What is it about?
At the end of the third year of medical school, every medical student faces the difficult choice of what specialty they will enter. A powerful experience of psychotherapy using literature to bridge the human connection with a young depressed patient helps this medical student clarify her interests, leading her to choose Psychiatry.
Featured Image
Photo by Sonja Langford on Unsplash
Why is it important?
Choosing a specialty can be hard. Engaging creatively with the decision and seeing what sparks vitality can help.
Perspectives
Medical school for me was a challenging time, often with significant experiences and decisions coming in rapid succession. It was hard not to become overwhelmed, but remembering to trust my gut helped at the most important moments. One idea that proved true over and over was that sometimes answers to the difficult questions come in unexpected ways. Asking the right questions, allowing time for the answers to emerge, and remaining open to the answers in whatever form they take were key. Writing this essay and reflecting on the struggles and successes during that time was so much fun. I hope this anecdote will encourage med students and all readers to come back to their gut instincts and trust what feels most congruent to their best selves, even when facing challenging questions in their careers and lives.
Anna Huh
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: How I Chose Psychiatry: A 45-Minute Odyssey, Psychiatric Services, September 2025, American Psychiatric Association,
DOI: 10.1176/appi.ps.20250240.
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