Psychiatrist Job Description, Career as a Psychiatrist, Salary, Employment - Definition and Nature of the Work, Education and Training Requirements, Getting the Job
Salary: Median—$180,000 per year
Employment Outlook: Very good
Definition and Nature of the Work
Psychiatrists are physicians who specialize in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of mental disorders. They treat patients with mild cases of anxiety as well as those with severe disorders that can cause dangerous and bizarre behavior. Psychiatrists may also diagnose mental retardation and treat alcoholism. They often work with other mental health workers, such as psychologists, psychiatric nurses, and psychiatric social workers.
Psychiatrists talk with patients to learn about their mental health problems. They may also use information provided by patients' families or by other mental health workers. They are trained to recognize the connection between mental and physical disorders, so they may order laboratory or other diagnostic tests.
For treatment, psychiatrists can prescribe drugs and use shock therapy and psychotherapy. In psychotherapy, psychiatrists use their special training to talk with one or more patients to help them understand and cope with their problems.
Psychiatrists may work with patients in private offices or in hospitals or clinics. They may also do research, studying the causes and treatment of mental illness. Some psychiatrists teach in medical schools or in special psychiatric institutes. Others write or edit psychiatric books or journals.
Psychiatrists are often confused with psychologists and psychoanalysts. Psychiatrists are physicians who have advanced training in psychiatry. As physicians, they can prescribe medication. Psychologists have either master's degrees or doctorates in psychology. They are not physicians and cannot prescribe drugs or perform surgery. Psychologists are basically scientists who study the reactions of people to their environment. Psychoanalysts are specially trained to practice long-term therapy that investigates the subconscious or hidden causes of emotional disturbances. Most psychoanalysts are psychiatrists, while those known as lay analysts are not.
Education and Training Requirements
Psychiatrists need extensive training after high school. They get bachelor's degrees, followed by four years of medical school. After one-year internships, they must also have three years of psychiatric training as residents in hospitals. Usually after one or two years of residency, psychiatrists must take examinations to be licensed, which is required in all states. They need additional experience before they are eligible to take examinations for certification as psychiatrists.
Getting the Job
Psychiatrists work in institutions or in private practice. Some combine the two types of work. Building a successful private practice can take a while, so many beginning psychiatrists start their careers in established psychiatric offices. Professional associations can provide information about setting up a practice or getting salaried positions.
Advancement Possibilities and Employment Outlook
Psychiatrists usually advance by building their practices. Some specialize in fields such as child, educational, or legal psychiatry. Others become teachers, researchers, or administrators in colleges, hospitals, or other institutions.
Employment of physicians in general is expected to grow faster than average for all occupations through 2014. Expansion of the health-care industry, a growing population, and increasing life spans, as well as higher incomes and educational levels, are spurring the demand. Shortages of psychiatrists exist, especially in rural areas and in public facilities.
Working Conditions
Psychiatrists in private practice work in quiet, peaceful settings so their patients can feel at ease. However, the work can be stressful because of the suffering they see every day. In addition, psychiatrists in private practice must be available to their patients whenever they need help, so their working hours can be irregular. Psychiatrists who work in hospitals and clinics often have more regular hours than private practitioners do because the staff divides the hours they must be on call. To do their work well, psychiatrists must be well balanced, disciplined, and enjoy working with all kinds of people.
Earnings and Benefits
Psychiatrists' earnings are similar to those of other physicians. In 2004 psychiatrists who had been in practice more than one year earned a median income of $180,000 per year. Psychiatrists in private practice provided their own benefits. Salaried psychiatrists received paid holidays and vacations, health insurance, and retirement plans.
User Comments Add a comment…
14 days ago
Mandy
Okay jonny. Not all us Pyschiatrist are like that. I take all my patients very seriously and try to understand every little detail thats going through there mind before even thinking about giving them a prescription. Some of us Pyschiatrist care for our patients. Thank you
2 months ago
Jonny
You guys forgot to mention what a REAL Pyschiatrist does now. He is quite effecient in his work. Here is how it goes... He gets a patient, listens for about 5-10 minutes, diagnoses patient as to having some sort of "mental disorder", prescribes him a powerful and addictive mind altering drug, makes a load of money on both the visit and of course the "prescription drug" and walla! Gee There is the profession. Anyone who likes to do this sort of thing and destroy in the name of help are welcome to join! Just think of all those kids you can falsley label ADHD and then give them powerful mood altering drugs? And oh yeah, make lots and lots of money too... ;)
2 months ago
maria rizzuto
My nephew is a PSYCHIATRIST, he has completed his studies and his internship in Europe, he would like to come to the USA to continue his carreer, what does he have to do. Will he need to continue his studies in the USA to get his USA psychiatrists license and if so what exactly does he still need
2 months ago
Rick Duffy
It says psychoanalysts are often psychiatrists. I don't think that's so. They are often psychologists, who have a superior non-medical knowledge of psychology, which is what is involved in psychoanalysis. A psychoanalyst wouldn't want to block someone's mental state by a drug.
