Love Psych, detest Internal Medicine

[Sally Jizmitton]

I am in my final year of an MD/PhD program and was excited about pursuing Psychiatry residency that incorporates basic neuroscience research.

Although I enjoy clinical Psychiatry I have been having cold feet about residency because I am currently loathing my Internal Medicine SubInternship and I despised the IMED rotation during my third year. The prospect of completing 4-6 months of this during an intern year makes me nauseous. Lately I have been considering abandoning medicine all together and pursuing postdoctoral laboratory research.

Does anyone else who is interested in Psychiatry feel this way about Internal Medicine? How do Psychiatry residents feel about this requirement and how does the rest of Psychiatry residency compare the the months spent in Internal Medicine? If you like Psychiatry but are disgusted by IMED is it still worth pursuing the Psych residency? Thanks for any advice you might have.
Sally

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[Anasazi23]

Why do you think we're all in psychiatry?

We hate medicine!

4 months isn't too bad comparing so many other residencies that require a full year of internal
i.e.
Neurology
PM&R
Anesthesia
All the IM specialties (cardio, nephro, etc)
Ophthalmology
Dermatology
Radiology
Surgery (in some ways)

At many programs, you can supplement a month of peds or clinic to take the sting out of it further. As was mentioned in some recent threads, medicine knowledge is necessary, and ensures that we're the most comprehensive mental health providers.

Welcome to psychiatry. You're among friends here (that hate medicine).

 

[Poety]

How come all these psych people are doing IM sub-I's is it a requirement? I did my sub-I in psych, I thought everyone could?

 

[50960]

Oh the irony.

 

[PublicHealth]

Oh the irony.

Say more...I have a feeling that your comment has something to do with psychologist RxP.

Psychiatrists use the argument "we are physicians" against psychologist RxP but then state "we hate medicine." As a prospective psychiatrist, this is concerning to me.

 

[Poety]

Oh the irony.

Psisci, I love medicine- I just did my sub-I in psych to get more experience! I also did most of my electives in cardiothoracic surgery so... what irony?

 

[Hurricane]

How come all these psych people are doing IM sub-I's is it a requirement? I did my sub-I in psych, I thought everyone could?

Our school requires all students to do 2 medicine AIs (acting internships aka subIs) in addition to an IM specialty month and an ambulatory month in the 4th year. If you want to do a non-IM AI in your specialty, you have to do it on top of the IM requirements. It's insane - I don't know why our IM dept has so much influence.

And FWIW, there is a big difference between hating the IM culture and hating medicine. I suspect people who say they "hate IM" really mean they hate the whole Internal Medicine heirarchy and culture, not the subject matter itself. Count me among those who hate the IM culture. Being an IM resident would be my personal hell.

And I am also in the final year of my MD/PhD, and plan to go into psych. Although being an IM resident would be my personal hell, I can put up with the culture for 4 months, and I am sure I will learn a lot of valuable things during those months, even if I hate my day-to-day life. The trade-off is worth it IMO to be a competent psychiatrist.

 

[Anasazi23]

Oh the irony.

When you've stayed up for almost two days straight, taking care of 18 sick patients, with rectals, central lines, worring about the fluid exposure you just had, getting pimped when you can't think, knowing you have 5 xrays and urgent CT's to follow up, 4 admissions waiting in the ER, hospice paging you for intractible pain, two additional detox admissions, a shortness of breath, 2 families demanding to speak to you about patients you know almost nothing about, someone vomiting blood, post surgical patient saying they can't breathe, while the pager is going off every three minutes in one night....talk to me.

It's called internship people, and it sucks....and it's medicine. The radiology prelims hate it, the psych interns hate it, the anesthesiology interns hate it, the derm prelims hate it, even the medicine categoricals hate it.

But, it's a necessary evil, doesn't mean we have to like it.

