PsyD vs. medical school?

[cutecumber3]

I’m torn between whether to pursue medical school or a PsyD. I feel like I have a lot of conflicting things to consider. Has anyone ever navigated a similar question? How did you decide?

My thought process:

• I absolutely love clinical work. I despise research and find it monotonous. I primarily want to work with clients/patients.
• Psychology is my primary passion.
• I also love medicine. I could learn about various medical topics, from neurology to urology, all day long.
• I suck at math. Truly, I’m at a fifth grade level. I haven’t taken any chemistry courses yet but I suspect I will do terribly.
• I have a current 4.0 GPA in undergrad, but I haven’t yet taken any chemistry or upper level biology courses. I breezed through my psych requirements. (But maybe if I get a C in ochem, my current GPA will cushion it.)
• I have multiple disabilities that render me unable to stand for long periods of time, unable to bend over (such as to perform CPR), and I have frequent flare ups which leave me bedridden for days. I am generally medically fragile, so I worry that medical school would be too physically demanding for me. I also worry that being matched into a residency program across the country would impossible for me, as I firstly cannot drive, and I secondly need to stay local to my specialists.
• I haven’t felt challenged in psychology in a while. It just clicks for me with minimal studying. I still love the field, but medicine excites me and my future feels somewhat empty without it.
• Within the field of psychology, conducting assessments and evaluating patients for a diagnosis appeals to me above all else. I’ve read that psychiatrists don’t typically do this.
• I would love to dual-specialize in neurology if I take the medical school route, because that will incorporate the physical aspect of medicine with the psychological.
• I can barely get through the biology labs at my university because they’re 100 degrees and require a lot of standing and leaning over, which greatly affects my health.
• I’ve been in a lot of leadership positions, research positions, and had a solid amount of clinical experiences, so I feel like I have a solid foundation to work towards a PsyD or an MD/DO.

Has anyone been in a similar predicament? Most of the forums I’ve read can be summed up to, “If you have any interest in medicine at all, go to med school” but I feel like it’s a bit more complex in my situation. Can a clinical psych degree (or possibly a neuropsychology degree) fulfill that itch to study medicine? Is medical school extremely physically demanding (can someone with chronic illnesses survive)?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[psych.meout]

I’m torn between whether to pursue medical school or a PsyD. I feel like I have a lot of conflicting things to consider. Has anyone ever navigated a similar question? How did you decide?

My thought process:

• I absolutely love clinical work. I despise research and find it monotonous. I primarily want to work with clients/patients.
• Psychology is my primary passion.
• I also love medicine. I could learn about various medical topics, from neurology to urology, all day long.
• I suck at math. Truly, I’m at a fifth grade level. I haven’t taken any chemistry courses yet but I suspect I will do terribly.
• I have a current 4.0 GPA in undergrad, but I haven’t yet taken any chemistry or upper level biology courses. I breezed through my psych requirements. (But maybe if I get a C in ochem, my current GPA will cushion it.)
• I have multiple disabilities that render me unable to stand for long periods of time, unable to bend over (such as to perform CPR), and I have frequent flare ups which leave me bedridden for days. I am generally medically fragile, so I worry that medical school would be too physically demanding for me. I also worry that being matched into a residency program across the country would impossible for me, as I firstly cannot drive, and I secondly need to stay local to my specialists.
• I haven’t felt challenged in psychology in a while. It just clicks for me with minimal studying. I still love the field, but medicine excites me and my future feels somewhat empty without it.
• Within the field of psychology, conducting assessments and evaluating patients for a diagnosis appeals to me above all else. I’ve read that psychiatrists don’t typically do this.
• I would love to dual-specialize in neurology if I take the medical school route, because that will incorporate the physical aspect of medicine with the psychological.
• I can barely get through the biology labs at my university because they’re 100 degrees and require a lot of standing and leaning over, which greatly affects my health.
• I’ve been in a lot of leadership positions, research positions, and had a solid amount of clinical experiences, so I feel like I have a solid foundation to work towards a PsyD or an MD/DO.

