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Of Mind and Soul

Depression, anxiety, fear, and stress are experienced by people throughout the
inhabited world. In fact, approximately one in every four American adults is affected by a
mental disorder every year. That is about twenty-six point two percent of the U.S.s adult
population (U.S. Department of Health). These emotions are not just illusions of the mind, as
some are led to believe; they are viewed as actual illnesses of the cognitive functions. And as
with other illnesses of the body, there are doctors and various methods that are used to treat
them. However, mental disorders are not just treated by any regular doctor. Doctors who
specialize in medically diagnosing and treating the mind are called psychiatrists. The
rewarding career of psychiatry has a broad and fruitful job description that, with the lengthy
education and training necessary, promises a positive outlook, both in job openings and
career advancements.
A question that many have is what a psychiatrist actually is, considering psychology
is already a career. Psychiatrists are medical professionals, which means that they can
prescribe medicine while psychologists cannot. Psychiatrists treat disorders of the mind, like
depression, schizophrenia, eating disorders, anxieties, phobias, and substance abuse (Career
Info). Different patients can have a variety of problems, such as frustration and irritability to
mentally slipping away from reality. Others may engage in destructive behavior, like alcohol
misuse, drugs, and criminal activity (Ferguson, The Top 291). Their patients find life difficult
to live because of their emotional illnesses, and psychiatrists are meant to help them manage
their day to day living (Ferguson, Encyclopedia 157). Since they possess a medical degree,
psychiatrists have the ability to treat their patients with medicine, which include tranquilizers
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and antidepressants. The treatment of cognitive disorders have greatly developed through the
studies of the physiology of the brain as well as the making of drugs that are effective, but
have less side effects (158). Psychiatry is not only a medical career; it is the art of healing
someone both mentally and emotionally.
Even though it can be a difficult job, psychiatry also has multiple advantages. Being a
sub-category of physicians, a psychiatrists salary is exceedingly greater than ones from other
occupations. Though all salaries for psychiatrists are high, they vary based on location,
experience, and the number of patients they see (Ferguson, The Top 293). A national, average
income for psychiatrists is $173,330 a year, yet those in the Pittsburg, Kansas area make
around $187,200 averagely a year (Psychiatrists, My Next Move n. pag.). Another
advantage is that a psychiatrist works as their own boss, even if they work in a hospital. They
are able to control many aspects of their career, like their work hours and what kinds of
patients they see (Kliewer). But above all, the most exceptional benefit of the job is getting to
treat those who feel helpless and lost in the world. According to Sarah Kliewer, manager of
Via Christis Behavioral Health Department, it is important to care for them; make them feel
special, because the rest of the world has given up on them. The advantages of the
occupation really pay off, even with the great responsibilities.
A day to day routine is associated with many jobs, psychiatry included. The typical
psychiatrist holds different duties throughout their day. Most of their day consists of listening
to the concerns of patients, while keeping a close eye on their behavior and recording their
thoughts (U.S. Department of Labor, Psychiatric Technicians and Aides: What They Do).
When a doctor first meets a patient, the psychiatrist evaluates them by discussing their
current situation and receiving a medical history (Ferguson, Encyclopedia 158). Psychiatrists
have a few different options for treating their patients issues. A very popular method that is
familiar to many is called psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy (Ferguson, The Top
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291). By talking out their problems, patients can be healed of their minor mental conditions.
However, psychiatrists are also trained to prescribe medications to their clients (U.S.
Department of Labor, Psychiatric Technicians and Aides: What They Do). This method of
medical therapy can be used to treat more severe mental disorders. The whole day is not all
talking and prescribing, though. During the work day, psychiatrists will receive phone call
after phone call from other patients in need of a refill for their prescriptions; also, they
undertake the time-consuming task of documenting their patients information (Kliewer).
Overall, the treatment of mental disorders consists of a typical, day- to- day routine.
A psychiatrists work environment can vary between locations, but usually share
general similarities. To perform talk and medical therapy, psychiatrists work in comfortable
office settings. An estimated fifty percent of them work within a health care institution,
including hospitals, medical schools, and community health centers (Ferguson, The Top 293).
Others may also work partly as consultants, lecturers, and teachers (Ferguson, Encyclopedia
161). Mentioned as one of the benefits of being a psychiatrist, they work typical day hours
since most arrange their schedules themselves (Ferguson, The Top 293). However, those who
work in hospitals might be involved in the emergency room, which can include night hours
(Kliewer). At the end of the week, most average about thirty-two hours on the job (Ferguson,
Encyclopedia 161). Depending on experience and speed, a doctor sees a new patient every
15-30 minutes. This means that about two to four patients are seen an hour (Kliewer).
Working conditions may be fairly regular, yet this does not take away from the importance of
the job, nor the amount of time it takes to become a psychiatrist.
