Knew I wanted to become a psychiatrist since undergrad, did anyone have the same experience?

[mmiller1998]

Hello all,
I have been interested in psychiatry for quite some time and wanted to see if any other folks felt this way. It may just be the imposter syndrome I’m feeling. I am currently in the middle of my undergrad education & prior to this moment planned to become a clinical psychologist and obtain my PsyD .. as I got older, I realized psychiatrists have more options and if I would pursue this route I would have have more tools at hand. Did anyone else know they had a genuine interest in psychiatry in undergrad? How did you feel? I feel as if I get the PsyD and not the MD/DO I will most likely end up wanting to go back because of the autonomy physicians in psychiatry have. Would love to hear your experience as I feel stuck and need to make a decision soon. I’ve been struggling with this for quite some time so any insight would help. Thank you.

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[Tangerine123]

I considered Psychology before medical school. Together with Linguistics, 3D Animation, Marine Biology and Environmental Engineering.

It depends on your goals. Want to open a private practice? Do you see yourself as a hospitalist? Research?

If you like research for example, both sides are equal-ish.

If you want to do psychotherapy then do psychology. It's a direct, less convoluted way to reach that goal and your training will be focused on that.

Just take into consideration that mental health/Psy is just a miniscule part of your training in medical school. 99% of the time you will be learning stuff from other fields. Can you picture yourself committing 4 years to "mostly unrelated" stuff? You then need to add the 4 years of residency, so it's a 8+ year journey.

My interest in Psych dropped when I was in the preclinical years just to come back after I finished medschool. Doing Psych now.

Was medical school worth it? Probably not. Would I do it again? Hell no. But I do see the power and flexibility attached to an MD degree, so I don't complain that much.

I would suggest that you shadow both a psychologist and a psychiatrist. Inpatient psychiatry is another world. Both have a great impact on their patients but in slightly different ways.

 

[mmiller1998]

I considered Psychology before medical school. Together with Linguistics, 3D Animation, Marine Biology and Environmental Engineering.

It depends on your goals. Want to open a private practice? Do you see yourself as a hospitalist? Research?

If you like research for example, both sides are equal-ish.

If you want to do psychotherapy then do psychology. It's a direct, less convoluted way to reach that goal and your training will be focused on that.

Just take into consideration that mental health/Psy is just a miniscule part of your training in medical school. 99% of the time you will be learning stuff from other fields. Can you picture yourself committing 4 years to "mostly unrelated" stuff? You then need to add the 4 years of residency, so it's a 8+ year journey.

My interest in Psych dropped when I was in the preclinical years just to come back after I finished medschool. Doing Psych now.

Was medical school worth it? Probably not. Would I do it again? Hell no. But I do see the power and flexibility attached to an MD degree, so I don't complain that much.

I would suggest that you shadow both a psychologist and a psychiatrist. Inpatient psychiatry is another world. Both have a great impact on their patients but in slightly different ways.

I plan to open a private practice. I’m not as interested in research but more interested in mental health diagnosis, therapy, and possibly meds because I find myself loving psychopharmacology/pharm in general. I’m not fascinated with my premed classes and like my psych classes more.

 

[Candidate2017]

I plan to open a private practice. I’m not as interested in research but more interested in mental health diagnosis, therapy, and possibly meds because I find myself loving psychopharmacology/pharm in general. I’m not fascinated with my premed classes and like my psych classes more.

Psychiatry if you want to practice medicine. PsyD if you want to do therapy.

As a psychiatrist you have to understand meds, consider interactions and medical comorbidities, handle side effects, distinguish between medical vs psychogenic issues. You will make more money and be able to treat a broader range of patients including severe mental illness. You may practice as little or or as much therapy as you wish (with skills that vary from non-existent to good, based on where you trained), but you will find patients/employers/insurance tend to see you as a prescription pad.

