Tell me: Who made you fall in love with psych?

[Nomad.Nerd]

So, Here's my story:
Thought I was gonna be a radiologist until a while back but then psychiatry allured me in a way that I couldn't stop thinking about it, I do like radiology but I just think it would be a waste of my talents (I am a good listener and communicator, love hearing peoples' life stories, always had a great bond with my patients). This was a hard decision to make because my application is pretty much shaped towards Rads and I feel like I am very late to the game. I've decided to take a year off to do research and find my niche with a psych professor, and I'm looking for a mentor who loves their job and does it well, and is active in research. I figured a great entry criteria would be professors who made you fall in love with psych...I don't care where in the country but I would prefer to volunteer for bigger programs simply because it may lead to more publications and a broader experience.

P.S: Already googled lots of profs and labs, already have an excel sheet of potential professors. Please help me narrow it down by telling me about your experiences.

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[wamc2021psych]

not an answer to your actual question, but you want to take a year off in between MS3 and MS4 to work in a research lab related to psychiatry? i'm only a MS4 myself but i don't think that would add anything to your application if you just took some psychiatry electives or do a psychiatry sub-I right now and get a clinical LOR out of it as well.

 

[nexus73]

John Neumaier at University of Washington is doing some interesting things last I heard. Or maybe get involved with UW AIMS integrated behavioral health program. UW has a large residency program, also with tracks to Boise and Anchorage and Billings, MT so there would be a lot of options to get into that residency if you did a volunteer/research year at the program. But I agree with the above, you could probably just do a psych Sub I and get in without a research year.

 

[Sushirolls]

Don't waste a year.

Patient stories will eventually start to sound just like another wrist fracture, or PNA on a CXR. Try to see past the allure, the shiny, the bling of the light that is attracting you toward psych. Look 20+ years down the road, and image when its just another day at work, which one do you think you can clock in and out for?

I was impressed by radiology and tempted to go that route, but self reflection I realized I had a 10 year shelf life in that field before the routine would drag me down, but I could see myself doing psych for the long haul.

Don't waste a year. If any doubt, apply to both.

 

[Shufflin]

nobody inspired me. I was doing psychiatry before I was aware I was doing it, taking extra time to work through the difficult parts of the lives of patients on internal medicine and surgery. when patients asked to see me again, a lowly med student, other people noticed. people noticed before I did. it wasn't until a few attendings and residents mentioned it to me that I started to ever consider psychiatry.

just saying you don't have to fall in love to go for a specialty. it's just who I am. sometimes your DNA is a close match, and you find resonance, and that's good enough.

 

[TexasPhysician]

I did a brief Betty Ford internship before MS3 and loved it.