08/05/2018 Yes, you read it correctly. I had rationally noted my interest in physics and medicine as I searched for residencies and reached the conclusion that Radiation Oncology was the field for me. The field has remained one of the most competitive, lucrative, and supportive of a humane life style in Medicine. Its popularity has continued to grow exponentially among medical students, and I still believe it is an excellent field. My purpose here is not to bash my former choice of medical specialty.

The problem was that I realized in the middle of my internship year that although rationally the choice made sense , my heart was not in it. I was expecting something different from my role as a Physician. My heartfelt choice of specialty is to this day is not a popular choice with medical students, is not considered prestigious, and is frequently confused with a non-medical field. Believe it or not, I chose to complete my residency in Psychiatry! Despite the myriad challenges faced by the field, I have not regretted my choice twenty five years ago!

I have been privileged to care for thousands of patients and families, and to walk the path of the healer I wanted to be. Psychiatry has allowed me to look at the totality of my patients, to feel comfortable with ambivalence and competing theories, and ultimately to do what is best for my patients. It has been rewarding in every way and has allowed me to enrich myself intellectually and to expand my horizons of knowledge. Psychiatrists are in high demand, and the Physician can also function as an administrator in many areas of health care and society. If you are deciding on a specialty and Psychiatry has not crossed your mind, I advise you to consider it. You will be challenged and rewarded unlike any other field!