As a PsyD therapist, you will have jedi-level therapy skills, and treat a much more enjoyable patient population who are psychologically minded and interested in acquiring skills rather than pills.

 

[mmiller1998]

I would love to do meds and therapy. I feel like just being able to do one limits your abilities whereas if you’re a psychiatrist you can open a private practice and do both.. thing is I don’t get why I love my psychology courses and don’t feel the same way with the premed classes. I know if I go to Med school I 100% want to do psych.

 

[thumbz]

I would love to do meds and therapy. I feel like just being able to do one limits your abilities whereas if you’re a psychiatrist you can open a private practice and do both.. thing is I don’t get why I love my psychology courses and don’t feel the same way with the premed classes. I know if I go to Med school I 100% want to do psych.

Food for thought - psych is becoming increasingly competitive in med school. What would you do if you couldn't match into a psych residency? Could you see yourself doing something else to be a doctor? If not then think long and hard about med school as there are no guarantees when it comes to residency.

 

[mmiller1998]

Food for thought - psych is becoming increasingly competitive in med school. What would you do if you couldn't match into a psych residency? Could you see yourself doing something else to be a doctor? If not then think long and hard about med school as there are no guarantees when it comes to residency.

I am aware it is getting more competitive, however, I do not find that a reason to give up on something that could potentially be a great career for myself. If I go the DO/MD route, I plan on creating a lot of change in the mental health arena. For example seeing patients that are from a lower socioeconomic status. I want to be able to help lots of individuals and don’t want a cash only business. I truly have a passion for the specialty and I think amazing things could come from it. I could always opt out because of fear due to not matching, but then again what if I do match? And even if I didn’t, I would probably keep trying/improving chances by adding things to my resume as I went along

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

You're a physician first and insert specialty second.

Two issues arise. You're going to learn 4 years of not psychiatry. If you have no interest in learning what a 10 year risk score is, how labetalol works, or the physiology of the lungs then you're going to struggle through medical school or pass boards. Go into medical school because you want to be a doctor.

Psychiatry if you want to practice medicine. PsyD if you want to do therapy.

As a psychiatrist you have to understand meds, consider interactions and medical comorbidities, handle side effects, distinguish between medical vs psychogenic issues. You will make more money and be able to treat a broader range of patients including severe mental illness. You may practice as little or or as much therapy as you wish (with skills that vary from non-existent to good, based on where you trained), but you will find patients/employers/insurance tend to see you as a prescription pad.

As a PsyD therapist, you will have jedi-level therapy skills, and treat a much more enjoyable patient population who are psychologically minded and interested in acquiring skills rather than pills.

I think the careers can be different for sure. I think clinical psychologists take care of similar populations. Though counselors in my opinion have a population of more healthy individuals.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

I am aware it is getting more competitive, however, I do not find that a reason to give up on something that could potentially be a great career for myself. If I go the DO/MD route, I plan on creating a lot of change in the mental health arena. For example seeing patients that are from a lower socioeconomic status. I want to be able to help lots of individuals and don’t want a cash only business. I truly have a passion for the specialty and I think amazing things could come from it. I could always opt out because of fear due to not matching, but then again what if I do match? And even if I didn’t, I would probably keep trying/improving chances by adding things to my resume as I went along

You adjust and you find a new interest or you reapply until you match. I personally did the former and honestly I'm very happy with where I am, so life moves on. But I similarly love medicine and being a physician. It was never psychiatry or bust for me at any point. And in the end you can practice plenty of psychiatry as a general practitioner if you desire to.

 

[mmiller1998]

You're a physician first and insert specialty second.

Two issues arise. You're going to learn 4 years of not psychiatry. If you have no interest in learning what a 10 year risk score is, how labetalol works, or the physiology of the lungs then you're going to struggle through medical school or pass boards. Go into medical school because you want to be a doctor.



I think the careers can be different for sure. I think clinical psychologists take care of similar populations. Though counselors in my opinion have a population of more healthy individuals.