9 months ago
sa914 » sarahevans1992 ((at)) gmail dot com
thank you, but can you tell me what personal qualifications might be needed?
11 months ago
BNoo » YUho dot ((at)) u dot net
WeLL I WANT TO KNOW IF PSYCHIATRIST USE ANY EQUIPMENT? iF THEY DO P.S. PUT IT IN THE PAGE
THANX
11 months ago
Season » SeasonLouise ((at)) aol dot com
This website was so very helpful! Thanks for your help! (:
12 months ago
Ishbah » Sss ((at)) gmail dot com
Thanks for the info! This will really help with my report.
12 months ago
Brian » bgraham68 ((at)) gmail dot com
I am really interested in becoming a psychiatrist in the future. This information is extremely helpful in giving an idea of what it takes to do so. Thank you for providing this information.
12 months ago
Dr Sreekanth Davu » drdsreekanth ((at)) gmail dot com
Hi, I am doing my 2 nd year residency in Psychiatry in russia. I am planning to go to usa after my training. The information that you have given in this site is very useful and helpful. I' ll be much grateful if you 'd inform me further what examintions I have to go through , to join as a Psychiatrist in usa, after the completion of my residency. I 'll complete my residency in June 2010.
Dr Sreekanth Davu.
Ryazan, Russia . 19 Nov 2008.
about 1 year ago
hearton.mysleeve » MyHeartDoesntDeserve2Beat ((at)) gmail dot com
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about 1 year ago
jewels perez » darkgothangel08 ((at)) yahoo dot com
thanks for the info it really helped me when i had to do my career at school
about 1 year ago
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about 1 year ago
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about 1 year ago
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Hey, im Going to be a psychiatrist after im out of high school. this really helped me get an idea what i would have to do and what it would be like.
about 1 year ago
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about 1 year ago
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about 1 year ago
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about 1 year ago
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about 1 year ago
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about 1 year ago
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about 1 year ago
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this helped alot with my 3 minute presentation on psychiatrist and psychology for my balancing careers and family class =) ^_^ =)
about 1 year ago
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about 1 year ago
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about 1 year ago
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about 1 year ago
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about 1 year ago
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about 1 year ago
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thanks i am doing a project for school and this helped out a lot
about 1 year ago
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Thanks so much to the site. i now have a good understanding of what my career will include. thi sreally helped!
about 1 year ago
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Hey,
I just wanted to say thanks this sight really helped me get what I need for a career brochure that is due.
One thing I was wondering is if you could put up a some kind of graph that shows the salary a psychatrist makes.
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=]]
about 1 year ago
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im doing a 8th grade report on future careers..this site eally helped me..
about 1 year ago
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about 1 year ago
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about 1 year ago
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about 1 year ago
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about 1 year ago
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about 1 year ago
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about 1 year ago
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about 1 year ago
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about 1 year ago
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about 1 year ago
Briee. [[= » dropdeadgabrielle ((at)) yahoo dot com
Does anyone know how I can get an Interview with a psychiatrist?
about 1 year ago
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about 1 year ago
AINYEH » AINYEHW2004 ((at)) YAHOO dot COM
I WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH I AM DOING A CAREER RESEARCH PAPER ON PSCHIATRIST. EVERYWHERE I HAVE LOOKED THERE IS NO PLACE WITH THE BENEFITS OF A PSYCHIATRIST.THANK YOU!!!!
about 1 year ago
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this website was most helpfull for my school paper (which is on psychiatry) Thanks! But i would like to know all the different fields of psychiatry.
about 1 year ago
Nikki » Nikki_Ewing ((at)) hotmail dot com
This Information is really helpful. I am doing a Career project and I've been trying all these other web sites and none of them were as good as this one! Thanks so much!
about 1 year ago
Jenna » Eyalithe ((at)) gmail dot com
This website was really helpful, thank you for the information you provided. One thing I would suggest would be to add a section explaining if there are any special skills or abilities psychiatrists need or have.
about 1 year ago
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Thank you so much for this information, you really helped me understand what it takes to become a psychiatrist.
