As the world grows increasingly understanding and accepting of mental health issues, the stigma surrounding professions like psychiatrists has gradually begun to fade. But what exactly is a psychiatrist? What do they do, and how do they differ from other mental health professionals like psychologists? Let’s explore the ins and outs of a psychiatrist’s job, the education requirements for the profession and the various specialties within the field of psychiatry.
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What Is a Psychiatrist?
A psychiatrist is a “licensed medical doctor that specializes in treating people with mental health concerns. Their primary goal is to assess whether a patient has a mental health diagnosis, and if so, to recommend treatment and level of care that is needed,” says Dr. Jessica Turner, a Brown University-trained board-certified psychiatrist. Some common treatments psychiatrists provide include electroconvulsive therapy, transcranial magnetic stimulation and prescription medications.
Many tend to confuse psychiatrists with psychologists. However, they’re not the same. While psychologists have a doctoral degree in psychology and are trained to provide therapy and conduct evaluations, they can’t prescribe medication or make medical diagnoses like psychiatrists. In short, a psychiatrist is a medical doctor, while a psychologist is not.
Types of Psychiatrists
Like other physicians, psychiatrists can specialize in various fields within psychiatry. Here are some of the most common specialties psychiatrists focus on:
— Addiction Psychiatry.
— Forensic Psychiatry.
— Neuropsychiatry.
— Adolescent and Child Psychiatry.
— Geriatric Psychiatry.
— Occupational Psychiatry.
— Psychosomatic Medicine.
What Does a Psychiatrist Do?
Psychiatrists may have different daily work schedules depending on their specialization and the health care setting they work in.
For example, Turner works in an outpatient private practice that serves teens and adults, and her workday is spent meeting with patients either in person or via telehealth. She says, “I have some patients that I regularly see for talk therapy, and those appointments are about 50 minutes. In those sessions, we work together to understand why they’re suffering and discuss tools on how to cope.” Turner emphasizes that her ultimate goal is for patients to eventually graduate from therapy so that her services may no longer be needed.
Besides talk therapy, she also provides medication management treatment. “During a medication appointment, I review my patient’s symptoms, discuss progress or setbacks that may have occurred and then make plans for the next steps regarding medication dosages and other lifestyle changes.”
However, the typical day of a psychiatric provider working in a different context — such as ambulatory clinics, inpatient units or emergency departments — may differ significantly from Turner’s. So, if you’re considering a career in psychiatry, it’s worth shadowing psychiatrists from different health care settings to understand the challenges of each specialized field.
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What Skills Do Psychiatrists Need?
Besides having a deep understanding of psychology and the multiple models of mental illness, psychiatrists must also possess essential soft skills to excel in the profession. Here are some of them.
1. Excellent communication skills. As a psychiatrist, effective communication is crucial when it comes to building rapport with patients and providing top-notch patient care. Being able to communicate effectively goes beyond just speaking clearly, but also includes being an active listener, picking up on nonverbal cues, asking relevant questions and conveying complicated medical information in simple terms.
2. Emotional intelligence. Daniel Z. Lieberman, a former professor and vice chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at George Washington University, says, “Treating a patient’s mind is different than treating the heart, the liver or the kidneys. To effectively treat a mind, a good psychiatrist must take a humanistic approach and move beyond a sterile scientific attitude, and seek to understand the human being who’s experiencing suffering.” To do so, you must cultivate your emotional intelligence so that you can interpret and respond appropriately to your patients’ emotions.
3. Analytical thinking. To accurately assess your patients’ conditions, evaluate test results and develop individualized treatment plans, you must possess analytical thinking skills to piece together information from different sources and form a deeper understanding of each patient’s condition. By using logic and reasoning, you can go beyond just recognizing the surface-level symptoms and uncover the root causes of your patients’ issues.
How to Become a Psychiatrist
Becoming a psychiatrist requires dedication and years of education. Here’s how to get started in a career in psychiatry.
1. Get a bachelor’s degree. Before going to medical school, you must first obtain a bachelor’s degree. Many universities offer a pre-med track to help you complete the prerequisite courses needed for an MD or DO program. Check with the academic advisor at your university to see whether it’s available to you.
2. Take the Medical College Admission Test. Once you complete a bachelor’s degree program, the next step is to take the Medical College Admission Test. MCAT scores range from 472 to 528. To get into the top medical schools for psychiatry, like Harvard, you may need a score of approximately 520.
3. Complete an MD or DO program. After receiving your MCAT results, it’s time to apply for medical school. Medical school typically takes four years to complete. During your time there, you’ll take courses on behavioral science, anatomy, biochemistry, physiology, etc. Besides traditional coursework, you may also spend time in laboratories to gain research experience.
4. Undergo residency. After completing an MD or DO program, you must undergo a four-year psychiatric residency where you’ll work directly with patients under the supervision of licensed psychiatrists. Once you’ve completed the program, you can pursue an optional fellowship if you want to subspecialize in an area like forensic psychiatry.
5. Become licensed. In the U.S., all psychiatrists need to have a state license in psychiatry to practice unsupervised. If you graduated from an MD program, you must take the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination to become licensed. If you graduated from a DO program, you’d take the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination.
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Should You Become a Psychiatrist?
Wondering whether becoming a psychiatrist is the right career move? Consider factors such as the career outlook, salary and work environment to help you make the most informed decision.
Career Outlook
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects an 8.7% employment growth for psychiatrists between 2021 and 2031 — higher than the average growth rate of most jobs in the country. However, Dr. Teresa Poprawski, neuropsychiatrist and chief medical officer of Relief Mental Health, notes that because psychiatry is ever-evolving, aspiring psychiatrists “must be ready and willing to try — perhaps even invent — new ways of practicing psychiatry” to keep up with the evolving mental health landscape.
Median Salary
Psychiatrists in the United States generally earn a comfortable living. In 2021, they made a median salary of $208,000. Keep in mind that this figure can vary significantly depending on where you practice. In cities like San Francisco, psychiatrists can make upward of $360,000 a year, whereas in non-metropolitan areas like Western Wisconsin, psychiatrists’ salaries can dip to $130,000 or less.
Work Environment
Psychiatrists work in a variety of settings, such as outpatient clinics, emergency rooms, hospitals, nursing homes and correctional institutions. Their work environment can often be fast-paced and high-pressure, especially in urgent and crisis situations. Depending on the health care setting, psychiatrists may have to work long hours and be on call to respond to emergencies.
Explore Career Options in the Mental Health Field
While psychiatry can be a rewarding and lucrative profession, the path to becoming a psychiatrist can be challenging — as medical school and residency can take up to eight years to complete. If you’re unsure about pursuing a career in psychiatry, consider the various other career options in the mental health field that don’t have lengthy education requirements, such as therapists or mental health counselors. Regardless of which path you choose, always take the time to carefully research each option to make the best decision for your future.
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What Does a Psychiatrist Do? originally appeared on usnews.com