I definitely feel as though I would get my PsyD if I decide not to pursue it. I think clinica psychologists play a very important role in mental health and haven’t scratched it off the list. I know psychologists can prescribe in some states and have considered this too.

 

[mmiller1998]

I definitely feel as though I would get my PsyD if I decide not to pursue it. I think clinica psychologists play a very important role in mental health and haven’t scratched it off the list. I know psychologists can prescribe in some states and have considered this too.

Clinical*
I do believe you should want to be a physician first which for me was an issue. I always cared about mental health first.. I’m aware of a psychiatrists duties, but I agree with what you are saying and often think about it myself. Don’t want to be miserable throughout the process.

 

[mmiller1998]

You adjust and you find a new interest or you reapply until you match. I personally did the former and honestly I'm very happy with where I am, so life moves on. But I similarly love medicine and being a physician. It was never psychiatry or bust for me at any point. And in the end you can practice plenty of psychiatry as a general practitioner if you desire to.

From what you are saying it sounds like getting my doctorate to become a clinical psychologist is my best bet.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

From what you are saying it sounds like getting my doctorate to become a clinical psychologist is my best bet.

I can't answer that question. I think becoming a doctor is really a great career path. I don't know if I would have been happy being a clinical psychologist either. You close doors on things.

All I know is that I'm doing something that makes me proud to do and I think I help people now more than I could have done in any other place.

 

[samac]

I am aware it is getting more competitive, however, I do not find that a reason to give up on something that could potentially be a great career for myself. If I go the DO/MD route, I plan on creating a lot of change in the mental health arena. For example seeing patients that are from a lower socioeconomic status. I want to be able to help lots of individuals and don’t want a cash only business. I truly have a passion for the specialty and I think amazing things could come from it. I could always opt out because of fear due to not matching, but then again what if I do match? And even if I didn’t, I would probably keep trying/improving chances by adding things to my resume as I went along

If working in mental health is the ultimate end all for you i probably wouldn’t go to medical school.
You can’t predict the future. I don’t know what the climate for applying to psychiatry will look like in 6 or so years.
Maybe you’ll do poorly on boards. Maybe you won’t be able to get a psych residency. Then you’re stuck going into a career you’re not interested in with a load of debt

 

[mmiller1998]

If working in mental health is the ultimate end all for you i probably wouldn’t go to medical school.
You can’t predict the future. I don’t know what the climate for applying to psychiatry will look like in 6 or so years.
Maybe you’ll do poorly on boards. Maybe you won’t be able to get a psych residency. Then you’re stuck going into a career you’re not interested in with a load of debt

That is why I’m still strongly considering a PsyD and possibly prescribing privileges as a Doctoral level clinical Psychologist with a post doc degree.

 

[mmiller1998]

That is why I’m still strongly considering a PsyD and possibly prescribing privileges as a Doctoral level clinical Psychologist with a post doc degree.

I really only want to prescribe if needed. Not all day long.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

I really only want to prescribe if needed. Not all day long.

I think you've answered your question then. Though what your describing is only a thing in certain places with certain needs. Ideally a non MD/DO shouldn't be writing prescriptions for medicines with complex interactions.

 

[thumbz]

I really only want to prescribe if needed. Not all day long.

Don't do an MD/DO then

 

[mmiller1998]

Don't do an MD/DO then

I really don’t know what I should do. I’m confused as of now.. I’m being tugged in two directions.

 

[mmiller1998]

How feasible is it to become a jedi-level therapist as a psychiatrist?

Not sure, lol

 

[deleted1066189]

thing is I don’t get why I love my psychology courses and don’t feel the same way with the premed classes. I know if I go to Med school I 100% want to do psych.

you'll certainly hate the first two years of med school more than most students then...just go for the PsyD!!

 

[Candidate2017]

How feasible is it to become a jedi-level therapist as a psychiatrist?