Has anyone been in a similar predicament? Most of the forums I’ve read can be summed up to, “If you have any interest in medicine at all, go to med school” but I feel like it’s a bit more complex in my situation. Can a clinical psych degree (or possibly a neuropsychology degree) fulfill that itch to study medicine? Is medical school extremely physically demanding (can someone with chronic illnesses survive)?

You need to be able to do math for grad school. My first stats class in grad school had us do stats by hand, which would have been impossible without being at least somewhat good at math.

Being unable to move or drive is going to be a huge impediment as well. Most people move for doctoral training and it's very common to move multiple times (e.g., grad school, internship, post doc, first job). Being unwilling or unable to move is going to hinder your chances of matching for internship and otherwise limit your training and career, especially if you are trying to match for neuropsych internships and post docs. Being unable to drive is even more limiting because you need to be able to get between class, lab, practicum, etc. during grad school and you need to be able to get to and from clinic during internship and post doc.

 

[RockClimberMed]

Math and chemistry are fundamental to pursuing MD/DO. Have you shadowed many physicians? The job can be extremely physically demanding with long hours of standing numerous days in a row. Additionally, going in with a mindset of only pursuing a very small field of medicine (neurology or psychiatry) may be troublesome because you will be expected learn about many more fields during your 4 years. Not to say its bad to have an idea of what you want to do, but you will spend the majority of medical school learning about other specialties and that can be much harder if you're not open to a potential career in them.

I don't mean to discourage you from choosing MD/DO, but your post makes me think you may find more fulfillment in a PhD program focusing on neuropsych research or a PsyD. Shadowing a physician (and not just a neurologist or psychiatrist) for a few shifts would be my advice.

 

[cutecumber3]

You need to be able to do math for grad school. My first stats class in grad school had us do stats by hand, which would have been impossible without being at least somewhat good at math.

Being unable to move or drive is going to be a huge impediment as well. Most people move for doctoral training and it's very common to move multiple times (e.g., grad school, internship, post doc, first job). Being unwilling or unable to move is going to hinder your chances of matching for internship and otherwise limit your training and career, especially if you are trying to match for neuropsych internships and post docs. Being unable to drive is even more limiting because you need to be able to get between class, lab, practicum, etc. during grad school and you need to be able to get to and from clinic during internship and post doc.

Do you think it would be possible for me to find some way to navigate between classes and labs using public transportation or a mobility scooter/wheelchair? Or is that unrealistic?

I’m not too concerned about statistics, as I’ve managed to get A’s in my undergrad stats classes. I feel like if I put a ton of effort into it, I could get my math skills up to at least a passable level.

I’ve worked so hard pull off the GPA that I have, and pursuing some sort of clinical education is a dream of mine, so I’m really doing all I can to find a loophole that would allow me to do so with my disabilities. It feels horrible to think that I might be unable to choose my future due to my health.

 

[cutecumber3]

Math and chemistry are fundamental to pursuing MD/DO. Have you shadowed many physicians? The job can be extremely physically demanding with long hours of standing numerous days in a row. Additionally, going in with a mindset of only pursuing a very small field of medicine (neurology or psychiatry) may be troublesome because you will be expected learn about many more fields during your 4 years. Not to say its bad to have an idea of what you want to do, but you will spend the majority of medical school learning about other specialties and that can be much harder if you're not open to a potential career in them.

I don't mean to discourage you from choosing MD/DO, but your post makes me think you may find more fulfillment in a PhD program focusing on neuropsych research or a PsyD. Shadowing a physician (and not just a neurologist or psychiatrist) for a few shifts would be my advice.

I’ve shadowed physicians in all specialties and I love medicine as a whole! I fully enjoy learning about all medical related fields. I only mentioned neuro because I know that psych/neuro often go hand in hand, and psych has always been my favorite field. I would want to incorporate my love of medicine and physiology into psychology somehow, and neuro seems like the most obvious way to do that.

 

[FutureCycologist]

The geographic limitations seems like they are going to be the largest factor imo. I would not recommend an online paid PsyD, even if it would be convenient. It seems like medicine is your preferred avenue, so the question is if there is a medical school in your area that would work. There are stories of medical students with disabilities graduating and placing in specialties that do not require activity that is beyond their means. From what you're saying, you wouldn't be a bad candidate on paper; a couple of good recs from physicians and a solid MCAT, and you're off to the races for a chance.

