Psychiatry vs. Neurosurgery

[Psychoanalyzed]

I really love psychiatry but I don't know if I want to deal with people forever. I mean people talking about their problems. I can listen and advise and prescribe but I do not always like having to be nice and I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings seeing as how psychiatric patients are partly confused already. I am also interested in neurosurgery but I think that means I would have to be a surgeon. I can handle that, I just don't know how long I would be interested in operating on brains.
If I did decide to go for neurosurgery, and change my mind a few years after practicing, would it be possible to return to psychiatry then? Can they be practiced simultaneously? Stupid questions but I can't seem to answer them.

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[swifteagle43]

They both have to do with the mind and barin. I log those two in the same category. I really love psychiatry but I don't know if I want to deal with people forever. I mean people talking about their problems. I can listen and advise and prescribe but I do not always like having to be nice and I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings seeing as how psychiatric patients are partly confused already. I am also interested in neurology but I think that means I would have to be a surgeon. I can handle that, I just don't know how long I would be interested in operating on brains.
If I did decide to go for neurology, and change my mind a few years after practicing, would it be possible to return to psychiatry then? Can they be practiced simultaneously? Stupid questions but I can't seem to answer them.

are you serious? Go to medical school and you will figure it out. If you are in medical school choosing a residency then choose psychiatry. Neurology has too many lawsuits. Psychiatry is less stressful, more helpful, and less dealing with B.S.

 

[tulane06]

There are now joint residencies in Neurology/Psychiatry, you might want to look into that.

 

[tulane06]

Also, you are confusing neurology with neurosurgery. Neurology is like IM, but specializing in the nervous system.

 

[chandelantern]

They both have to do with the mind and barin. I log those two in the same category. I really love psychiatry but I don't know if I want to deal with people forever. I mean people talking about their problems. I can listen and advise and prescribe but I do not always like having to be nice and I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings seeing as how psychiatric patients are partly confused already. I am also interested in neurology but I think that means I would have to be a surgeon. I can handle that, I just don't know how long I would be interested in operating on brains.
If I did decide to go for neurology, and change my mind a few years after practicing, would it be possible to return to psychiatry then? Can they be practiced simultaneously? Stupid questions but I can't seem to answer them.

Actually I don't think you have to do a surgical residency to be a neurologist, that's only if you want to do neurosurgery. Neurologists deal with alot of neuromuscular disorders, like Parkinson's, and other neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's. I'm sure they do other things as well, like neurodevelopmental disorders (autism, etc). They probably do alot of brain imaging, but like I said I don't think they actually do any brain surgery.

Like the previous poster said, don't worry about it until you have shadowed physicians in each area and are getting ready to apply to residency programs. As far as changing your mind later...well...yes, you can, but you don't want to because you have to do residency all over again.

 

[SteelEyes]

1. Neurologists do not go anywhere near an operating room. The difference between neurology and neuosurgery is black and white.

2. You're a PREmed. It's ok to think about the future, but you should not be trying to make up your mind yet. You really don't have a good grasp on either specialty yet, so learn some more about each and every specialty before you unintentionally commit yourself to something.

 

[Psychoanalyzed]

are you serious? Go to medical school and you will figure it out. If you are in medical school choosing a residency then choose psychiatry. Neurology has too many lawsuits. Psychiatry is less stressful, more helpful, and less dealing with B.S.

Yeah, that my problem too. I hate lawsuits. Thanks for the advice.

 

[Psychoanalyzed]

1. Neurologists do not go anywhere near an operating room. The difference between neurology and neuosurgery is black and white.

2. You're a PREmed. It's ok to think about the future, but you should not be trying to make up your mind yet. You really don't have a good grasp on either specialty yet, so learn some more about each and every specialty before you unintentionally commit yourself to something.

I think I will figure out the difference eventually. I had psychology and psychiatry mixed up for the longest time. Thanks for pointing out the difference.

 

[star22]

are you serious? Go to medical school and you will figure it out. If you are in medical school choosing a residency then choose psychiatry. Neurology has too many lawsuits. Psychiatry is less stressful, more helpful, and less dealing with B.S.