Depends on quality of your supervisors in residency, your aptitude, curiosity and psychological mindedness, along with willingness to constantly educate yourself by reading and pursuing additional training through paying for your own supervisor or training at psychoanalytic institutes.

 

[thepoopologist]

If you want to open a private practice and provide therapy with only occasional prescribing don't go to med school.

There are so many different avenues into mental health that (from an outpatient perspective) anyone coming to see a psychiatrist will predominately expect to see them for prescriptions.

Also the debt is enormous and the only way you will have a similar outlook after 10 years of training is if salaries don't take a hit, and you can find a reasonable situation for yourself.

 

[mmiller1998]

I think medicine is important, so I would like to do meds and therapy as I know some psychiatrists do. Long term goal is to open a private practice and take insurance to provide Support for those who can’t afford it. I think personally if you want to prescribe Med school is the best option. Yes there’s always the chance of not matching but sometimes you have to take risks in life. If you aren’t stepping out of your comfort zone it’s probably not what’s meant for you. So I’m looking into MD/DO schools. PCOM specifically.. if I decide to go that route.

 

[thepoopologist]

Now that an argument for both sides has been presented, there's no other choice but to dig in your heels I suppose.

Off to med school you go, in ten years you can come back and let us know how wrong we were.

 

[mmiller1998]

Now that an argument for both sides has been presented, there's no other choice but to dig in your heels I suppose.

Off to med school you go, in ten years you can come back and let us know how wrong we were.

How wrong you were? Sorry I’m just trying to understand. I just think since I want to do meds and therapy that it’s the best option.

 

[jhmmd]

Hello all,
I have been interested in psychiatry for quite some time and wanted to see if any other folks felt this way. It may just be the imposter syndrome I’m feeling. I am currently in the middle of my undergrad education & prior to this moment planned to become a clinical psychologist and obtain my PsyD .. as I got older, I realized psychiatrists have more options and if I would pursue this route I would have have more tools at hand. Did anyone else know they had a genuine interest in psychiatry in undergrad? How did you feel? I feel as if I get the PsyD and not the MD/DO I will most likely end up wanting to go back because of the autonomy physicians in psychiatry have. Would love to hear your experience as I feel stuck and need to make a decision soon. I’ve been struggling with this for quite some time so any insight would help. Thank you.

I don't think there's anything abnormal w/wanting to do psychiatry. Some students go off to med school det. to become surgeons; why is this any different? That being said you will need to prove that you can handle the material.

I am aware it is getting more competitive, however, I do not find that a reason to give up on something that could potentially be a great career for myself. If I go the DO/MD route, I plan on creating a lot of change in the mental health arena. For example seeing patients that are from a lower socioeconomic status. I want to be able to help lots of individuals and don’t want a cash only business. I truly have a passion for the specialty and I think amazing things could come from it. I could always opt out because of fear due to not matching, but then again what if I do match? And even if I didn’t, I would probably keep trying/improving chances by adding things to my resume as I went along

You will need a more specific reason for "why medicine." You will be learning about all different kinds of dzs in med school (somatic ones as well as psychosomatic ones), so you need to have the aptitude, determination, and interest in doing that.

Good luck with everything.

 

[TragicalDrFaust]

I’m OMS-I and also interested in psychiatry. It’s been in the back of my head since high school. I have a lot of compassion for people with mental illness and personally was able to fix my train wrecked life after starting basic psych meds. My low point was getting kicked out of college, working a minimum wage job with especially nasty customers while I was in an abusive relationship. And now? 6 years later I’m a medical student and I feel happy every day.

I want to help this happen for other people and I know I can. But I’m still open to wherever medicine takes me and I know there are lots of ways I can work with people to improve their health and quality of life. If you feel married to psychiatry, there’s a decent chance you can become a psychiatrist. That being said, I’ve worked with a family doctor who has incorporated “catching” common mental illness into her FM practice. So there are options and I believe you’ll find a way. But most people don’t end up doing exactly what they planned to do.