It’s no secret that there is a national shortage of psychiatrists. The situation is quite dire, according to the National Institute on Mental Health. In recent years, fewer than 5 percent of medical school students have applied for psychiatry related residencies. And among active psychiatrists, more than 55 percent of practicing doctors are 55 or older.
Fortunately, those in the field are coming up with innovative ways to attract people to the field and are also training primary care doctors to better meet their patients’ mental health needs.
At Mayo Clinic, Carlos Salgado, M.D., is trying something a little bit different to get people interested in the field of childhood mental health and psychiatry. He’s targeting medical students early, during their first and second year of school. He’s reaching out to schools that don’t have robust psychiatry and psychology programs and offering students free consults on the field. As he describes above, the results have been promising. The students he consults with show a much more favorable opinion of the field when polled about what they’d like to choose for their medical specialty.
What a life defining decision a medical student must make that will determine their future career and livelihood. Increasing their interest in psychiatry early in their medical education sounds promising, but will it be enough to conquer the negative idealization associated with psychiatry?
Considering the media portrayal of psychiatrist and stigma associated with psychiatry, will it be enough to influence a medical student to pursue alternative fields of medicine? “Pill Pushers” is a term that is commonly interchanged with psychiatry. Is psychiatry ultimately a “meds visit’’ as opposed to providing an assortment of psychotherapy? Not only do psychiatrists feel the negative association towards their chosen specialty, the conditions they treat are considered more of a revolting personality characteristic rather than a disease. People with mental diseases are often discriminated against and stereotyped.
It is a career that is less respected than other medical specializations. I have read articles of medical students who have received attacks and criticism from family, friends and classmates for their decision to pursue psychiatry. “Cardiothoracic surgeon” seems to be more powerful and highly prestigious when compared to ‘’A Psychiatrist”.
We have a problem. There is a National shortage of psychiatrist (not to mention in a critical day in age where mental health issues are breaking news headlines).
The solution? Increase the interest of medical students to psychiatry and hope that it will remain a priority despite the stigmatization and criticism. I have a few solutions of my own.
1. Allow primary care physicians to specialize in mental health. The primary care physicians (include the following areas: family medicine, internal medicine, and pediatrics) have opportunities to subspecialize into numerous areas such as cardiology, pulmonary, geriatric etc. I have not seen any specialties or fellowships in mental health. Having primary care physicians who specialize in mental health could elevate the stigma associate with the word “psychiatrist” and allow primary care physician to be more effective in treating mental diseases.
2. It seems that, following 6 years of age when many of the immunization requirements are met, it is not necessary for children and adolescents to see a physician unless an acute/ chronic sickness or and emergency medical condition presents. What if children and adolescents were highly suggestive to take a comprehensive physical and mental exam every X number of years or at least at a certain age. This could allow physicians to provide appropriate support to children in need by recommending counseling, behavioral therapy, and other means of psychotherapy without necessarily prescribing immediate medication. Parents recognize when their children are ‘sick’ with the flu, a rash or other obvious concern. However, I wonder how often parents are able to recognize and take action when their children may have a concealed issue that may have as equal importance to seek medical attention.
Simple answer to a simple problem: pay psychiatrists more and more students will pursue psychiatry. We cant keep complaining as a country about looming physician shortages and then continue to pay our docs so little.