Why Psychiatry?

[delempicka]

Was wondering how you guys decided that you wanted to be psychiatrists...? Anecdotes would be great. I am currently looking into programs for Pre-Med because I want to go to Med school to become a psychiatrist...
During this time before I apply I want to expose myself as much as possible to psychiatry, are there any particular volunteer/jobs that you have found particularly useful as a means to learning about the field and rounding out your applications to programs.

Thanks

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[SHRINK_MD]

I'll openly admit here that it's because my psychiatrist changed my life completely (though he is also a psychoanalyst).

IMHO going into psychiatry to uncover your own psychopathology is the wrong reason to go into psychiatry in the first place.

 

[Solideliquid]

Why do they call us Shrinks?

 

[50960]

I think it has something to do with cold water.......

 

[Psyclops]

As I'm sure you all know, "Research is mesearch". The OP wouldn't be the first to pursue a career in Mh because of his own experiences. I wouldn't mention it applications though. I've heard the shrink comes from "Shrink your head." But I don't know what that means either.

 

[Anasazi23]

Why do they call us Shrinks?

The term "shrink" used to refer to a psychiatrist or psychologist, and dates back to the 1950's. It is generally a derogatory term used as a metaphor to emphasize the process of head-shrinking, practiced by natives in Ecuador and Peru. It generally refers to the psychiatrist "messing with your head" or keeping your psyche in an encapsulated vessel, as the actual shrunken head was believed to retain the victim's psyche and spirit.

Another obsolete and somewhat derogatory term (though I think it's cool) is "alienist." This term was made re-famous by the great book by Caleb Carr. It depicted a psychiatrist who attempted to solve Jack the ripper style murders of child prostitutes in old NYC.

 

[pschmom1]

IMHO going into psychiatry to uncover your own psychopathology is the wrong reason to go into psychiatry in the first place.

The OP's reasoning for pursuing or being interested in psychiatry due to his/her personal experience w/a psychiatrist is not a "wrong" reason to pursue it. People see psychiatrists for numerous reasons ( I'm sure your aware of that) and people tend to find inspiration throughout personal hardships and such. It is no different than the person that says they wan't to be a pediatritian b/c they had cancer as a child, or the person that wants to be an oncologist b/c their mother was cured from cancer. Aspiring physicians find inspiration from all aspects of life, not just b/c their dad was a doc and they've always had the grades. Medicine needs people that truly want to do it, not just people that can!

"During this time before I apply I want to expose myself as much as possible to psychiatry, are there any particular volunteer/jobs that you have found particularly useful as a means to learning about the field and rounding out your applications to programs."

Take a decent amount of psychology classes. There is limited resources, as far as I know, in anything psychiatry unless you are in med school when your and intern. It's almost impossible to get on a psych floor as a volenteer. From the sounds of it, you would be better off taking psychology classes and working on you pre reqs for med school, then focus on psychiatry for your electives in your 4th year of med school. At least that is what I have come to understand throughout this process. Psychiatry is a hard specialty to observe! Good luck

 

[Psyclops]

While it's true that volunteer work in psychiatry is hard to come by, there are many opportunities for paid employment taht will give you plenty of hands on experience. Most psychiatric hospitals hire people with little to no training to work as aides. These people are given a ide range of responsibilities depending on the facility and the location of the hospital, they get more responsibility in rural areas where staff is scarce (i.e., running groups, processing with patients, updating charts, deescalation, restraining, doing 15min checks, etc.). But regardless, they get alot of hands on experience. It will be experience with inpatient populations which have a tendency to produce a love or hate reaction in people. usualy thouhg, the whole gamut of disorders will be represented. I worked in psychiatric hospitals for years in a variety of capacities. Always paid, though financial reasons were not why I had chosen to work there, it was more for experience. I suggest you do the same, its the best experience.

 

[Poety]

I think the concern comes from psychiatrists HATING the stigma that they must have their own "issues" and thats why they went into the specialty - I know I hate that connotation - however, I've never met a med student yet that didn't have "issues" So you're damned if you do, and damned if you don't now arent ya?

ITS FLIPPING MATCH DAY PEOPLE WOOO OHOOOOOOOOO

sorry, I had to get that out, I would have screamed it but CN is sleeping and shes a terror ya know

 

[delempicka]

I forgot to mention that I currently work with Autistic children, so this is also a factor in my decision to go into psychiatry, along with the fact that I find the study of the mind and human behavior an enigmatic experience. I will try to find things in local hospitals and take some psych courses.

