PHSRC Pulse

An Exploration of Mental Health Careers in Medicine

Fiyyaz Karim is a senior faculty member at the University of Minnesota with over 10 years of experience teaching at the master’s level in the Integrated Behavioral Health and Addiction Counseling programs. 

Dr. Karim also serves on the Board of Directors for Agate Housing and Services, supporting unhoused communities and addressing food insecurity in Hennepin County, and sits on the Governor’s Advisory Council for Addiction, Substance Use, and Opioids, focusing on reducing barriers to treatment for marginalized communities. 

Dr. Karim provides consultation and training on grief, loss, and Diversity Equity and Inclusion to local agencies and counties, helping to expand knowledge of trauma-informed care and the vitality of serving marginalized communities that often face barriers to treatment options and resources.

Where it began: many beginnings, one end goal

Though Karim now has the title “Dr.” in front of his name, it wasn’t always what he set out to do. In fact, upon entering academia in 2000 at the University of Minnesota, he started as a computer and electrical engineering major, remarking, “I learned very quickly that it was not a good fit for me.” 

Shortly after, Karim sought guidance from his advisor, who recommended that he take introductory courses, one of which was an introduction to psychology course, which is where his passion sparked. 

Karim initially gravitated toward the social aspect of psychology, fascinated by the idea of being able to understand not only how people think, but what motivates certain behaviors.

“I was usually the person that people would go to with their own problems,” Karim says. “It was through not just more advanced classes, but increased self-awareness, where my gears shifted from a sole research lens to thinking about clinical work.” 

Going into his master's and doctoral programs, Karim began to develop a greater understanding and recognition of something traditionally underrepresented in undergraduate coursework: mental health stigmatization. 

In fact, a 2024 study from the Journal of Family and Primary Care investigated how undergraduate medical students who participated in a two-week teaching program on mental health, as compared to those who did not have mental health in the two-week curriculum program. The results showed that there was perceived stigma among medical students about patients with mental illness, the tendency was higher in those belonging to rural areas. 

Karim's purpose flourished into a desire to spread awareness of mental health across all cultures and communities, with one goal: to bridge the gap in conversation through social justice, advocacy and practice.

Though with a highly emotional focus, Karim wanted to specialize in grief, loss, and trauma, specifically the types of losses that were non-morbid – the kinds of loss that don’t get recognized in society due to underlying stigmas such as job loss or a romantic relationship fading. 

Careers in Mental Health, Beyond the Couch

It was just this past summer when Karim decided to take his own passions and explorations in the mental health field and lay them out into educational tools, designing and teaching a course called “Beyond the Couch: Nonclinical Career Pathways and Mental Health.” 

The course was designed to expand what it means to work in the field of mental health, outside of envisioning a singular path to being a therapist, into educating students on the multitude of careers available to them. 

Karim says that, although traditionally, if a student is going into a master's or even a doctorate, they envision the possibilities that are limited to clinical work, such as becoming a psychologist, therapist, or counselor, yet the area of testing and assessment is often an uncharted territory.

Yet, patient assessment is a vital aspect of the field itself, as inadequate patient assessment is a contributing factor in more than half of all medical malpractice cases, according to CRICO.

“I think a very big distinguishing factor between a master's and a doctorate is that you will not be able to conduct that psychological testing with a master's degree,” Karim says. 

Another area is partaking in research, whether that be a part-time or full-time endeavor. The University of Minnesota’s Department of Psychology currently has 50 externally funded grants totaling $71 million, with research areas in Clinical Science, Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Industrial Organizational Psychology, and more. 

Beyond these areas, students who are interested in a non-traditional interdisciplinary setting may be interested in the pathway of a private practice in therapy or counseling. Owner of Inner Peace Counseling, Ashley Carter Youngblood, underlines that despite her own bias as a private practice social worker, she believes it is a great pathway for laser-focused independent workers, and the ability to actively network can provide a sense of support. 

For students at the master’s level, the option to teach still stands, as Karim reflects on a recent graduate who started teaching a course on addiction last fall, and says the need for master ’s-level adjunct professors, with an even bigger draw for individuals who do eventually earn a PhD, to work in academia.

“We have students who go on to work in marketing, advertising, and even Human Resources,” Karim says. “ I think there are a lot of transferable skills in our field that lend themselves well, and simplyhaving that foundation and counseling or addiction work will be really helpful.” 

Advocacy and Organizations 

As someone who works closely with students on the Licensed Professional Clinical Care (LPCC) track, Karim says that one of the biggest differences between the LPCC and the Master of Social Work (MSW) track is the higher emphasis on case management and advocacy at the community level for an MSW. 

When it comes to professional organizations to join, Karim says it all depends on the areas students want to pursue, whether that is addiction recovery, children's mental health, or even social series there are professional organizations in the state: 

 

  • American Counseling Association (ACA): A nonprofit organization dedicated to the growth and enhancement of the counseling profession. They provide education, community, and professional development for over 60,000 members, including counsellors in various practice settings. 

 

Finding the Right Fit and Timeline for You 

When it comes to taking the Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) exam, Karim recommends that students take it one to two months after graduation because not only is the information still fresh, but they are still in “student mode,” meaning the habitual aspect of studying and exam preparation is still present. 

In terms of how often you should be studying during that time period, Karim says taking a couple of hours a few times a week is a good baseline, aiming to take as many practice tests as possible since they mirror the look of the actual test. 

When it comes to choosing what school to attend for a master’s program, Karim says the Master of Professional Studies in Integrated Behavioral Health (IBH) Program was the first to truly infuse a focus on addiction and take a focused look at co-occurring disorders in the courses, which offers an edge.

“It makes them a lot more competitive, and as they walk away, they are not only eligible for their LPCC, but also as soon as they graduate, they can apply for a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC),” Karim says. “Having these dual licensures is very big in terms of making them more competitive.”

Throughout the years, the IBH Program has evolved to include a youth specialization minor, which allows students who want to do more work with adolescents to get that credential, Karim says. Starting in the fall, a certificate in trauma will be available, reflective of the overlap between addiction, mental health, and trauma.

“Given all of the community loss and trauma, but also the need for working with addiction and substance misuse on the rise, I think there is going to be a significant demand for mental health professionals in the field of mental health,” Karim says. 

For students who are interested in the field of mental health but are unsure of where to start, Karim recommends speaking with an enrollment advisor or admissions counselor and reaching out to faculty to talk about the programs they are interested in. 

Exposure to the industry is an essential element of finding the right fit, such as doing part-time work, working in a group home, volunteering, or working for a crisis line are options to consider, Karim says. 

“When choosing a career path in mental health, the number one question to ask yourself is: Am I going to be happy long-term?” Karim prompts. “I think that's going to be a very important piece, because burnout is very high in our field.”