Enjoy your evening. The Two Towers is on TNT, followed by the Matrix

 

[Anasazi23]

And FWIW, there is a big difference between hating the IM culture and hating medicine. I suspect people who say they "hate IM" really mean they hate the whole Internal Medicine heirarchy and culture, not the subject matter itself. Count me among those who hate the IM culture. Being an IM resident would be my personal hell.

Amen...

This is a known thing among residents and MS's in clerkships. You either love it or hate it. I also hate the IM culture. If I liked it, I would be there, and not in psychiatry.

 

[Anasazi23]

Say more...I have a feeling that your comment has something to do with psychologist RxP.

What the hell does me not liking internal medicine have to do with rxp?

 

[Solideliquid]

Say more...I have a feeling that your comment has something to do with psychologist RxP.

Psychiatrists use the argument "we are physicians" against psychologist RxP but then state "we hate medicine." As a prospective psychiatrist, this is concerning to me.

Please dont try to hijack this thread with your RxP mania.


Wheres an air-marshal when you need one...

 

[Poety]

Our school requires all students to do 2 medicine AIs (acting internships aka subIs) in addition to an IM specialty month and an ambulatory month in the 4th year. If you want to do a non-IM AI in your specialty, you have to do it on top of the IM requirements. It's insane - I don't know why our IM dept has so much influence.

And FWIW, there is a big difference between hating the IM culture and hating medicine. I suspect people who say they "hate IM" really mean they hate the whole Internal Medicine heirarchy and culture, not the subject matter itself. Count me among those who hate the IM culture. Being an IM resident would be my personal hell.

And I am also in the final year of my MD/PhD, and plan to go into psych. Although being an IM resident would be my personal hell, I can put up with the culture for 4 months, and I am sure I will learn a lot of valuable things during those months, even if I hate my day-to-day life. The trade-off is worth it IMO to be a competent psychiatrist.

Agreed to the bold

to the red!

Now I feel like I got shafted!!! Thats what those AI's are! We have to do one sub-I and like 7000 electives I did all surgery and psych electives Can you tell I was torn? Now at my school we have to do an advanced clerkship in surgery , advanced ambulatory medicine (hated it) and neuro - the rest is all either vacation time or electives in fourth year!

You got some great experience though Hurricane, you'll be well prepared for internship I'm sure!

p.s. congrats on your PhD

 

[Poety]

Please dont try to hijack this thread with your RxP mania.


Wheres an air-marshal when you need one...

Holy Crap that was so funny solid, I woke up my baby laffin

What is with the obsession over the psych rxp with this kid anyway?

 

[Manochikitsak]

1. IM rotations help for Step 3.
2. I am still doing my IM months. My seniors tell me that I'll appreciate Psych much more after getting done with IM months.
3. IM culture- The IM morning reports involve so much "pimping" and "Monday morning Quaterbacking," but u can just watch , be amused by it all and have fun. They know u r from Psych and don't trouble u that much. IM interns get the real hard time.

 

[Milo]

Honestly, don't you think Psipsipsicisi wakes up every single morning and screams "Why the $%^* didn't I go to medical school?!?!" I really pity the poor bastid. RxP ain't gonna fill that void sipster, just suck it up and go to medical school.

 

[50960]

When my mommy begins paying for my life like you panty-wastes (poety excluded) perhaps I will. REALITY is I am married with a 13 y/o daughter to support. I do what you do with less training, and do it well.

 

[Solideliquid]

When my mommy begins paying for my life like you panty-wastes (poety excluded) perhaps I will. REALITY is I am married with a 13 y/o daughter to support. I do what you do with less training, and do it well.

And you are a mod? Someone up there really needs to be consulted about your behavior.


Furthermore, you have stated the reality of the situation beautifully. The reality is, psychologists seeking RxP and the recognition that MDs rightly hold are a pack of undertrained children. You've just been looking at mommy and daddy's new set of grown-up clothes and want a set of your own without the hard work of growing up.

 

[Anasazi23]

I can't believe I have to do this under 'these' circumstances.
This got ugly real fast. Can't say I blame 'em.
*sigh*