From the psych perspective, part of being a psychologist is assuming the mantle of a psychologist and not cosplaying as a physician. In this way, I hardly consider a PsyD an alternative for an MD so far as it is a completely separate role and pathway. Psychologists can and do take part in medically-related research but provide psychological/neuropsychological expertise. I think that when we acknowledge that they are separate, equitably contributing roles, then we have better relationships between the specialties. I was studying for the MCAT when I switched to clinical psych. I don't regret it in the slightest, I was saying the opposite of almost everything you said here.

I would also say that clinical psych education is far from a breeze. Either (PsyD or MD) will be an intense demand on time, mental fortitude, and physical health.

Don't downsell your ability to handle the challenge and source out accommodation! Go for what you want!

 

[WisNeuro]

The "frequent flareups that will leave me bedridden for days" makes me think that these may not be the best career choices. Best bet would be a private practice position for flexibility, but even then, if I am frequently cancelling/rescheduling evals and/or feedbacks, my referral sources are definitely going to look elsewhere.

 

[tr]

• I have multiple disabilities that render me unable to stand for long periods of time, unable to bend over (such as to perform CPR), and I have frequent flare ups which leave me bedridden for days. I am generally medically fragile, so I worry that medical school would be too physically demanding for me. I also worry that being matched into a residency program across the country would impossible for me, as I firstly cannot drive, and I secondly need to stay local to my specialists.

This is a no-go. You won't get half way through your major clinical year with this type of limitation, never mind a residency.

You need to be able to work 24-30 hour shifts without a break, mostly on your feet, and you definitely cannot routinely bail out of your assigned shifts with zero notice because generally speaking, there is nobody else available to cover your patients.

• Is medical school extremely physically demanding (can someone with chronic illnesses survive)?

People with some types of chronic illnesses can survive, as long as they are well-managed (I'm thinking like hypothyroidism, diabetes, maybe even MS given the more recently available treatments).

The types of limitations you describe are incompatible with completing a medical education.

 

[PsyDr]

1) I really don’t think that physical disabilities would prevent you from entering either profession. One psychologist SDNer is in a wheelchair, and there’s that TV show where the lady with dwarfism is a well respected physician of some sort. They figured it out. It stands to reason that you could too.

2) The entire geographic limitations is a hard NO in both professions.

3) training has some requirements that you can’t get around

A. As a psychology student: You will have to do 2-4 years of part time clinical work, and 1-2 years of full time clinical work. And there is a time limit, so you can’t do this over 10 years.

B. As a medical student you have to do 2-3 years of semi part time clinical work, and 3-10 years of full time clinical work. As a physician, you’d be hard pressed to find a job or residency that is part time, and has no call schedule.

4) there is no such thing as a neuropsychology phd. They no longer exist, and haven’t for almost 20 years.

5) Both professions are based upon production. You make money by seeing patients. You would be wise to consider the feasibility of entering into any profession whose income is tied to your productivity.

 

[DarkBluMage]

1) I really don’t think that physical disabilities would prevent you from entering either profession. One psychologist SDNer is in a wheelchair, and there’s that TV show where the lady with dwarfism is a well respected physician of some sort. They figured it out. It stands to reason that you could too.

2) The entire geographic limitations is a hard NO in both professions.

3) training has some requirements that you can’t get around

A. As a psychology student: You will have to do 2-4 years of part time clinical work, and 1-2 years of full time clinical work. And there is a time limit, so you can’t do this over 10 years.

B. As a medical student you have to do 2-3 years of semi part time clinical work, and 3-10 years of full time clinical work. As a physician, you’d be hard pressed to find a job or residency that is part time, and has no call schedule.

4) there is no such thing as a neuropsychology phd. They no longer exist, and haven’t for almost 20 years.

5) Both professions are based upon production. You make money by seeing patients. You would be wise to consider the feasibility of entering into any profession whose income is tied to your productivity.