To pursue a job in psychiatry, there is a lot of education and training that needs to be
accomplished first, and that begins with undergraduate college. A necessary education
needed to continue on as a psychiatric trainee can be found at Newman University, located in
Wichita, Kansas. Newman is a Catholic university, which has programs, organizations, and
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activities designed to educate your mind and inspire your spirit (About Newman
University). There are a few colleges that have a pre-med major, but chemistry and biology
are also good majors for psychiatry (Ferguson, Encyclopedia 159). Newmans biology
program gives the preparation needed for those who plan to become scientists, physicians,
pharmacists, and other medical careers. Their program also includes a high number of
graduates who succeed in science, medicine, teaching, and industry (Biology). General
educational courses at Newman include three hours of math, sociology, and speech, as well
as six hours of philosophy, science, theology, writing, and history. Four to six hours of
humanities are also needed to graduate at Newman (General Education 1). Humanities are
good classes to take because medical schools look for well-rounded individuals involved in
humanities and social sciences, not just medical courses (Ferguson, Encyclopedia 159).
Classes specific to the major include an assortment of chemistry, physics, and, naturally,
biology courses, totaling to 66-67 hours (Curriculum 1). In order to graduate with a
bachelors degree in biology, one needs to have a total of 124 credit hours- general education
included- and a GPA of 2.0 (Bachelors Degree 1). An education at Newman may be
beneficial to the career path ladder to psychiatry, but it comes at a high cost.
There are many financial aspects to be accounted for when one plans to study at
Newman University. Each semester, tuition costs $757 per credit hour for those enrolled in
one to eleven credit hours. For those enrolled in eleven to nineteen hours, which is a typical
student, tuition costs $11,350 every semester (Tuition and Fees, Newman University). To
live on campus, all incoming freshmen are required to reside in New Hall, Newmans most
recently built residence. New Hall features a suite-style layout with a bathroom between
every two bedrooms (New Hall). The double occupancy rooms cost freshmen $1,700 a
semester. Any upperclassmen who wish to live in New Hall are given a single occupancy
room, costing them $2,400 per semester. Several semester meal plans are available for the
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dorms, but all underclassmen are automatically signed to the All-You-Can-Eat Meal Plan.
Students of different grade levels are also welcome to this plan, costing a universal price of
$1,690 (Housing Prices). The price of books varies a little, but is usually within $350-$400
for half of the school year. Other fees include a graduation fee, a finalization fee, a student
activity/event fee, and numerous of others. Give or take a varied course fee and possible
charges for late registration, the fee total estimates around $676 (Tuition and Fees,
Newman University). Although not for free, a student at Newman University can rest assured
knowing they are getting a fitting education for the next step in psychiatric training.
Even holding a bachelors degree in biology, the training still continues on with a
medical degree (M.D.), which is obtained through medical school. To enter almost any
medical school, the student is required to pass the Medical College Admission test. It is a
good idea to enter medical school as soon as possible after undergraduate college while the
studies are still fresh in mind, so this test should be taken around the sophomore or junior
year of undergrad (Ferguson, Encyclopedia 159). Not everyone is accepted into medical
school right away; they are usually more exclusive than other undergraduate schools. Medical
schools look for the very best, such as those who are succeeding in their academics, those
with great social skills, those with a diverse collection of interests, and those who show
potential for being in a caring profession. Those who are accepted into medical school are
exposed to an education of different aspects and branches of medicine (Career Info). The
first two years, students focus on science classes, much like they did with their studies at
undergrad. Along with their classes, the school also instructs a student how to take a patients
medical history and an examination (Ferguson, Encyclopedia 159). Though more difficult to
be accepted into than undergraduate colleges, receiving a medical school education is a
crucial task in pathway of becoming a psychiatrist and can be done relatively near the
Pittsburg, Kansas area.
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The closest medical school to Pittsburg is The University of Kansas Medical Center,
located in Kansas City. KU Medical Center offers a four year program, with both the
preclinical and clinical set-up of other regular schools of medicine. During the first two years
at KU Med, there are a number of biology classes to take, some being Brain and Behavior,
Genetics and Neoplasia, Renal and Endocrine System, and Gastrointestinal System and
Nutrition. These preclinical classes, among many others, add up to a maximum of 41 credit
hours by the end of the first two years (Core SOM). It is during the last two years of the
KU Med that students begin their actual clinical work and start to see clients, while
supervised (Ferguson, The Top 292). KUs tuition for their school of medicine runs at around
$15,487 for every semester. Along with the semiannual tuition, they charge for other fees,
like a library fee and the student fitness center, adding up to approximately $366 (Tuition
and Fees, The University). KUMC doesnt have housing on campus, however, on the
schools website, in the article Off Campus Housing for KUMC Students, students are
given the opportunity to find housing suitable to them near KU Med. Within only one mile to
the Med Center there are condos for sale that feature single bed and bath rooms. One
bedroom condos start their pricing at $128,000 (Live Across the Street from KUMC). With
a short walk to the school, this can save students both time and money of transportation. At
KU Medical Center, an aspiring psychiatrist can earn their medical degree in just four years
of schooling and will be ready to move on to their next level of training.
