Why Psychiatry??

Shelly here. For those of you who don't know who I am, let me introduce myself. I am Matt's older and wiser sister. I, like Matt, live in Rochester and therefore, have had the opportunity to witness first hand the difficult time Matt has had in deciding what kind of doctor he wants to be. I am taking it upon myself to inform the readers of this blog of these insights because 1) this blog is LAME and they never post anything, 2) I have witnessed the struggle and 3) I'm his sister...who could be more qualified to analyze Matt than his sister??? (I also came across a few fun photos recently that I thought would be fun post)


We start with Matt in early childhood. I suspect that it may have been during these bath times that the idea of Urology may have planted seeds in Matt's brain. I will not elaborate further on that.

As Matt grew older, the psychiatry tendency began to show up a little. I think that the only thing missing from this outfit Matt is wearing are the leather elbow pads on the jacket. If the bowtie doesn't scream "shrink", I don't know what does!! Doesn't this just look like a boy who can't wait to sit down, cross his legs, sip his tea, and scribble notes about you while you lay on his couch?

But then Urology fights back into Matt's consciousness. He realizes that he is a creature of leisure. He needs to pursue a career that can finance a life in the lap of luxury, as illustrated below. For a time, the thought of sitting on a deck chair, soaking up rays, looking buff and attracting the ladies all but precludes the possibility of psychiatry with its more modest compensation. No, Matt needs the money and the power and the prestige of surgery. How can you look at that self-satisfied look on his face and not see a pompous surgeon?

And yet, Matt's more benevolent nature makes a resurgence. After all, Matt is a complex man, and such complexity demands a certain degree of indecision. Look at this idealistic young man boarding a plane to convert the unwashed Nordic masses! He has just had a first year of philosophy classes at BYU, and a philosophy major is perfect for grooming future psychiatrists. It's also perfect for grooming an introspective, thoughtful young man who relishes meticulous reasoning that doesn't lead to easy answers. Urology gets pushed back again. This impulse is further intensified by the two years Matt spent as a missionary in Norway. His time there was replete with psychoanalysis and philosophical discussions about intense and deep subjects with dozens of strangers, and Matt is fulfilled by his efforts. Psychiatry takes a strong lead.

So it appears that the decision is made (for now). The vacillation that has defined Matt's career path has come to a momentary lull as he seeks his fortunes dissecting his patients, but mentally rather than physically. The only question that remains is what kind of patients? Those who know Matt know there was never any doubt.

The man has a gift with children, and has been told so on numerous occasions. So the quintessential man-child becomes not a pediatrician, but a psychiatrist who serves the needs of children. But give him time, this decision might change too.

Final verdict?

Well, with the love and support of his fun-loving, fist-swallowing wife.....Adolescent / Pediatric Psychiatry, of course!