So I’m a seventh-grader in middles school. I know I’m young to be thinking about a college, but I’ve seen how not having a stable job does to someone. So I’ve decided to start young.
I’ve been so intrigued with becoming a psychiatrist for the last year and a half. And I have some questions.
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor, so you would actually need to go to medical school for this, meaning four years of undergraduate plus medical school plus residency. It’s a long road, and an expensive one. As an alternative that is related, you might think about becoming a pscyhologist. Psychologists typically still need to go to graduate school after receiving their undergraduate degree, but for many purposes, a master’s degree (two years) may be sufficient. You can also study psychology as an undergraduate. Both psychiatrists and psychologists can provide therapy and engage in research, but only psychiatrists are able to prescribe medications. There are people on CC who know much more than I do about preparing for and applying to medical school, if that is what you are really focused on.
This may be helpful to you. If you look at the drop-down menu under “Careers,” you can click on “Mental Health” and find information about careers as both a psychiatrist and a psychologist. https://www.learnhowtobecome.org/psychiatrist/
It is fine for you to think about what you want to be when you grow up. But you are at least ten years away from med school right now. Get through middle school and high school first. Take plenty of time to enjoy being a kid. Do things that you’re genuinely interested in doing. Don’t do things just because you think a college will want to see it on your application. Colleges like to see kids who pursue genuine interests.
Getting into med school is going to depend on your college grades, your experience, your recommendations and your MCAT score, assuming med schools will still want all those things then. Med schools will not care what you do in middle school and probably not high school either.
You are thinking way too far ahead. For the next few years, just work hard in school and make time to have fun.