Primary care psychiatry??

[235750]

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Hi everyone,

I am considering working for the NHSC and other similar organizations in the future. On information sheets I keep seeing a term thrown around that I'm not familiar with. Many applications say that potential employees will be practicing "primary care psychiatry"

What in the world does this mean?

Now, I get it when the term is applied to other specialties. For example, a primary care orientated OB/GYN might do more deliveries and prenatal exams and perhaps less hymenoplasties and IVF implantations. That makes sense. In my head, 'less procedures = primary care work'. They also hinted at more paper work. Fair enough

But....psych? While I'm not against ECT, I don't really see myself using it very often, so besides that what procedures could possibly be restricted (or added?) in psychiatry? Does anyone out there consider themselves a primary care psychiatrist? What do you do differently? Less time per pt perhaps?

Or are they referring to the fact that you'll work with a disadvantaged population with no academic research potential? In which case, isn't that just community medicine? To me, the words 'primary care' denote a way of treating patients that is separate from their demographics

I'll stop talking now as I'm just rambling 🙂 Thanks!

 

[Doc Samson]

Hi everyone,

I am considering working for the NHSC and other similar organizations in the future. On information sheets I keep seeing a term thrown around that I'm not familiar with. Many applications say that potential employees will be practicing "primary care psychiatry"

What in the world does this mean?

Now, I get it when the term is applied to other specialties. For example, a primary care orientated OB/GYN might do more deliveries and prenatal exams and perhaps less hymenoplasties and IVF implantations. That makes sense. In my head, 'less procedures = primary care work'. They also hinted at more paper work. Fair enough

But....psych? While I'm not against ECT, I don't really see myself using it very often, so besides that what procedures could possibly be restricted (or added?) in psychiatry? Does anyone out there consider themselves a primary care psychiatrist? What do you do differently? Less time per pt perhaps?

Or are they referring to the fact that you'll work with a disadvantaged population with no academic research potential? In which case, isn't that just community medicine? To me, the words 'primary care' denote a way of treating patients that is separate from their demographics

I'll stop talking now as I'm just rambling 🙂 Thanks!

I've always equated "primary care psychiatry" with "outpatient psychiatry." So, not inpatient, not CL.

 

[michaelrack]

"Primary Care Psychiatry" has several definitions. One is the treatment of psychiatric illness by FP/IM primary care docs:

http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/162/2/414

 

[235750]

I've always equated "primary care psychiatry" with "outpatient psychiatry." So, not inpatient, not CL.

So psychiatry is considered a primary care field as long as you don't have the capabilities to admit them? I had no idea. Is this the consensus of the field, a new trend in terminology, etc?

"Primary Care Psychiatry" has several definitions. One is the treatment of psychiatric illness by FP/IM primary care docs

These job opportunities are specifically for people with a residency in psychiatry though. I read though that link and it seemed you are right, it's more of a term for IM doctors who play psychiatrists. So it only deepens the mystery if you apply it to real shrinks

If anyone out there considers themselves to be a primary care psychiatrist, please let me know what you do! Thanks

 

[michaelrack]

These job opportunities are specifically for people with a residency in psychiatry though.

Maybe the job ads mean that they want you to practice psychiatry, but get paid the lower amount that a primary care doc typically makes

 

[whopper]

This is like those times when you're in a hospital, and they call the IM doctor the "medical doctor" even though every single doctor in the hospital is a medical doctor, or they call the IM doctor the physician, and do not refer the psychiatrist as a physician, even though both are physicians....