot, in the sense that very few professions can offer you an upper middle class life with sub 40 hours per week worked. And frankly you don't need 300k+ to get there. 200K with a more modest lifestyle and part time hours is still extremely rewarding.
Yes, others could make much, much more but they are working their asses off.

I have friends in the restaurant industry, and I've waited when I was much younger. Yes, to get there as a psychiatrist probably requires more skill, but their job is still incredibly hard and strenuous. I will be the last person to complain on earth.

Do you mind sharing your set up for 300+.
I’m trying to break past 250 but encountering a lot of resistance.

 

[HomerWells]

If I could do it again I would not have chosen medicine I would have been a pilot. I have enough self awareness though to realize if I were a pilot I'd probably be saying I should have been a doctor. Grass is always greener and all.

 

[vanfanal]

knowing what I know now, I would have studied to become a software engineer. Making $250k plus some nice bonuses or stock options, with the freedom to travel and work from wherever I am.

 

[dl2dp2]

This has to be one of the more entertaining posts I’ve read in a while.

Yeah. I love my job. It ended up in a very very strange place that I never anticipated, but it's hugely entertaining. I can only imagine that it's gonna go even weirder places in 10 years. As per usual, things that you are trained for you end up only using a small amount. Things you need training for you just learn on your own. I suppose this makes some sense because you receive training for some set of jobs that exist en bloc, and hence by definition it's less competitive. If you keep your eyes open you typically find things that are more remunerative than a typical "job", but require you to plug holes in things you don't know. Be creative and life will reward you with unexpected surprises!

 

[dl2dp2]

knowing what I know now, I would have studied to become a software engineer. Making $250k plus some nice bonuses or stock options, with the freedom to travel and work from wherever I am.

You can do this with telepsych, and the number of jobs on that dimension is much higher and pay better, in general than software engineering.

Do you mind sharing your set up for 300+.
I’m trying to break past 250 but encountering a lot of resistance.

It's easy to break 300. Get two jobs. I'm not joking. Stop fighting organizations to try to them bend over backward for a single person. It ain't happening.

Basically every single successful millennial I know has two+ jobs and multiple streams of income. You get 2+ jobs, minimize the number of hours of each one, bill each one as if you work as many stipulated hours as you can, and end up working one full time job and make twice as much money.

 

[Merovinge]

Do you mind sharing your set up for 300+.
I’m trying to break past 250 but encountering a lot of resistance.

This is probably local market specific, I hardly see any jobs posted below 300k now. I morbidly stay on some job posting lists despite zero intention to change jobs and the baseline tends to be around 300k W2 w/ benefits for full time work without call.

 

[MacDonaldTriad]

I'm not a millennial. I would not change anything about my life and how this has gone.

Psychiatry is doing very well. You can see that or get afraid of the future. What more could you possibly need to be encouraged to see a positive future? In my experience, I have been impressed with how much applicant's resistance to embrace of psychiatry has been driven by parental expectations. I get that, but you are on the edge of making the right or wrong decision.

Be selfish and do something for you and go for psychiatry. I get that this is a psychiatry forum so it is biased. I was fortunate not to have such bias. I have many psychiatrists in my family, but you can do well in psychiatry. You will make enough income to support your loved ones and be happy with your work life. Residency still sucks, but the outcome is still worth the pain. See the last three years as an opportunity and the world can be your ouster.

You don't know me, but I do want to give you good advice and I have done this for a long time and have some credibility in my narrow view. Don't go into psychiatry if you don't like it, but do go into it if you do despite your relative's criticisms of not being a real doctor. It is fun, and it does remain interesting, and it rocks.

Me

 

[TheRightMedication]

No regrets. It's objectively the most interesting field. Lifestyle is good. All the sacrifices you make are for medical education in general, not psych specifically.

 

[finalpsychyear]

Have you folks been missing your training years, especially when compared to the being an attending with all those responsibilities? Has any attending here daydreamed about going back to being a resident again? Not trying to troll. I am seriously curious.

I missed the social aspect of residency. It felt like college to me again. My program was chill. Maybe 40 hrs year 1 and 2, 35 hrs year 3 and sub 20 in year 4 no call. I went out thur-sat always most of that time. However, i don't miss other aspects of it including bickering and meetings due to complaints etc about various things. Having a PP near a place like that while being able to attend grand rounds would maybe be an ideal set up to have the best of both.