Medical Education US

Hey all...

I'm very glad that I found this awesome website, and plan to contribute whenever I can.

I always had immense respect for the medical profession. Now at 25, I'm thinking of career changing like so many have done before (from computer programming no less), and would appreciate any comments or insight.

The road to psychiatry is long and arduous, but really interests me. I have a passion for people and helping others (and you just can't quench that with computers). Forensic psychology is fascinating still.

Now for the Qs:

I can't seem to find a course description detailing how to get to psychiatry specifically... psychology, sure. I assume that in Med School I would pursure psychiatry and the meds stuff that entails at that point?

Thanks in advance.

You can certainly enter medicine from the techie field... and 25 is not too old by a long shot.

Psychiatry training doesn't begin in earnest until AFTER medical school, when you start a psychiatric residency. In medical school you will likely have a systems course in psychiatry, and a clinical rotation as well, but the basic curriculum for medical school is generally pretty much set in advance. You have a few electives during clinical years, at least at my school.

Forensic psychiatry is a fellowship after completion of residency, and I agree, it is pretty interesting! We had a forensic psychiatrist give a lecture last year, and it was fascinating.

Good luck, and enjoy the journey...

Hey Corpsman-Up,

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply and your words of encouragement.

My family and friends are warning me it'll be a ton of work and dedication (and stress!) but they are wholly supportive. They always said I have the potential to be whatever I wanted to be... I guess my only concern is the immense financial burden it will become... but I know the rewards of the job will far outweigh that.

I look forward to "the journey"

P.S. I always thought that I should have been behind "the Doctor's In" booth and knew that all Charlie B. needed was the right therapy and anti-depressants!

Yeah, well, the friends and family are right on this one... although unless they have done it themselves, they have NO IDEA how right they even are... it is a lot of work and stress.

Fortunately, at this point, I think it is worth it. And I am still in the icky part.

As far as financial burdens are concerned, you might consider the federal service or military service as ways to come out of medical school without that problem... if you are not opposed to the military (doctors have it good there) or to working with the underserved for a while, I am convinced that it is the best deal in medical education.

Rock on, Career-Changing-Person... Charlie is a-waiting!