<p>I'm both. Well, actually at the moment I'm working towards transferring to either UCLA or Berkeley for my psychology BA. </p>
<p>I have dreams of either pursuing a PhD in psychology or an MD. Everyone says it's tough to get a job with just a BA and graduate school is even tougher, so I'm really on the fence. I know what each degree (PhD and MD) entails and what it takes to get there. I know there are a lot more opportunities (and $) with an MD, so I really want to keep the option open.</p>
<p>But for now I really want to major in psychology, though. Since I'm a CC transfer, I want to have the best chance possible when transferring to a UC. If I were to try for a neuroscience major, for example, sequencing all the chem and bio classes would be a logistical nightmare. There's just too many prereqs on top of prereqs... I would be stuck at CC forever and my GPA would wither up and die.</p>
<p>So what should I do?</p>
<p>I want to dive headfirst into psych and get into research, for the moment at least. If this hard work puts me in a good place academically, and I wind up going the PhD route (or a PsyD), I'll be thrilled. </p>
<p>BUT</p>
<p>I do not want to be out of the loop for medical school. I know premeds can major in whatever they want, so I'm okay there. But what about the premed coursework? I really don't think there's much I can do during my two years at community college. Could I take some classes while at university (at a CC)? Or what about a post Bacc program? This would be the ideal option, because for now I could really focus on building a strong foundation in psychology, but these programs seem somewhat flimsy in terms of preparation.</p>
<p>If anyone has experience/insight/advice, I'd really appreciate it.</p>
<p>Psychologists and psychiatrists are different in notable ways. What about the general field of mental health is attractive to you? What are you hoping to do with your career? A psychologist working on cognitive behavioral therapy with depressed and anxious adolescents has a markedly different career than a forensic psychiatrist who evaluates criminals and determines whether they are insane, who has a markedly different career than a pediatric psychiatrist working with autism/autism spectrum disorder, who has a markedly different career from a corporate psychologist who focuses on communication and other strategies in the business world.</p>
<p>I think your best starting point would be to research so you have a solid grasp on the unique aspects of each degree. Which is more appealing? Don’t forget to take into account the cost of med ($$$$$$) vs grad (usually free) school, the length of training programs, etc etc etc. </p>
<p>I can see the point of wanting to keep all your options open and thus figuring out how to fit the med school prereqs into your schedule, but in my opinion–if you don’t HAVE to be a psychiatrist, then doing all the work to get into med school would be a waste of time.</p>
<p>" I know what each degree (PhD and MD) entails and what it takes to get there"
-No you do not. Not even close, it simply is not possible. It is shocking, for everybody, for all Summa Cum Laude’s from state publics, Elite privates, Ivy’s. Do not want to scare you off, just to be psychologically prepared to be shocked. Cannot do much about any other preparation like academic. Med. School students who interview applicants comment that “poor things do not know what is waiting for them”</p>
<p>There’s no need to be so melodramatic. Yes, it’s hard, and you’re right that OP probably doesn’t know, but my friends a year or two ahead of me told me to stay on top of the material and make sure that the exam is at least the 4th time you are seeing the material (e.g. class, reviewing something the day/week you learned it, review it at least once more right before exam) and you’ll be fine. Pretty much the best advice for med school I got and sure there were moments of extreme stress but I had those in college too.</p>
<p>@kristin5792 Thanks. I really think psychology is the route for me. I just get so discouraged when I say PhD and people look at me like I’m a nutjob. Practice as well as research seems right for me, lots of room for creativity and very personally rewarding. Being a doctor is rewarding, but it seems much much more demanding.- Salary for clinical psychology isn’t quite on par with MDs (not even close actually), but like you said graduate programs, specifically doctoral ones are oftetimes funded (PsyDs aren’t however). </p>