about 1 year ago
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about 1 year ago
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about 1 year ago
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about 1 year ago
Aaron T Spies » aspies ((at)) harvard dot fas dot edu
This is an excellent resource for educating the general public on this great career. As for the person who commented that this line of work is one which "ruins lives", I'd like to say that I am a Harvard student studying this line of work and believe that those who think psychiatric medicine is toxic witchcraft have not worked in a clinic or had much experience whatever with the mentally ill who benefit greatly from psychiatrists.
about 1 year ago
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this is a helpful resources and it has helped me tremendously on my research paper! it has a lot of detailed information, thanks!
about 1 year ago
maeghan gillon » luvanurse18 ((at)) aol dot com
thanks for the information. you see im 13 and in the 8th grade and we're doin a research paper on health careers and i chose a psychiatrist and this website has gave me a lot of info. please and thank you!!!!
about 1 year ago
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I'm a student at Fairdale High School in Louisville Kentucky. This website helped me find the information that I needed for my Feature Artical=D I'm gald that my teacher gave me this website to use for my Artical!! Thanx alot=D
about 1 year ago
Psychiatry Ruins Lives » psychiatryruinslives ((at)) aol dot com
Psychiatry causes at least 90% of the mental illness out there by "treating" conditons with psychiatric drugs. These medications cause brain damage and thus cause people to become mentally ill. If you want to actually help people become a psychologist. Talk therapy does not cause brain damage, but psychiatric medications unfortunately do.
about 1 year ago
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This site helped me a lot on my English Research Paper Final.
about 1 year ago
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thanx a lot 4 helping me on my child development paper!!!!!!
about 1 year ago
TAMARA » mARAENID86 ((at)) AOL dot COM
The majority of my psychology paper was sourced to your web page. The information was accurate and useful. Thank you very much.
over 2 years ago
kamara » theydontcallmekamarafornothing ((at)) yahoo dot com
you didnt incluse anything about ones that wont to work in hospital
over 2 years ago
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i <3 you guys for all the help that i have recieved from you thanks a bunches
over 2 years ago
Tessa Finn » Greencarebears3 ((at)) yahoo dot com
wow...this really helped me out alot and this is exactly what i was looking for and i couldnt find this anywhere else..thank you so much.. i am definitly going into this field after reading this..i am excited
thanks again
i would love to recieve more information about this career via email
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much appreciated
over 2 years ago
kita » lil_Kitapooh ((at)) yahoo dot com
This website helped me find out excatly what i needed to know. Now I'm entering my first year of college majoring in Psychology to b a psychiatrist.
over 2 years ago
becka » becka_beckster ((at)) hotmail dot com
I've been looking everywhere for a site that could tell me all of this. It rocks, it has answered so many of my questions. Thanks!!
over 2 years ago
Cassandra Jones » cutec516 ((at)) yahoo dot com
I would like to say that I loved this website. It helped me out alot. I"m doing a PBL project on who I am now an who I want to become. I've wanted to be a psychiatrist ever since I was about 10 years old. I"m 14 now and I haven't lost any passion for it.Keep up the good work..this is the only site that gave me what I was looking for.
over 2 years ago
lantern55 » mmata1 ((at)) elp dot rr dot com
nice site of information...you gave me the info, especially on the education requirements, which most other sites will not get into. kudos to you guys on that...if you'd like, put more info on colleges that cater to psychiatric careers...and to perfect your site even more give a little more info on salaries in rural areas...thanks...good site!
over 2 years ago
vanessa lynn » vanessa_lynn97 ((at)) yahoo dot com
i am a 7th grader planning to be a Psychiartrist.
This site helped me out alot
THANKS
over 2 years ago
stacy » smilessk4lxx ((at)) aol dot com
I'm a junior in high school and i plan on becoming a psychiatrist. i love helping other people and ive taken two psychology classes. this site was very helpful!!
over 2 years ago
Can =) » Candra_brooke09 ((at)) hotmail dot com
I Like This Website =) It Helped Me A Lot With My Research on psychiatrists Because thats what I wanna be when I get older So In my Intro To Majors class I Am Writing a paper about psychiatrists because my teacher is making me && maybe thats why I dont like her so much .. I Dont know lol. But Anyways This Web Site Helped Me So Thanx Oh! && did I Mention That Im Gonna Be A Psychiatrist When I Get Older lol. .Cause I Need A Psychiatrits && They Say Most ppl In The Psychiatric fild Needs Psychiatrits themselves && I Do Need One Ill Prolly Get One Soon Thats What Mommy Says Cause Then I Wont Be Depressed No More && See Wouldnt I Be A Good Psychiatrist Thanx! <3 You