 

[hurt]

1. The best job in the world (IMO).
2. Lowest malpractice (I pay $800/year with the APA discount)
3. It is not internal medicine.
4. As an R2 in Nor Cal my salary is about $43k as a resident. However, I make $5220.00 per month moonlighting 14 hours per week. Many of my fellow residents are doing the same.

There are many other reasons, but these are tangibles that make psychiatry a sweet profession. When choosing a specialty one should look at the total package (i.e. job satisfaction, lifestyle, and compensation).
At my program, call is once every two weeks and no weekend call, so there is plenty of time to moonlight, spend time with the family and read.

 

[Poety]

1. The best job in the world (IMO).
2. Lowest malpractice (I pay $800/year with the APA discount)
3. It is not internal medicine.
4. As an R2 in Nor Cal my salary is about $43k as a resident. However, I make $5220.00 per month moonlighting 14 hours per week. Many of my fellow residents are doing the same.

There are many other reasons, but these are tangibles that make psychiatry a sweet profession. When choosing a specialty one should look at the total package (i.e. job satisfaction, lifestyle, and compensation).
At my program, call is once every two weeks and no weekend call, so there is plenty of time to moonlight, spend time with the family and read.

Thats what I'm talking about, and as Sazi eluded to, we don't have to drone on with the fake empathy for hours on end if we choose to approach the more biological model (like myself)

 

[Doc Samson]

Thats what I'm talking about, and as Sazi eluded to, we don't have to drone on with the fake empathy for hours on end if we choose to approach the more biological model (like myself)

Hey Kids, let's limit the psychotherapy bashing... plenty of psychiatrists think it's an important part of treatment, and actually enjoy the practice (me included). Plus, if you're faking the empathy with a pt (whether it's therapy or psychopharm), then your treatment is totally screwed.

 

[Antigone]

Hey Kids, let's limit the psychotherapy bashing... plenty of psychiatrists think it's an important part of treatment, and actually enjoy the practice (me included). Plus, if you're faking the empathy with a pt (whether it's therapy or psychopharm), then your treatment is totally screwed.

I completely agree. In my future practice, I plan to integrate both psychotherapeutic and biological techniques--not only because I enjoy psychotherapy, but because despite all the biological advances, I don't think there will ever be a cookbook method to achieving mental well-being. The ability to be creative in practice and hear people's stories are definitely things that led me to choose psychiatry.

 

[HypnoticNLP]

I agree that psychotherapy should be incorporated more than I've heard it is. People are so dependent on medicine now, that it seems we would be helpless without our little pills. I know hypnosis is generally a taboo topic, but the results I've seen are amazing when it is properly used.

I'm looking into changing my major over from Elementary Special Education to Psychiatry.

Quick question for any psychiatrists out there: Are all the classes you took for becoming a psychiatrist relevant to your field or just a way to milk your wallet and savings dry? I am deeply considering a change from education to psychiatry because I've always wanted to work with human minds and help people to the best of my abilities ( I was only going to start as a teacher while I worked through med school ) but the classes are almost all irrelevant to my major. When am I going to teach kindergarteners/cognitive disabled kids how to do trig?

 

[NewmansOwn]

I agree that psychotherapy should be incorporated more than I've heard it is. People are so dependent on medicine now, that it seems we would be helpless without our little pills. I know hypnosis is generally a taboo topic, but the results I've seen are amazing when it is properly used.

I'm looking into changing my major over from Elementary Special Education to Psychiatry.

Quick question for any psychiatrists out there: Are all the classes you took for becoming a psychiatrist relevant to your field or just a way to milk your wallet and savings dry? I am deeply considering a change from education to psychiatry because I've always wanted to work with human minds and help people to the best of my abilities ( I was only going to start as a teacher while I worked through med school ) but the classes are almost all irrelevant to my major. When am I going to teach kindergarteners/cognitive disabled kids how to do trig?

Woah back up, chief. Are you perhaps referring to psychology? You can take psychology classes in college and earn a degree in it; you then might pursue a PhD afterwards. Psychiatry, however, is a medical specialty. You don't take classes in psychiatry. You do well in college, then attend medical school to become a physician, then complete a 4-year residency in psychiatry. Big difference between the fields.

Oh and a 2.5-year thread excavation isn't bad -- nice work.

 

[erg923]

I think we should invite her over to the clinical psych Ph.D/Psy.D forum....

 

[OldPsychDoc]

Aww--I miss Poety...