So, how to figure out if Psych is for you as an UNDERGRAD?

[biogirl215]

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Hi all,

I'm in a twist, and I could use some advice...

I'm a sophomore (for two more days, that is! 🙂) and a double major/degree in Psychology and Social Work and a minor in Biology. I know that I want to go into health care in some capacity, and my social work and psychology interests are mainly clinical, though I do have both biomedical and psychology research experience.

I'm pretty heavily physically disabled, and while I don't complain about it (there are MANY, MANY others much, much worse off, I know), it does tend to slam shut a lot of doors career-wise (and job-wise in general [seriously, jobs that require masters and doctorates shouldn't have "ability to lift X lbs.: as a job requirement....😡] but that's a rant for another day...).

Basically, I've figured that provided I could even get in or through med. school (physically and academically, but I'm much more worried about the physical side), the only residency I could get into would be psychiatry, thanks to it's lack of physical procedures (apparently, they exist in rads).

So, for me, deciding go to med school would essentially be deciding to become a psychiatrist, which makes me really nervous, as I hear all the time that "you'll [almost] always change your mind about your speciality while in med. school," and I really, literally couldn't do that!

My question is, how do I get exposure to psychiatry now, as an undergrad? I doubt I could meet the physical requirements of a psych tech, and even then, most of those jobs seem to require a bachelor's, at least in my area of the country. So, is shadowing the only option, or do you have any other ideas (or just general advice/thoughts)?

Thank you!

 

[erg923]

Considering the physical limitations, I'm not really sure. It depends on exactly what they are, and the magnitude of them, but I don't want to pry. I was going to recommend a psych tech position, I had one as an undegrad at a state hospital. Shadowing is fraught with limitations due to patient confidentiality and the fact that you aren't really doing anything. You basically just get to see what a typical day might be like. But, if you can arrange a good psychiatrists to shadow, and one with a less than demanding schedule, I'm sure you could get some diagnosis and psychopharm basics.

Another option is to get involved in research through your psych department or at a local hospital. They likely will not be too physically demanding, and will give you some good exposure to clinical phenomena in a research environment.