Psychology or Medical school?

[Linanl123]

I like the subjects that are thaught in psychology, I even read them in my spare time.

On the other hand I would see myself working as a doctor more (even when I like the subjects less) than working as an psychologist..

Any thoughts?

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[italiancowgirl]

What research have you done on the two fields? Go shadow, ask questions and research. This is your question to answer so go do the footwork to more clearly understand it.

 

[DrMikeP]

I like the subjects that are thaught in psychology, I even read them in my spare time.

On the other hand I would see myself working as a doctor more (even when I like the subjects less) than working as an psychologist..

Any thoughts?

Shadow definitely.

I'm a Medical Psychologist and have worked in a medical team in hospital and outpatient settings. I had credentials in dept of psychiatry and was treated on par as the psychiatrists. That said, a degree in psychology is limiting in scope of practice in some medical areas and broader in others in assessment.

So it really depends on you and what you want for a career. If you just want to do therapy, forensics, and diagnostics a degree in psychology is great. Personally, I wanted more medical opportunity and that requires an MD or DO.

I'd recommend going medicine to anyone but it depends on your passion. I will say this, plan on 4-5 yrs of school and 1yr internship and 1-2 of residency, so time wise the two aren't that far apart. Cost wise there isn't that much difference either. Salary wise many Psychologists start out at 60-90K/yr when done with residency. The money is in private practice BUT you must know the business end to make that. It also takes time to get established.

I'd been happy to answer any specific questions.

Best of luck

PS. Also look at the challenge in internship placements in Psychology. You must do an internship to graduate and almost 30% of students can't place at an internship the first go around, so that means getting stuck for another year.

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[Okazaki Frag Grenade]

Shadow definitely.

I'm a Medical Psychologist and have worked in a medical team in hospital and outpatient settings. I had credentials in dept of psychiatry and was treated on par as the psychiatrists. That said, a degree in psychology is limiting in scope of practice in some medical areas and broader in others in assessment.

So it really depends on you and what you want for a career. If you just want to do therapy, forensics, and diagnostics a degree in psychology is great. Personally, I wanted more medical opportunity and that requires an MD or DO.

I'd recommend going medicine to anyone but it depends on your passion. I will say this, plan on 4-5 yrs of school and 1yr internship and 1-2 of residency, so time wise the two aren't that far apart. Cost wise there isn't that much difference either. Salary wise many Psychologists start out at 60-90K/yr when done with residency. The money is in private practice BUT you must know the business end to make that. It also takes time to get established.

I'd been happy to answer any specific questions.

Best of luck

PS. Also look at the challenge in internship placements in Psychology. You must do an internship to graduate and almost 30% of students can't place at an internship the first go around, so that means getting stuck for another year.

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@Linanl123 I worked in psychology at the master's level before making the switch so I'll jump in here too.

To piggy back a couple points here, especially as it relates to that internship bottleneck. The APA has been making moves that will require all doctoral level psychologists to complete an APA accredited internship program to gain licensure. I'm not 100% sure if that was passed, or if it was, when it takes effect. So if you are starting to go down the psych route for grad school, be sure to check the match rates for internship placement at that school with regards to APA internships and non-APA internships.

And you should also know that psych PhD programs are incredibly competitive, perhaps even more than some medical programs. You'll need significant research experience and good clinical experience to be competitive, along with a strong GPA and a solid GRE score. I say all that just to say that psychology, if it's at a good program, will be just as difficult to get into as medical school (in my opinion at least).

 

[DrMikeP]

@Linanl123 I worked in psychology at the master's level before making the switch so I'll jump in here too.

To piggy back a couple points here, especially as it relates to that internship bottleneck. The APA has been making moves that will require all doctoral level psychologists to complete an APA accredited internship program to gain licensure. I'm not 100% sure if that was passed, or if it was, when it takes effect. So if you are starting to go down the psych route for grad school, be sure to check the match rates for internship placement at that school with regards to APA internships and non-APA internships.

And you should also know that psych PhD programs are incredibly competitive, perhaps even more than some medical programs. You'll need significant research experience and good clinical experience to be competitive, along with a strong GPA and a solid GRE score. I say all that just to say that psychology, if it's at a good program, will be just as difficult to get into as medical school (in my opinion at least).

Competition varies with programs. There are some accredited progs that let in anyone with money but quality varies greatly.

