jonrev said:
I am a senor in highschool now and I am pretty sure I want to be a psychiatrist. The only thing I am doubtful about is wether or not going through medical school is worth it. Do you really learn that much about psychiatry in medical school? I am worried that medical school will be too much of a learning system for a general practitioner. I am interested in psychiatry but not so much being a general pysician. I really dont want to deal with surgerys and simialar stuff. What do you think about this?
Also would it be benificial to get a minor in psychology along with a major in biology? If I am planning on going to med school.
Perhaps you're asking if it's better to get a PhD in Psychology than it is the MD and to be a Psychiatrist?
I think that depends on what exactly you want to do as a mental health care professional...and whether you want to be able to prescribe drugs (for instance).
To answer your question about the amount of Psychiatry content in medical school--at my institution, we had a one-quarter class on Psychopathology during the Pre-Clinical years...plus an additional quarter of Pharmacology with a heavy emphasis on Psychopharmacology.
In 3rd year (clinical), Psychiatry was a 6-week core rotation.
And then in 4th year, I had the freedom of taking any number of Psychiatry electives--but limited this to two months' worth. (Since 4th year is my last chance to learn about fields of medicine I will never have a chance to get this kind of exposure to again.)
I have no love for Surgery, either--but I think seeing other disciplines in Medicine is useful. Neurology, for instance, is like Psychiatry's first cousin, wouldn't you say?
Psychiatry isn't just about talking with and listening to your patients. There is a growing overlap between this clinical discipline and fields such as Endocrinology, Infectious Diseases (Borna Virus, anyone?), and Genetics. It helps to have these other areas under your belt, too, because sometimes we have to think outside of the box.
Not all psychosis is schizophrenia, you know. Sometimes, that patient sitting in your emergency room with florid delusions and thought disorder may be suffering from corticosteroid-induced psychosis. You have to be prepared for
anything.
Good luck with your decision.
--As for minors, I wouldn't sweat it. Psychology courses are fun, though, and you should take what interests you. The formality of a minor though is largely overrated. (Just as my 4th year in medical school is my last chance to get month-long blocks in Dermatology or Endocrinology, your undergraduate years are your last chance to learn American Literature or Japanese.
Don't miss-out on those kinds of opportunites!)
