When thinking about a future career, a lot of young people think either one of two things: they want a job that will make them a lot of money, or they want to make a difference in people’s lives.  Though it’s there there are many ways in which a person can choose to make a difference, an option that some may not immediately think about is a position in psychiatry.

So many people visualize being a doctor as being in the emergency room or operating room and holding people’s lives in their hands.  But there are other medical paths that are just as important and are needed more now than ever–psychologists and psychiatrists.

With the advent of mental health awareness and the stigma around getting help for yourself vanishing, psychiatry is becoming just as important as traditional medicine.  A psychiatrist can take on many faces for a patient: confidant, adviser, friend.  Think about some of these benefits of taking up a career in psychiatry.

DEEPER RELATIONSHIP WITH PATIENTS

Although some psychiatrists do work in busy hospitals with a lot of patient flow in and out, for the most part a psychiatrist will have a smaller patient load than a traditional physician.  Because of the nature of mental health treatment, a lot of deep issues are discussed between doctor and patient, and as a result the patient can feel a sense of trust and security as the relationship between the two is built up.

FLEXIBILITY IN PRACTICE

As I mentioned earlier, the number of people who are searching for help with their mental health problems is growing exponentially.  So, naturally, doctors are making themselves more available so they can help a greater number of people.  Psychiatrists are now reachable on many channels; online, in office, through telephone and email.  So a psychiatrist who doesn’t want to work in a 9-5 office setting doesn’t really have to all the time. If you’re a night owl, having video chats with patients on a graveyard shift might be right up your alley.

CAREER ESTEEM

In my opinion, mental health professionals are taking up one of the most respectable jobs.  It takes a strong person to be able to listen objectively to others’ deep-seated obstacles and not take the stress of the situation upon themselves.  In a lot of cases, although you may not hold someone’s beating heart in your hands, you may be saving their lives another way–by giving them the outlet they need before they harm themselves.

Psychiatry is a medical field that will have many upcoming opportunities in the future, so you should consider these points as you choose what you want to do in life.