George Vijay Joseph (4th Year Medical Student at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University)

Greetings!

My name is George, but my friends call me Vijay; I am in my final year of medical school and have been asked to detail my own journey into psychiatry, as I am currently in the midst of residency applications and interviews. I am grateful for this opportunity to share my journey and hope it will be of some help to anyone out there considering this field as a future career.

I came into medical school thinking that I would end up in Family Medicine- I mainly enjoyed the longitudinal relationships that I would be able to have with patients. Starting in my 1st and 2nd year of medical school, psychiatry was on my radar largely due to my introduction to Dr. Aguilar (sports psychiatrist and faculty at CMSRU)- my now mentor in the field of psychiatry. In my 3rd year of medical school, I genuinely enjoyed my psychiatry rotation and the relationships I was able to make with my patients and attending physicians. I noticed how the psychiatrists were able to quickly and adeptly assess situations and the safety of patients in the inpatient and emergency settings. I saw how they took the time to understand the patient, not just in their immediate needs, but in the context of their social settings, medical conditions, and personal life events. This attention to the nuances of patients, gracefully integrated into patient care, spoke deeply to me. I completed my sub-internship at the beginning of my 4th year of medical school and deepened my own abilities and understanding of the field of psychiatry. I was able to take more responsibility as a Sub-I, and the role felt very natural and fulfilling for me, confirming my interest in this field as a potential career.

I am drawn to this field because of the unique role of a psychiatrist. Whether in the inpatient or outpatient settings, psychiatrists are able to offer control back to patients. Whether managing frank psychosis or bread and butter anxiety and depression, psychiatrists are able to significantly help patients remove barriers they have to living personally fulfilling lives. Psychiatrists help patients regain control in a unique way and likewise have such a unique impact on patients’ lives. This positive impact is not limited to the patient, but also their immediate social support, including friends and family as well.

As I progress through residency applications, interviews, and hopefully the match process this year, I am humbled and inspired by the people I have met along the way. Even on the interview trail, the friendly and welcoming disposition of psychiatrists has reflected the culture of psychiatry- one that genuinely prioritizes the well-being and fulfillment of patients. This sentiment is paralleled on the psychiatrists’ side as well- there is such an emphasis on preventing burnout and prioritizing one’s own mental health and stability- this deeply resonates with me.