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[Okazaki Frag Grenade]

Competition varies with programs. There are some accredited progs that let in anyone with money but quality varies greatly.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

Oh for sure. I should have clarified that the good PhD programs at major universities are the competitive ones. Most of the PsyD mills (e.g. Argosy, Alliant, etc) will take anyone breathing like you said, but those should be avoided, particularly with the insane debt one would accumulate and then the poor match rate to the APA internships.

 

[PsychScience]

Oh for sure. I should have clarified that the good PhD programs at major universities are the competitive ones. Most of the PsyD mills (e.g. Argosy, Alliant, etc) will take anyone breathing like you said, but those should be avoided, particularly with the insane debt one would accumulate and then the poor match rate to the APA internships.

The good PsyD programs at major universities are also pretty competitive 😉

But yes to all of the above...

 

[Linanl123]

Thanks people 🙂

I've always wanted to be a doctor.. ever since I could breathe I just pictured myself in that white coat.
And now, after law school, it's still a dream. Even though I can't really motivate it besides helping people and setting my own practice.

I'm not in the US so the specifics of getting in will vary.

I'm just torn..I would like to go to medical school..
But I'm 25 now and think it's too hard.. I really never had someone that believes I can do it

 

[DrMikeP]

Thanks people 🙂

I've always wanted to be a doctor.. ever since I could breathe I just pictured myself in that white coat.
And now, after law school, it's still a dream. Even though I can't really motivate it besides helping people and setting my own practice.

I'm not in the US so the specifics of getting in will vary.

I'm just torn..I would like to go to medical school..
But I'm 25 now and think it's too hard.. I really never had someone that believes I can do it

Both Psychologists and Physicians are doctors and in a majority of hospitals/clinical both wear white coats. 25 is irrelevant and getting a doctorate in psychology is also not a walk in the park in comparison to medicine, so don't make the mistake I've seen many make thinking it would be easy. Pursue what you dream, as either will take 7 yrs plus and much hard work. Take the premed courses and see how you do, shadow and see which one feels the best for your future. Don't wait on others to believe in you or you are on the path to failure, as many will always find whatever you are doing to be wrong. Worse case you can always change your mind later and you'll be much older and perhaps wiser. Never know you might decide you like accounting better by that point. Best of luck!

 

[Linanl123]

Both Psychologists and Physicians are doctors and in a majority of hospitals/clinical both wear white coats. 25 is irrelevant and getting a doctorate in psychology is also not a walk in the park in comparison to medicine, so don't make the mistake I've seen many make thinking it would be easy. Pursue what you dream, as either will take 7 yrs plus and much hard work. Take the premed courses and see how you do, shadow and see which one feels the best for your future. Don't wait on others to believe in you or you are on the path to failure, as many will always find whatever you are doing to be wrong. Worse case you can always change your mind later and you'll be much older and perhaps wiser. Never know you might decide you like accounting better by that point. Best of luck!

Thanks for the advice 🙂 I agree..both are not easy..
but I really don't think I'd like to practice psychology..I just like the knowledge/books

What made you choose for Med school?

 

[Linanl123]

@Linanl123 I worked in psychology at the master's level before making the switch so I'll jump in here too.

To piggy back a couple points here, especially as it relates to that internship bottleneck. The APA has been making moves that will require all doctoral level psychologists to complete an APA accredited internship program to gain licensure. I'm not 100% sure if that was passed, or if it was, when it takes effect. So if you are starting to go down the psych route for grad school, be sure to check the match rates for internship placement at that school with regards to APA internships and non-APA internships.

And you should also know that psych PhD programs are incredibly competitive, perhaps even more than some medical programs. You'll need significant research experience and good clinical experience to be competitive, along with a strong GPA and a solid GRE score. I say all that just to say that psychology, if it's at a good program, will be just as difficult to get into as medical school (in my opinion at least).

What made you choose for medical school in the end?

 

[DrMikeP]

What made you choose for medical school in the end?

As a medical psychologist I worked closely with the drs in the ER, palliative care, oncology, etc and every chance possible was right there for procedures and always loved the opportunity when one of the physicians asked me to assist or often I'd see patients and look at the labs and go ummmm when was the last time a pt had xyz, because we have a problem quickly developing here. While I could write orders within my scope of practice I often found it frustrating when I was unable to do something the patient needed but I didn't have the education/license to support my decision. So I would get the nurse to or call the attending myself to get things accomplished. That and I just find medicine much more intellectually challenging, so decided I would add a DO to my PsyD.

 

[Goro]

Don't know the specifics of where you're located, but the real question is: do YOU believe that you can do it????



But I'm 25 now and think it's too hard.. I really never had someone that believes I can do it[/QUOTE]