Actually, I would guess that neurosurgery has a lot of lawsuits, but straight neurology probably doesn't (just seeing MS, alzheimer's, als, etc. patients in a clinic).

 

[Psychoanalyzed]

There are now joint residencies in Neurology/Psychiatry, you might want to look into that.

I actually never heard of that before but I just looked it up. Sweet but don't you kinda end up half baked not really being a specialist in either but knowing a little of both? And what happens if you decide you only like one of them?

 

[average]

A couple of real life examples followed by my advice.

1. When I started medical school, I wanted to do FP. After 3 years of medical school, I have come to realize that FP, while on the surface looking interesting, is not the field for me. I could go into the reasons, but the point being that only 3 years of school could lead me to that epifany.

2. Coming into 3rd year, I thought OBGYN would suk. I was dreading the whole clerkship. By the end of the clerkship, I had a new respect for OB and really enjoyed the experience. I may not be going into OB but can totally understand why a person would go into it.

If you have not been through medical school yet than you should not worry yourself about "what you are going to do". First, figure out if you want to be a doctor or not (don't take this decision lightly). Once you have done that, then relax and enjoy your first 3 years of medical school You absolutely will not be able to make an INFORMED decision until you get through your first 3 years. While you might think you know what you want to do, I can at the very least guarentee that your reasons for doing whatever it is that you do WILL be different.

What you are trying to do is analagous to finding your sole mate by answering an add. While you might stumble upon the right one, your rational is suspect until you meet the person/get to know them.

Don't pressure yourself. If fact it is, in my opinion, better to not speculate. Be open to ALL fields until you get a good taste of them.

Actually I don't think you have to do a surgical residency to be a neurologist, that's only if you want to do neurosurgery. Neurologists deal with alot of neuromuscular disorders, like Parkinson's, and other neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's. I'm sure they do other things as well, like neurodevelopmental disorders (autism, etc). They probably do alot of brain imaging, but like I said I don't think they actually do any brain surgery.

Like the previous poster said, don't worry about it until you have shadowed physicians in each area and are getting ready to apply to residency programs. As far as changing your mind later...well...yes, you can, but you don't want to because you have to do residency all over again.

 

[Psychoanalyzed]

A couple of real life examples followed by my advice.

1. When I started medical school, I wanted to do FP. After 3 years of medical school, I have come to realize that FP, while on the surface looking interesting, is not the field for me. I could go into the reasons, but the point being that only 3 years of school could lead me to that epifany.

2. Coming into 3rd year, I thought OBGYN would suk. I was dreading the whole clerkship. By the end of the clerkship, I had a new respect for OB and really enjoyed the experience. I may not be going into OB but can totally understand why a person would go into it.

If you have not been through medical school yet than you should not worry yourself about "what you are going to do". First, figure out if you want to be a doctor or not (don't take this decision lightly). Once you have done that, then relax and enjoy your first 3 years of medical school You absolutely will not be able to make an INFORMED decision until you get through your first 3 years. While you might think you know what you want to do, I can at the very least guarentee that your reasons for doing whatever it is that you do WILL be different.

What you are trying to do is analagous to finding your sole mate by answering an add. While you might stumble upon the right one, your rational is suspect until you meet the person/get to know them.

Don't pressure yourself. If fact it is, in my opinion, better to not speculate. Be open to ALL fields until you get a good taste of them.

Smart thinking. I am just a compulsive worrier.

 

[El Chupacabra]

1. Neurologists do not go anywhere near an operating room. The difference between neurology and neuosurgery is black and white.

This is not necessarily true. Although Neurologist are not invasive, they do occassionally work with NS in the OR. I have worked with a NS who called in a Neurologist to hook up a brain graft to her computer for analysis. I thought that was pretty cool. Rare, but it does happen...and whats the old addage?

Neurologists know everything and do nothing
Neurosurgeons know nothing and do everything
Psychiatrists know nothing and do nothing
Pathologists are just too late

 

[Packamylase]

Smart thinking. I am just a compulsive worrier.

Sounds like you've been psychoanalyzed enough! 😉

 

[Psychoanalyzed]

Sounds like you've been psychoanalyzed enough! 😉

Yep, I gotta agree with you. 😉

 

[WhiteRussian]

Neurologists know everything and do nothing
Neurosurgeons know nothing and do everything
Psychiatrists know nothing and do nothing
Pathologists are just too late

Nice, that pretty much settles it.

