Medical Education US

Hello, my name is Daniel.

I am a freshman at a community college. My first semester has been all gen-ed, and my intended major is psychology. Many areas of psychology interest me - therapy, research, and psychiatry. What major should I chose if I want to keep my options open amongst varius areas of psychology and psychiatry. Pre-med majors are quite demanding, and from the classes that I have been suggested to, I would only have maybe one or two psychology classes at the community college.

With a pre-med major, would it be likely to get into a graduate program for research psychology? Or clinical psychology If so, I may take that route to ensure more options (med school / or graduate psychology).

One other question that I had, what would a ballpark figure of income be for each of these:
PsyD - therapy
PhD - research psychology
MD - psychiatry

Any advice would be most appriceated.

Thanks,
Dan.

Hey, Daniel:

You can major in psychology and still be a pre-med student. Heck, you can major in whatever you want, as long as you take the premedical science courses.

If you don't know which route you want to take in the long run, which is entirely understandable, then I would suggest that a psychology major PLUS the premed work would offer you options for all three of your declared interests.

I completed an AA at a community college before university, grad school, and then medical school. I took one or two psych classes at the CC level, and they were fine, but they had almost no bearing on my coursework later. I was a General Studies major at that point, as well. (I did NOT complete a psychology undergrad, though -- I went into German Language and Literature at university, which I am sure you can imagine has been mighty helpful in med school. )

As far as the mean incomes, I know that Dr. Admin has posted them somewhere on this site. Try a search -- I know that info is on here someplace!

Good luck to you...