Undergrad Psychology help at all in being a Psychiatrist?

[NittanyLion302]

anyone go to med school with a Psychology degree or took a lot of courses as a UG want to comment about this?

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[Solideliquid]

anyone go to med school with a Psychology degree or took a lot of courses as a UG want to comment about this?

Psychology courses won't help you during medical school. Psychiatry is minimally taught during med school, at least the first two years.

It may come in handy during psych rotations, I only took an intro to psych in UG and it did not hinder my learning during the rotation years.

By then you may change your mind about going into psych anyway. I changed my specialty three times during med school before settling on psychiatry.

 

[pschmom1]

I am majoring in pyschology and I plan on specializing in psychiatry. Actually, I know I will regardless of other peoples personal experiences. I don't think it will help me much in med school, but thats what the pre med classes are for right? It will, however, make a difference when I am on psych rotations and in residiency. Psychiatry is psychology as far as I'm concerned (plus a lot more). I really couldn't imagine a better feild to major in with the intentions on pursuing psychiatry. Just my opinion! I am very confident that my education in psychology will be very benificial for my future as a psychiatrist. I love psychology! Hope that helps!

 

[Anasazi23]

anyone go to med school with a Psychology degree or took a lot of courses as a UG want to comment about this?

Hi NittanyLion. Like you (if your screen name's any indication) I went to PSU, majored in psychology and am becoming a psychiatrist. I'm in residency now. I can't really say that the major did much for me as far as helping me become a psychiatrist. The classes there are good however, and I remember intro psych being a lot more in-depth than people generally gave it credit for. However, you'll find most of the psychology info to be of limited use until you at least get into the higher level (400) classes. Definately look into the research design classes, abnormal psychology, biological basis of behavior, and more clinically oriented classes. I recommend that you, when taking psych classes, pick out interesting and seminal experiments to remember. Most of the good research on human behavior cannot be replicatd today for 'ethical' reasons. You'll find this particularly in social psychology classes.

I wound up having to do a post-bacc to get my science requirements, since I wasn't initially interested in becoming a physician. The premed classes are much more intense and the competition for good grades much stiffer as well. In that sense, I was able to enjoy Happy Valley with my relatively easy courseload instead of slaving in the premed scene. Then again, I lost time doing that.

Go Blue!