<p>One thing people emphasize who regret not doing medical school is that there is much more versatility with an MD. Aspiring psychologists seem to hit a brick wall with jobs, especially w/ just a BA, and sometimes even students with Masters, and probably PhDs and PsyDs have a hard time finding work too.There is versatility once I make it this far, as you mentioned b comparing the jobs to those of psychiatrist. I just want options upon graduating, but it looks to me like trying to hold open the door for med school might be not worth the effort.</p>
<p>@MiamiDAP You’re right I don’t know firsthand, but I know generally what educational path one must follow to get there. I’m just having trouble figuring out how to walk the tightrope, so to speak, while deciding which end I should even be headed to. Thanks for being brutally honest with me; it helps in terms of perspective, but I’m still not sure- because I’m willing to put in the work, as i<em>wanna</em>be_Brown mentioned. I just don’t want to be putting all my eggs in one basket either way. Especially because I don’t know the implications of trying to to balance psychology and premed as a transfer and an undergraduate. you could very well be right, and you probably are- I mean its only getting tougher and tougher to even get into MD, but the same goes for psychology programs.</p>
<p>@i<em>wanna</em>be_Brown, Hey thats great advice not just for med school but for everybody. I was told by a wise old man the trick to straight A’s is reviewing right before and right after class- so schedule accordingly, with breaks in between. Whatever happens, I’ll always try my best and study until I feel sick. But I need to be in my own realm too. This is why I like psychology. and all social sciences for that matter, there are plenty of opportunities- essays, reports, research- where you can really get creative and become a “visionary,” even if its a few paragraphs (or minutes if it’s a presentation). It’s really rewarding when you’ve mastered something not just by memorizing or practicing, but by putting your own spin on certain theories, connecting the dots, questioning the status quo of mainstream thinking, values and behavior, and its the best to hear people say “hmmm.”</p>
<p>I think you will find, as you go through college especially, that at some point in your life you figure out that making big life decisions primarily to satisfy others tends not to work out. While some random people might think you’re a nutjob, I’m sure there are plenty of people–you, your family, your future patients, your colleagues, your professors, your friends–who support you and care about you and want you to be a part of whatever field you choose. Admittedly it’s rare, but I’ve had more than a handful of people tell me I’m crazy for going into medicine, and to a large degree you just have to learn how to ignore them. It sounds like you’ve looked into these careers and have found some pros and cons for each of them–good job!</p>
<p>
I found that being a good premed and (presumably) a good med student takes a lot of dedication and work. Sometimes it can be really mentally, academically, and personally draining. At the same time, I personally find it quite rewarding and am so excited to see what the future holds for me as a physician. I imagine it would be difficult to continually find the motivation to do well in school and tackle something as daunting as med school if I weren’t totally dedicated to it. That’s not to say you have to decide one way or another right now, but I think it’s worth keeping in the back of your mind–that if you’re potentially wavering on a commitment to medicine, the best bet for you would probably be to take some more time to figure out what’s right for you. </p>
<p>Sounds like you’re headed in the right direction. Keep learning more! Talk to psychologists and psychiatrists; I find they loooove talking to interested students, and you should be able to get a lot of great information out of them. Good luck!</p>
<p>Thanks, kristin5792. I’ll have to do some soul-searching before I committ 100% to one route or another. Of course, it’s a big pain in the butt trying to maintain the balance, especially as a CC transfer, but I’ll work hard to hang on for one more semester. I’m only taking chem 152 and trig anyway Other than that I’m just sticking with my psychology requirements. I conduct an honest evaluation of my own tastes and expectations, strengths and weaknesses, compare statistics for both types of students, talk to MD’s, PhDs, PsyDs as well as my profs and counselors. You’re right they wont think I’m a nut, haha. I’m not ready to commit yet, so besides having an slightly (and unnecessarily) hectic semester ahead of me, I’ll have to find time to flip a coin or two and really think about the long term.</p>
