>why did you choose psychiatry over for example a PsyD degree? And: what are the key data points that make you believe that the pharma-centric approach is the one worth devoting your career to?

The patronizing stench of this comment aside, you’re attempting to wedge these two careers into the same hole when they are apples to oranges. At their foundation, the curriculums between the two are nowhere comparable.

My psychologist has been taught to conduct _psychotherapy_ at an expert level. My psychiatrist is trained to be a _medical doctor_ on all bases with additional expert knowledge in their sub field.

While you may have a certain disdain for the field of psychiatry, attempting to devalue the importance of the balance they maintain for a patient stems from ignorance of what they do.