Medical students aren’t part-time when it comes to the clinical portion of their responsibilities. Some clerkships had me pulling 50-70hrs for the more demanding ones and 40hrs for the less demanding ones and you’re still expected to keep up with your studies. Some days I had 24hr call or worked 13-14hrs straight. Depending on contracts at your institution you may have to travel within your city for different rotations. Residency is another ball game entirely and is far worse in terms of demands.

OP whether or not you’ll able to be able to complete medical school is based on how accommodating they are able to be in day to day demands and how well you can manage your flareups without you ending up falling too far behind to salvage your education. Medical school also exacerbates chronic illnesses. If your illness is not well controlled before entering med school it doesn’t bode well for your ability to graduate successfully or get past the clinical years.

 

[Sanman]

As someone who had to make this decision with a chronic illness that is not nearly as debilitating as yours, I think that either path would be a challenge for you.
1. Both require driving in most cases to get to classes, practica, etc. You will often need to be in more than one of these places in a single day.
2. Both require moves for internship/residency/fellowship to be competitive and often require long hours with deadlines for exams, papers, etc.
3. Things may have changed in the decades since I was in your shoes, but I generally found faculty disinterested in accommodating my medical issues even when I had a serious medical problem. Some may help and others may choose to torpedo your budding career.
4. If you choose the field of clinical psych, you may run into health insurance issues. For example, if you decide to take an extra year to complete your dissertation, you may not qualify for university health insurance coverage. Private practice (the most flexible area of practice) usually has no health insurance benefits and you need to supply your own. This may be a problem in the future if anything happens to Obama care/federal exchanges.

All this is to say, I would think long and hard about what you need out of a career (Do you need employer health coverage/W-2 status? Do you need predictable hours and rest to manage your own health condition?)

There are many different fields that meet your requirements. You might start by taking some Chem and math requirements and seeing how you do. Getting a C in O-chem is often enough to sink your med school chances before you even stress about the direction you want. There are many different healthcare careers, try them out by volunteering or taking a field placement through school.

 

[psych.meout]

Do you think it would be possible for me to find some way to navigate between classes and labs using public transportation or a mobility scooter/wheelchair? Or is that unrealistic?

Yes, using an assistive device is very feasible. One of my friends in grad school used one and did great. Public transit is going to be a bigger issue. Outside of a few major metro areas like NYC, Chicago, the Bay Area, etc., most places don't have reliable and comprehensive public transit sufficient to do practicum. That means you either need to drive or you're significantly restricting on where you're applying, and the availability of public transit is a poor basis for fit. This becomes even more complex when it comes to internship.

The flare ups and being bedridden are going to be huge problems, as previously mentioned. Even just for practicum it can make things difficult, e.g., getting sufficient hours to be competitive for internship.

 

[smalltownpsych]

Most of my psychology classes weren‘t challenging until I got to grad school. Not surprising since it’s watered down to let the average student pass since it is the most popular undergrad major. Pursuing a doctorate is not possible for everyone regardless of abilities or disabilities. Some very capable people decide they can’t hack it and some people with lots of challenges can make it. My biggest red flag is the despise research par. If you just mean you hate writing papers, welcome to the club, but for me I love everything else about research. Also, assessments involves a lot of report writing which is one reason I have limited those in my own career.

 

[cutecumber3]

You need to be able to work 24-30 hour shifts without a break, mostly on your feet, and you definitely cannot routinely bail out of your assigned shifts with zero notice because generally speaking, there is nobody else available to cover your patients.

Surely this isn’t entirely true, as wheelchairs should be accommodated and cover the inability to stand for long periods of time.
I’ve also never heard of a shift as long as 30 straight hours. Where did you experience that, if you don’t mind me asking?

 

[cutecumber3]

Most of my psychology classes weren‘t challenging until I got to grad school. Not surprising since it’s watered down to let the average student pass since it is the most popular undergrad major. Pursuing a doctorate is not possible for everyone regardless of abilities or disabilities. Some very capable people decide they can’t hack it and some people with lots of challenges can make it. My biggest red flag is the despise research par. If you just mean you hate writing papers, welcome to the club, but for me I love everything else about research. Also, assessments involves a lot of report writing which is one reason I have limited those in my own career.