<p>Generally PhD programs are supposed to be a full time commitment, meaning your full time job is as a doctoral candidate, so there is usually some form of funding, big or small. I’m not sure how its allocated. I believe that if you’re good enough they pay you- I’m pretty sure (i.e rsearch publications, paid internship). I could see how graduate students in biology would be more likely to recieve funding- could require more time in the lab for example.</p>
<p>Guys, sorry I’ve been posting like a madman, but I’ve got spring registration tomorrow morning and always over-analyze my long-term commitments. Everyone one here has been a big help with really specific insight tailored to my particular dilemma. I’m so grateful for all the help. Really, I sincerely appreciate it so so much :)</p>
<p>I think I’m coming to the conclusion that I shouldn’t dwindle on this anymore. I feel that, yes, I can take a couple more classes this semester. Sure it wouldn’t kill me, but I really need to slow down and take this journey one step at a time. My next big step is trying to get in to Berkeley or UCLA for psychology, a discipline which sincerely interests me. In other words, through this uncertainty about whether or not I should try to include premed coursework- maybe it’s just not for me. I shouldn’t be scrambling trying to justify working out a balance. I know I should really be focusing my time and energy on psych, no matter the job outlook or what anyone tells me otherwise. I suppose I could work my way up through all the coursework, but I should really be working on just transferring. After all, I need my GPA to be through the roof to be competetive for a UC (UCLA or Berkeley are good stepping stones for the graduate path I’m dreaming of). I’ve concluded that this will take plenty of work as it is, but I’ve finally realized that it’s an authentic investment.</p>
<p>As conscientious as I am, I still can get overwhelmed. I think I should focus on psychology because there’s no question. It comes naturally to me. Yes, I work hard, but it’s only because of the intrinsic motivation I’m relying on. Genuine curiousity. I shouldn’t fight it; rather I should just go with it. </p>
<p>However, in choosing this path, am I locked out of doing med school forever? What if I get my BA and look back at my undergrad with regret? Should I put any faith in the possibility of post bacc premed programs? I know they’re expensive, but are they practical? Like I said this would just be a last resort. Can I at least sleep tonight knowing that I can always backtrack a little bit, put in the effort and come out as a med school candidate?</p>
<p>There are a variety of high quality pot-bacc programs that do an excellent job of preparing their students and have a good track record of acceptances. (But please be aware that even the best post bacc is NOT a guarantee of admission.)</p>
<p>There are many, many paths to medical school. D1 (now a second year med student) was a non-traditional applicant. (Physics & math degree who regrouped, did her own post bacc piecemeal while working 2 or 3 jobs to support herself.)</p>
<p>If psychology is your goal, go ahead and pursue it without too many second thoughts. You are not making a irrevocable decision just yet. There is still time to change your mind and change your career path. Medical school is no longer strictly for 22 years olds who come straight out of college. Many schools–even some top brand name med schools-- are increasingly “non-trad friendly”.</p>
<p>Yes, I think if I were to transition to a post bacc after graduating. Yes, they should not be guarantees so I’ll definitely be prepared to work if I decide for this “non-traditional” route. I hope I can follow a similar path as your daughter if I decide it’s my calling. But now I’ve got plenty of time to evaluate my long term commitments, and readjust if I need to.</p>
<p>In terms my time at CC, without the stress of premed courses I can really focus on my major now. I can now at least try to get my foot in the door for shadowing at a mental health hospital (even if it’s sorting through junk mail). I can also talk with my prof for advice on getting a jump start with research opportunities. I was also considering getting a job as an english tutor, which would have been a no-go with extra courses on my plate.</p>
<p>You should definitely shadow at a hospital and see what psychiatrists, clinical psychologists and social workers do. If you are shadowing (ie not being paid) they shouldn’t have you do stuff like sort mail. You’re there to see them in action.</p>
<p>With regard to finding for doctoral programs. I know someone who was in a clinical psych PhD program and the only money they got was for TAing an undergrad class. Medical school and law school are full time doctoral programs with no funding so I don’t think it’s based on the hours needed.</p>