Psychiatrists are doctors who work with clients to improve or manage their mental health. Psychiatrists use a combination of medication and therapy to help clients reach their goals.
To become a psychiatrist, you'll need several years of training. Keep reading below as we break down what a psychiatrist does and the education needed to become a psychiatrist.
What Does a Psychiatrist Do?
A psychiatrist is a type of medical doctor who specializes in mental health and mental illness. They assess, diagnose, and treat patients.
The job duties of a psychiatrist often include:
- assessing patients to determine their mental condition
- creating treatment plans for patients, which may include medication, therapy, or both
- diagnosing mental conditions
- keeping files of patient histories, treatment plans, and progress
- monitoring patient progress and adjusting treatment as needed
Psychiatrists may work at hospitals or mental health centers, or they may work in their own private practice.
What's the Difference Between a Psychiatrist and a Psychologist?
Psychiatrists and psychologists both work with people to improve mental health or to manage mental disorders.
Psychologists focus primarily on the cognitive and social factors that influence mental health and use that knowledge to treat patients with therapy.
Psychiatrists also use therapy, but as trained medical doctors, they also look at how biology influences mental health and how to treat mental conditions with medication.
Psychologists typically earn a doctorate in psychology or a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in psychology. Psychiatrists must earn a Doctor of Medicine degree by going to medical school.
Education Needed to Become a Psychiatrist
To become a psychiatrist, you'll need to go through medical school, residency, and possibly a fellowship. We've outlined the educational requirements below.
Bachelor's Degree
Before you can go to medical school, you'll first need to earn a bachelor's degree. A bachelor's degree is an undergraduate degree that usually takes four years.
There is no specific bachelor's degree required to get into medical school, although some colleges and universities offer pre-med programs. Other common majors include:
Although you may want to focus on mental health in your undergraduate studies, it's important that you choose a program that allows you to fulfill credit requirements for medical school.
These prerequisites can vary, but usually include:
- biology
- chemistry
- organic chemistry
- physics
Taking these courses will also prepare you for your Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT). This is a standardized test offered by the Association of American Medical Colleges.
Medical School
After you've earned your bachelor's degree and earned a score you're happy with on the MCAT, you can start applying to medical colleges.
The application process can be arduous and usually requires sending in numerous applications and attending interviews.
Once you've made it to med school, you'll typically be in your program for about four years. In most programs, the first year is devoted exclusively to didactic, or traditional classroom, learning.
In the second year, you'll typically start clinical rotations, during which you'll spend several weeks in different departments to get a first-hand look at what that type of medicine entails.
Typically, medical schools have a handful of rotations that students must complete. They may also allow you to choose some of your own clinical rotations based on your interests.
This allows you to spend some time while you're in medical school specifically focused on the area of medicine you want to go into or try out.
While in medical school, you'll also study for and take the first two parts of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE).
The USMLE is a three-step examination that all medical students must complete in order to become licensed physicians.
You can take steps one and two of the USMLE once you're enrolled in medical school, but can't take the third step until you've graduated and completed at least a year of post-graduate training.
Psychiatry Residency
After you graduate from medical school, you'll need to complete a residency program in psychiatry. These are usually four-year programs.
During your residency, you'll be employed by a medical facility, such as a hospital or clinic. Unlike medical school, your residency focuses specifically on your chosen field.
Residency allows you to get specialized training in your field. You can expect some didactic learning, along with a lot of clinical experience.
In your first year of residency, you may be referred to as an intern. During this year, you'll have a lot of supervision and be given some of the easiest tasks.
As you progress through your residency, you'll be given increasingly complex tasks and be subject to less oversight.
After about a year in your residency, you'll be eligible to take the final step of the USMLE and earn your medical license.
Psychiatry Fellowship
If you've decided to specialize in a specific area of psychiatry, you may need to continue your education with a fellowship.
Fellowships are specifically meant for specialty training. There are several subspecialties you can choose in psychiatry. These include:
- addiction psychiatry
- child and adolescent psychiatry
- forensic psychiatry
- geriatric psychology
The length of a fellowship will depend on your subspecialty and the program you choose, but they usually take a few years to complete.
As a fellow, you'll be a licensed doctor who is employed by the medical facility where you're doing your fellowship.
Become a Psychiatrist
Becoming a psychiatrist requires many years of education: a bachelor's degree, medical school, residency, and possibly a fellowship.
With the information above, you can start your journey toward becoming a psychiatrist today.
