A Career Pivot: From MD to MSW
I have left medical school to apply for Master’s in Social Work programs.
I thought I wanted to be a psychiatrist, but over time, I’ve decided to take a different approach. I would rather apply my creativity to various therapeutic interventions and fostering connections between individuals and their communities than to mere medication management.
Throughout my time in medical school, I have always believed that taking a social history was the most important component of the patient interview. I found that I was more concerned with my patient’s living situations, close relationships, and emotions, rather than with the intricacies of their physical medical ailment. As I went through the tedious maneuvers of the physical exam, I frequently asked my patients “How are you coping?” I am fascinated by what brings people a sense of peace, especially during or following hardship. The 60 minute therapy appointments afford more time to understand a patient’s story than the 15 minutes physicians are accustomed to for patient time. The emotional connections forged in social work go beyond the medical diagnoses I learned in medical school training.
I want to be a social worker because I have seen and experienced how social workers help heal the wounds of trauma and neglect through compassion and empathy. My commitment to a career in social work, and more specifically to a life of supporting and helping women, was inspired by my own healing process after a traumatic experience. In the hospital, I have seen social workers connect homeless individuals with resources for housing. During public hearings, I have heard social workers advocate to keep open a school clinic at risk of closure due to lack of funding. In therapy, I have been comforted by my own therapist, a LCSW, while passing me a box of tissues as I shared my story. In these ways, I have seen social workers show up to help. I hope to follow their example and enter this profession to make a lasting impact some day.