I don’t mind writing, but the research I’ve participated in so far is so bland. I’m more interested in topics that aren’t offered at my university. Does grad school offer a bit more freedom when choosing research topics?

 

[RockClimberMed]

Surely this isn’t entirely true, as wheelchairs should be accommodated and cover the inability to stand for long periods of time.
I’ve also never heard of a shift as long as 30 straight hours. Where did you experience that, if you don’t mind me asking?

Schools publish a set of technical standards that each student must meet for admission that supersede accommodation of disability. For example here is a short excerpt from HMS' technical standards and disability accommodation guidelines.

"Candidates must, after a reasonable period of training, possess the capacity to independently perform physical examinations and diagnostic maneuvers, e.g., palpation, auscultation, percussion and other diagnostic maneuvers. A candidate must be able to respond to clinical situations in a timely manner and provide direct general and emergency treatment to patients in a range of situations and conditions. Examples include cardiopulmonary resuscitation; the administration of intravenous medication; the application of pressure to stop bleeding; the opening of obstructed airways; the suturing of simple wounds and the performance of simple obstetrical maneuvers, among others."

I have multiple disabilities that render me unable to stand for long periods of time, unable to bend over (such as to perform CPR), and I have frequent flare ups which leave me bedridden for days. I am generally medically fragile

Here is an excerpt from their accommodation of disability:

"Candidates still must be able to perform the Technical Standards outlined above with or without reasonable accommodations. If a student, with or without reasonable accommodation, cannot satisfy these Technical Standards or if the disability would interfere with patient or peer safety or otherwise impede their ability to complete the undifferentiated HMS program and advance to graduation, residency training or licensure, then the student may be separated, discontinued or dismissed from the program."

This is just an example of one school so it may be worth it to look into individual school's technical standards that you would be likely to apply to as they will all differ slightly. Do not underestimate the physical toll of medical school. I'm only an M1 not even in clinical rotations yet and I've noticed my body has new aches and pains every day lol

 

[tr]

Surely this isn’t entirely true, as wheelchairs should be accommodated and cover the inability to stand for long periods of time.

Medical training involves a lot of highly physical work. Some things could presumably be accommodated but definitely not all.
Someone who was wheelchair bound would probably just not do certain procedures (like cardiopulmonary resuscitation or surgical assists) and would have to pick a more cognitive specialty where the ability to do procedures wasn't an issue. That's different from unpredictably bedridden though.

I’ve also never heard of a shift as long as 30 straight hours. Where did you experience that, if you don’t mind me asking?

28-30 hour shifts are completely standard in medical residencies and pretty much every practicing physician has done them.
Legislation introduced the 30 hour cap in 2003. Prior to that, longer shifts were not uncommon.

 

[summerbabe]

Psychologist perspective here:

I suck at math. Truly, I’m at a fifth grade level. I haven’t taken any chemistry courses yet but I suspect I will do terribly.

I have a current 4.0 GPA in undergrad, but I haven’t yet taken any chemistry or upper level biology courses. I breezed through my psych requirements. (But maybe if I get a C in ochem, my current GPA will cushion it.)

Your current GPA is great, congrats! But it also seems like you’ve intentionally avoided premed courses in areas where you think you’ll struggle. I’d really recommend taking Chem 1 asap in case you need to withdraw or retake anything in that sequence. And also whatever math prerequisites you might still need in order to take calc and stats if you haven’t done those yet.

I absolutely love clinical work. I despise research and find it monotonous. I primarily want to work with clients/patients.

I have multiple disabilities that render me unable to stand for long periods of time, unable to bend over (such as to perform CPR), and I have frequent flare ups which leave me bedridden for days. I am generally medically fragile, so I worry that medical school would be too physically demanding for me.

Since you raised some questions about accommodations and medical/clinical training, the dynamic shifts when education/work becomes patient care related.

So far, your education has solely been for your benefit. But getting a clinical degree means you’re training to care for others so you’ll be asked to demonstrate a standard set of competencies that take precedence over your individual needs/abilities/limitations (generally speaking).

