As many of you know from my previous posts, I' m a 4th year med student going into Psychiatry... The field continues to be popular at our school as we have 7 people (out of 100) going into the field. Last year our school had 5. Usually we have 2.
Pros:
1. The Patients-it feels good helping those that often go misunderstood in our society. Psychiatrists usually see the sickest of the sick and I like that challenge. You HAVE to spend time with the patient in order to find out what's going on.
2. Variety-The day to day variety of psych is unmatched. Our patient's unique life experience require unique approaches and treatments. I like that.
3. Neuropsychiatric, Neuroimaging, and Psychopharmacological advancements-The future looks verrry bright! The "buzz" is that Psychiatry and Neurology may be meeting up again in the future...hmmm...
4. Lifestyle and Pay-I don't know what people are talking about when they say that Psych docs dont make any money. Granted, we don't pull the bling that Orthopods and ENTs do but we don't work as many hours either. I dont know of any non- academic Psychiatrist that makes under $150k and that's a starting salary fresh out of residency. I know a few old school docs that make well over $250k. On the other hand, I know PLENTY of FPs and Gen Meds that cannot break the $150K mark and on top of that, their work hours are horrendous.
5. Career flexibilty-Private practice, group practice, university/Academic setting, VA, jail/ prison psych , Forensics, Consult Psych, Child and Adolescent, Telepsychiatry, ECT, etc.
6. Low overhead, low malpractice (relatively)
Cons:
1. Respect... while I have never hear anyone badmouth Psychiatrists (like they do FPs), I still occasionally hear the Medicine and Surgery residents joking around with Psych residents by saying "at least we're real doctors". Anyone who has spent time on the Psych wards or in outpatient clinics knows that the field of Psychiatry is very real and so are its physicians. I think many docs feel that Psychiatry is full of too many "gray" areas and not enough "hard science". That's total B.S. Psych patients DO get better and the results are absolutely dramatic. They say nothing about the fact that clinically diagnosising strep throat, for example, is the epitome of a medical "gray area".
2.HMOs-Duh! Our current helathcare system rewards "doing" (read: procedures) over "thinking" (read😛sychotherapy). This is why many Psychiatrists have resorted to Med management. Also, getting reimbursements for mental health care can be frustrating.
3.Ignorance-The general public, largely, does not know the difference between a Psychiatrist and a Psychologist. This is unfortuante, as many people think that the two are interchangable. I AM NOT A PSYCHOLOGIST GENERAL PUBLIC!!!😀
Finally for those that say that Psychiatrists are "weird"...I think that, in general, doctors/medical students PERIOD are weird. The psychopatholgy in the Surgery and Medicine call rooms is amazing!!! (just joking...well maybe not) 🙂 I think that any one who is willing to study as hard as we have and basically write off our 20s and 30s has to be a bit off. Peace.