Even with eight years of college education, a psychiatric trainee must first complete a
residency prior to taking full position as a psychiatrist. Once a student receives their M.D.
they must then pass a test given by the Board of Medical Examiners to get a medical license
specific to the state in which they are planning to start their career in (Ferguson, The Top
292). With passing this test, students no longer simply pupils, but licensed physicians. As
physicians, they can continue on a more specific route to psychiatry through a residency
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(Ferguson, Encyclopedia 159). KU, along with their medical school, also offers a residency
program, whose primary roles are to educate the doctors, advance understanding of the brain
and behavior, and to offer clinical help to those who need it (Department of Psychiatry).
KUs residency lasts four years and provides doctors with training in different areas of
psychiatry, such as child psychiatry and addiction psychiatry (Psychiatry Training;
Department of Psychiatry). Psychiatric residents participate in lectures and seminars, not
only the summer before their residency begins, but also throughout the entirety of the four
years (Psychiatry Training). Internal medicine and pediatrics are subjects focused on in the
first year of the residency along with the other broad topics of psychiatry and the Grand
Rounds, which are weekly speakers who come to share their knowledge of different
subjects. As the residency continues on to the final two years, participates are given more
interactive topics that pertain to the psychiatric branch that they are training for (Ferguson,
Encyclopedia 159; Psychiatry Training). Within the final years of the program, residents
also get experience in hospitals or psychiatric wards. This is the area of their training where
they are taught how to diagnose and treat cognitive illnesses, the main object of psychiatry
(Ferguson, The Top 292). The residency program after medical school ensures the physicians
are ready to begin their work as a psychiatrist, which is soon to come.
The career ladder leading to a job as a full-time psychiatrist is fairly straight-forward
after completing a residency. In order to receive a diploma in psychiatry, The American
Board of Psychiatry and Neurology gives a test to those who are finished with their training
(Ferguson, The Top 293). This exam serves as an official standing point to when a physician
has completed their training and is ready to move on as a psychiatrist. Reaching the point of
working as a psychiatrist in a hospital or ward is a clear path, for most psychiatrists begin
right away as soon as their training is done. With a job like psychiatry, you really start at the
top of the food chain (Kliewer). However, there is room for growth; when working in a
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hospital, psychiatrists do have the opportunity for promotion as an administrator (Ferguson,
The Top 293). Those who are promoted to such a position are in charge of directing the entire
metal/behavioral health program, on top of their original job as a psychiatrist (Kliewer).
Those who have used their perseverance and ambition to complete all the necessary training
are given a direct opportunity to begin their job right away.
The direct pathway to the career is an effect of the positive outlook psychiatry holds
for future physicians. A bright future lies ahead for those who are aspiring to be psychiatrists
because of the plentiful opportunities it holds (Psychiatrists, My Next Move). The jobs
promised consist of even very high positions within the work field that are available for even
the youngest of psychiatrists, especially for those who are specializing in child psychiatry
(Career Info ; Ferguson, Encyclopedia 161). Jobs in rural areas are also in desperate need,
as psychiatrists working alone in their facility have a large work load to face for one person.
Various reasons are responsible for this lack of people in the field. Many physicians in
training take more interest in areas like surgery and not as much the in areas of mental health
(Kliewer). The rising population and increasing life span of humans also is a factor; when
there are older people, and more of them around, there is a greater number of those who
suffer from disorders because of age, like Alzheimers for example (U.S. Department of
Labor, Psychiatric Technicians and Aides: Job Outlook). The future of this jobs
availability is not being put at risk anytime soon.
With new discoveries being made everyday, psychiatry is a job that is constantly
advancing and changing for the better with the help of new technology and funding. While
there is a shortage of workers, it is not looking like there will be a shortage of money; the
new healthcare bill is turning a lot of its attention on behavioral health (Kliewer). This shows
that America is striving for a population of not only healthy bodies, but healthy minds.
However, his healthcare expansion and its benefits are not just limited to psychiatry, but for
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physicians and surgeons everywhere (What is the Employment). This money is being put
into new technological advances that are changing the career for the better. For example,
advanced brain scanning gives doctors a new view inside the mind never seen before. In these
scans, psychiatrists are actually able to see depression developing within the brain (Kliewer).
An expert in this technology, Nancy Sicotte, showcased this advancement by observing many
different women with a form of depression. Structures of the brain were shown to be affected
by their depression, which is a huge step in both diagnosing and treating issues within the
brain (Imaging Technique). Another technological innovation is a DNA testing which is
able to tell psychiatrists how the person metabolizes medicine. Within minutes, psychiatrists
are able to know which medicines and the amounts that are necessary for their patient, which
used to be a trial and error method prior to this development (Kliewer). Psychiatry shines as a
promising career of successful progressive and helpful advancements.
Even with the exhaustive, yet necessary, training for the job, the outlook of psychiatry
shows a favorable outcome for the careers main objective, which is to help people living
with the anchor of their emotional issues. Being a psychiatrist is more than just being a
doctor. Being a psychiatrist means serving others to help create a better and more productive
life for the patient and everyone else around them. Psychiatrists are truly skilled and
important people in todays society. They provide a source of untangling the difficulties of
life and mending those broken by their illnesses. For when twenty-six point two percent of
American adults are affected by these disorders, psychiatrists are people that the world
desperately needs.




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Works Cited
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