I also think it’s more accurate to consider an MD/DO/PhD/PsyD like a job than school (learning to perform tasks vs learning for ‘fun’). I went to an awesome and intellectually stimulating liberal arts undergrad and grad school was shockingly different.

Given this level of professionalization, graduate training in either field will also likely be less accommodating than what you’ve experienced so far in your academic career and may sometimes even come off as harsh and overly rigid.

There will also likely be pressure to be excellent all the times and you’ll have unrelenting workloads, which can significantly increase our stress levels and negatively impact our physical and mental health.

This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t pursue both of these paths.

Instead, you’re at a perfect time in your academic career to pursue both but also continue to seriously consider a whole bunch of other career options which might be just as or potentially even better suited to your interests and your health besides being a doctor of some kind. Good luck!

 

[MCParent]

Medical training involves a lot of highly physical work. Some things could presumably be accommodated but definitely not all.
Someone who was wheelchair bound would probably just not do certain procedures (like cardiopulmonary resuscitation or surgical assists) and would have to pick a more cognitive specialty where the ability to do procedures wasn't an issue. That's different from unpredictably bedridden though.


28-30 hour shifts are completely standard in medical residencies and pretty much every practicing physician has done them.
Legislation introduced the 30 hour cap in 2003. Prior to that, longer shifts were not uncommon.

My physician husband has done PLENTY of 30 hour shifts.

 

[msc545]

I’m torn between whether to pursue medical school or a PsyD. I feel like I have a lot of conflicting things to consider. Has anyone ever navigated a similar question? How did you decide? My thought process:

• I absolutely love clinical work. I despise research and find it monotonous. I primarily want to work with clients/patients.
• Psychology is my primary passion.
• I also love medicine. I could learn about various medical topics, from neurology to urology, all day long.
• I suck at math. Truly, I’m at a fifth grade level. I haven’t taken any chemistry courses yet but I suspect I will do terribly.
• I have a current 4.0 GPA in undergrad, but I haven’t yet taken any chemistry or upper level biology courses. I breezed through my psych requirements. (But maybe if I get a C in ochem, my current GPA will cushion it.)
• I have multiple disabilities that render me unable to stand for long periods of time, unable to bend over (such as to perform CPR), and I have frequent flare ups which leave me bedridden for days. I am generally medically fragile, so I worry that medical school would be too physically demanding for me. I also worry that being matched into a residency program across the country would impossible for me, as I firstly cannot drive, and I secondly need to stay local to my specialists.
• I haven’t felt challenged in psychology in a while. It just clicks for me with minimal studying. I still love the field, but medicine excites me and my future feels somewhat empty without it.
• Within the field of psychology, conducting assessments and evaluating patients for a diagnosis appeals to me above all else. I’ve read that psychiatrists don’t typically do this.
• I would love to dual-specialize in neurology if I take the medical school route, because that will incorporate the physical aspect of medicine with the psychological.
• I can barely get through the biology labs at my university because they’re 100 degrees and require a lot of standing and leaning over, which greatly affects my health.
• I’ve been in a lot of leadership positions, research positions, and had a solid amount of clinical experiences, so I feel like I have a solid foundation to work towards a PsyD or an MD/DO.

Has anyone been in a similar predicament? Most of the forums I’ve read can be summed up to, “If you have any interest in medicine at all, go to med school” but I feel like it’s a bit more complex in my situation. Can a clinical psych degree (or possibly a neuropsychology degree) fulfill that itch to study medicine? Is medical school extremely physically demanding (can someone with chronic illnesses survive)?

 

[msc545]

I’m torn between whether to pursue medical school or a PsyD. I feel like I have a lot of conflicting things to consider. Has anyone ever navigated a similar question? How did you decide?

