Our Interview With Dr. Robert C. Bransfield, DLFAPA

Dr. Robert C. Bransfield, DLFAPA is board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in Psychiatry and is a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association (APA). He owns a private practice of psychiatry, Mental Health and Illness.

What motivated you to pursue a career in medicine?

When I was 5 years old, I was very sick. A very dedicated family doctor made an early morning house call, put me in his car, and drove me to the hospital, where I had emergency surgery for a ruptured appendix. That experience gave me a great appreciation of the profession.

What do you wish you had known about the medical school application process before you applied?

I had fairly limited knowledge about the differences between different medical schools.

What was the biggest challenge that caught you off guard when you sat down to write the MCAT?

Although I was strong with Science and math, I had weaknesses in the verbal and general sections.

How much work experience did you gain before applying to medical school? What opportunities did you pursue, and what helped you the most during the application process?

I did some volunteer work at a community mental health center and medical research while in college.

Did you have any setbacks or rejections during the med school admissions process, and what did you learn from those experiences?

I was accepted by two good schools in September of my senior year and later was rejected by the highest-rated medical school that I had applied to.

What led you to specialize in psychiatry? What advice would you give to someone looking to pursue your specialty?

I debated between psychiatry and neurosurgery. I decided upon psychiatry. I saw many very depressing injuries and illnesses associated with neurosurgery.

If someone wants to start their own practice, what does that path look like after finishing medical school?

Enter a field that gives you autonomy away from the control of large medical corporations.

What advice would you give to someone who’s looking to start their practice today?

Learn something about the business of medicine, and develop a super specialty area that affords you some autonomy from the control of insurance companies.  

Inspira Advantage is proud to interview experts like Dr. Robert C. Bransfield, DLFAPA, to help future doctors understand the challenges and rewards of a medical career. Learn more about how our experts can help you get into medical school today.