Is a charismatic, outgoing, affable type of personality a great asset?

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I know these traits would really help someone in any job or field, and as far as medicine goes, they would surely help in a field like cosmetic plastic surgery...but I was just wondering: do they help that much in the field psychiatry...or not so much?

The reason I ask is because I am aware that if you want to have complete control over what patients you want to see, and if you want to run a completely cash only practice, you have to have a reason for patients to want to come to you and pay cash. T. Byram Karasu can charge 500 an hour because he is the chairman of psychiatry at albert einstein and has decades of experience. But can people like SETH03 do the same at some point in their career, solely due to having an irresistable personality that makes patients want to come back?

If your personality does not matter for general psych, is there a specialty in psych where it would help? Forensics, perhaps?

 

[Faebinder]

Having a good personality helps in all careers. No one likes an isolated J**k***** who hardly wants to interact with people, shifts the work to other people and is generally entitled.

Infact the chair of our department was promoted to hospital's Acting Vice President of Medical Affairs. There is a hierarchy in all hospitals and being likable makes it easier to rise. If you aren't in a hospital, being likable makes it easier to make business relations.

 

[Doc Samson]

No one likes an isolated J**k***** who hardly wants to interact with people, shifts the work to other people and is generally entitled.

Usually I abbreviate this as "a surgeon."

 

[whopper]

A glib personality is an asset, but one that can also be misused.

The biggest factor predicting a malpractice suit is simply if the patient likes the doctor. I've seen several doctors do substandard work but get away with it because they've charmed the patient & staff.

House from the TV show has no charm, yet he does the highest standard of medical care aside from his poor bedside manner. He'll cure anything but the patient will have to suffer his rudeness.

I've seen docs that didn't know what the heck they were doing, but charmed everyone, and everyone walked away loving this doctor--who couldn't cure anything.

Charm is a good asset, but use it honestly & correctly. Use your charisma to assure patients you are doing the right thing, because you truly doing the right thing.

 

[OldPsychDoc]

We've discussed on previous threads the enormous proportion of us who are actually introverts at heart, however. This too can be a strength--we don't overwhelm our patients with our own personalities, and they perceive us as compassionate, thoughtful, and listening. So there's no "right" personality to have.