Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Taxi!



ClinkShrink wrote about her taxicab driver in New Orleans and how a psychotherapist had changed his life in a single session. Psychobabble (a medical intern, soon to be a psychiatry resident...I think), wrote and told us about her experience with a kind cab driver who listened to her problems and provided free psychotherapy during a taxi ride to an exam after her car had been towed after she'd been on call (...Talk about a bad day!) You can read more Here! And welcome to the psychiatric blogosphere, Psychobabble.

This all reminded me of the essay/personal statement I wrote when I was a fourth year medical student applying to residency. I wrote an essay about the different experiences I'd had that influenced me to want to go into psychiatry. I had a bunch of experiences-- I'd known I wanted to be a psychiatrist or psychologist fairly early on, and I'd done rotations at other hospitals and had gotten a Mellon Fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh's psychiatry department one summer. I thought I looked good on paper.

I showed the essay to my adviser, he read it, looked unimpressed, and said, "It looks like everyone's essay." Great. What else did I have to say for myself? I did what I had to do. I bought a bottle of wine and went home to the typewriter (those were the days).

The essay that emerged began by saying that if I wasn't going to become a psychiatrist, I would be a taxicab driver in New York City. I rambled a bit, talked about what the experiences I'd had, said nice things about taxicab drivers and finished it up. I don't have a copy of the essay, it was long ago filed and lost, and it probably wasn't as interesting as I thought it was. My adviser liked it better, and oh, it made for some funny looks at my interviews. Thanks for the memories, Psychobabble.

5 comments:

Sarebear said...

The essay was to be used as the basis for interviewing for the next stage of medical school or something?

Heh.

Did the taxi driver provide HER with free psychotherapy or vice versa? Since she was the psychiatrist? Hee. But, she was the one telling the problems and he the one listening and providing service(s).

Didn't read the post yet (her post, read yours, lol).

Dr. Psychobabble said...

Hello Hello!

I thought I left a comment here this morning, but I was either too sleep deprived to recall those events accurately, or it hasn't yet been approved.

Anyway, the gist is that I truly appreciate your warm welcome to the psychiatric blogosphere!

Yes, I am in fact an intern (PGY-1 resident) in psychiatry in NYC! I actually had my very first day of residency today. My mind is still spinning from all the new things that I have to learn.

Oh, and I loved the concept of the essay. So much more stimulating than the normal, humdrum, cookie cutter personal statements that flood the ERAS system every year.

Now it's time for me to read my "pager manual" in an attempt to understand why it keeps screaming at me. :)

Dinah said...

Sarebear, the essay was for applications for residency programs. I hope you are feeling better.

Dr Psychobabble: ERAS? Alas, we were all residents before the internet. Sigh, makes me feel old. But pager manuals? You'd think they'd just text to your cell. I do remember the good old pager days>.. my next Post, perhaps

paperdoll said...

I so love the Kendra story.

(no not that one on syndicate...the Kendra with brains and a career goal in mind...not the silicone one with funny lips and a brow that doesn't move properly).

The next generation of shrink rappers is upon us......

We are in the presence of an embryonic shrink ......shhhh don't frighten it......let's watch with wonder........

Good luck with your residency.

Paperdoll

Sarebear said...

I am, thank you for reading my blog, it took me a minute to figure out what you were referring to, then a smile that you would be so kind. Thank you.