 

[omgwtfbbq?]

hey! compulsive worriers probably make the best psychiatrists!!! I'm one too. We'll be able to relate to our future patients. hehehe

 

[funshine]

does anyone here love neuroscience but hate the idea of practicing neurology/psychiatry? I love learning about synaptic plasticity, neural networks and all the nitty-gritty details, but it seems unlikely I'll ever get to apply this sort of knowledge in clinic...what do people like me do? Go into academic medicine and do straight research?

 

[dbhvt]

Hey, no need to jump on the OP for asking about specialties while he's premed. I don't think there is anything wrong with thinking about this early. Clearly s/he's not going to make a definitive decision yet, but it can't hurt to think about different options now. I think it's great that the OP is asking questions now.

 

[Zoom-Zoom]

does anyone here love neuroscience but hate the idea of practicing neurology/psychiatry? I love learning about synaptic plasticity, neural networks and all the nitty-gritty details, but it seems unlikely I'll ever get to apply this sort of knowledge in clinic...what do people like me do? Go into academic medicine and do straight research?

I feel the same way. Love, love, love neuroscience. Not too sure if I would like Neurolgy. Dealing with strokes all day, helping epileptics, etc. Who knows... you never know until you start doing rotations..

 

[Firebird]

I really love psychiatry but I don't know if I want to deal with people forever. I mean people talking about their problems. I can listen and advise and prescribe but I do not always like having to be nice and I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings seeing as how psychiatric patients are partly confused already. I am also interested in neurosurgery but I think that means I would have to be a surgeon. I can handle that, I just don't know how long I would be interested in operating on brains.
If I did decide to go for neurosurgery, and change my mind a few years after practicing, would it be possible to return to psychiatry then? Can they be practiced simultaneously? Stupid questions but I can't seem to answer them.

1. How do you know you love psychiatry?
2. If you don't always like being nice, then you should go into something where there is no patient contact. Doctors really need to be nice to their patients and if you tick your patients off and then something happens to them, they will sue you. But it's not about avoiding litigation...it's about being nice because that's the right thing to do. Now you can make fun of me for being sappy.
3. Neurosurgeons are definitely surgeons, but they don't exactly go through a general surgery residency.
4. Get into medical school and then you can start worrying about all of the above.

 

[Psychoanalyzed]

1. How do you know you love psychiatry?
2. If you don't always like being nice, then you should go into something where there is no patient contact. Doctors really need to be nice to their patients and if you tick your patients off and then something happens to them, they will sue you. But it's not about avoiding litigation...it's about being nice because that's the right thing to do. Now you can make fun of me for being sappy.
3. Neurosurgeons are definitely surgeons, but they don't exactly go through a general surgery residency.
4. Get into medical school and then you can start worrying about all of the above.

When I say I love psychiatry, I mean I love the complexities of the mind. If I could take out people's minds and deal with it separate from them, then I would be fine. But I have worked customer service, I haven't actually hit any customer though I wished I could so I do believe I can control myself...or I can see beyond a patient and see the patient's way of thinking. I am not that mean, I just like to come across that way...Maybe I need to see a psychiatrist...

 

[dbhvt]

1. How do you know you love psychiatry?
2. If you don't always like being nice, then you should go into something where there is no patient contact. Doctors really need to be nice to their patients and if you tick your patients off and then something happens to them, they will sue you. But it's not about avoiding litigation...it's about being nice because that's the right thing to do. Now you can make fun of me for being sappy.
3. Neurosurgeons are definitely surgeons, but they don't exactly go through a general surgery residency.
4. Get into medical school and then you can start worrying about all of the above.

Really. Was this post helpful?

I think there are comparatively few people who deal well with having to be nice all day every day, and I don't think you have to be one of these to be a doc with patient contact. There's a spectrum of face-time, that may very well have psychiatry on one extreme and pathology on the other, with surgery being closer to path than psych (but what do I know?). If you don't want to keep a smile on your face all day, you might lean toward less face time, but there's no need to say s/he's going to have to hang out in the lab all day.