My thought process:

• I absolutely love clinical work. I despise research and find it monotonous. I primarily want to work with clients/patients.
• Psychology is my primary passion.
• I also love medicine. I could learn about various medical topics, from neurology to urology, all day long.
• I suck at math. Truly, I’m at a fifth grade level. I haven’t taken any chemistry courses yet but I suspect I will do terribly.
• I have a current 4.0 GPA in undergrad, but I haven’t yet taken any chemistry or upper level biology courses. I breezed through my psych requirements. (But maybe if I get a C in ochem, my current GPA will cushion it.)
• I have multiple disabilities that render me unable to stand for long periods of time, unable to bend over (such as to perform CPR), and I have frequent flare ups which leave me bedridden for days. I am generally medically fragile, so I worry that medical school would be too physically demanding for me. I also worry that being matched into a residency program across the country would impossible for me, as I firstly cannot drive, and I secondly need to stay local to my specialists.
• I haven’t felt challenged in psychology in a while. It just clicks for me with minimal studying. I still love the field, but medicine excites me and my future feels somewhat empty without it.
• Within the field of psychology, conducting assessments and evaluating patients for a diagnosis appeals to me above all else. I’ve read that psychiatrists don’t typically do this.
• I would love to dual-specialize in neurology if I take the medical school route, because that will incorporate the physical aspect of medicine with the psychological.
• I can barely get through the biology labs at my university because they’re 100 degrees and require a lot of standing and leaning over, which greatly affects my health.
• I’ve been in a lot of leadership positions, research positions, and had a solid amount of clinical experiences, so I feel like I have a solid foundation to work towards a PsyD or an MD/DO.

Has anyone been in a similar predicament? Most of the forums I’ve read can be summed up to, “If you have any interest in medicine at all, go to med school” but I feel like it’s a bit more complex in my situation. Can a clinical psych degree (or possibly a neuropsychology degree) fulfill that itch to study medicine? Is medical school extremely physically demanding (can someone with chronic illnesses survive)?

I think you will have a lot of trouble even getting INTO medical school. You will need a lot of chemistry, math, and science to get a good score on the MCAT, and getting into medical school is very dependent on that. You will also need a solid math foundation for Psych grad school, but there are a lot of PsyD programs that seem to have little or no advanced stat classes that might be viable for you. Avoid unfunded PsyD programs as these tend to be scams and/or hideously expensive.

 

[Sanman]

I think a lot has been said here about the professions and I think that the getting into and out of school part is less important than being hired for a job part. You may get accommodations in school. However, I would encourage the OP to think about who is going to hire them and if patients are going to want to hear "Sorry I am bedridden" when they are sick. This is an important question to consider as graduate work is just the beginning of a journey not the end.

That said, I think the OP needs to engage in some ruthless self-reflection about available resources if he or she is going to be successful. You should be proud of your accomplishments thus far and I know these responses are knocking the wind out of your sails.

Something to think about is this: In a funded psychology doctorate or a quality U.S. med school, everyone has accomplished what you have at the undergrad level and they can all outwork you because they are healthier. I, personally, leaned on my intelligence in school and college and was always one of the "smart kids" at those levels. In grad school, we are all the smart kids and I definitely had to put in more hours just to be an "average" graduate. IMO, friends and family that have become physicians were all workhorses and med school pushes that more than a doctorate would because of the volume of work vs the depth (grad students study fewer areas to more depth, med students cover alot and very quickly). If the plan is to lean on your intellect to make up for struggling physical health, you may struggle in either situation.

Picking a field where competition is less fierce may allow you to be more successful in the long run. I often reflect on whether that would have been the better decision now that all is said and done.

 

[smalltownpsych]

I don’t mind writing, but the research I’ve participated in so far is so bland. I’m more interested in topics that aren’t offered at my university. Does grad school offer a bit more freedom when choosing research topics?

Yes and no. You will need to be able to match your general research interests with faculty, yet within that you can often find something that connects more directly with your interests. My difficulty was narrowing it down as I am interested in lots and lots and can get bored in one area. What worked for me was to pick a very unresearched area, which is fairly easy to find in our young field, and this led to broader questions and generating hypotheses as opposed to hammering out one specific detail of an established theory. It also meant my research took longer than the folks who were cranking out studies in our PTSD lab, for example. I would have done the PTSD lab but it was the opposite side of town from where I lived and the extra travel made it prohibitive when I was already pushing the stress level and workload to the max in grad school.

 

[WisNeuro]

My physician husband has done PLENTY of 30 hour shifts.

Likewise, having been dating/married to my physician spouse through both medical school and residency and beyond, this was fairly common.