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How to Become A Psychiatrist

Across the United States, a greater emphasis is being placed on understanding mental illnesses, and finding ways to help patients with these illnesses and restore their health. As a result, professions such as psychiatry are experiencing a surge in growth. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the profession to experience growth in the years to come. If you want to know how to become a psychiatrist and what the job entails, continue reading our guide to help you make a more well-informed decision.

What Kinds of Psychiatrists Are There? What Does a Psychiatrist Do?
Psychiatrists are responsible for diagnosing and treating mental illnesses in patients, through a combination of specialized techniques. These are:
Psychotherapy: regular discussions with patients regarding their problems and modifying behavior over a longer period of time.
Psychoanalysis: this is a long-term version of psychotherapy, and the psychiatrist may also recommend medication to help restore any chemical imbalances which may be contributing to the patient’s condition.
The psychiatrist may also obtain information by speaking to the patient’s colleagues and family, and use this information to analyze the condition the patient is experiencing. Depending on your interests, you may choose to work with a particular group of patients. Child psychiatrists will tailor their education and training to help children with mental illness, while prison psychiatrists will work with prisoners and help the police by providing evidence of any mental affliction affecting prisoners.

How To Become A Psychiatrist – Training, Licensing, and Education
Psychiatry is a highly technical field requiring a thorough amount of learning and practical training. Individuals in this field have to go through 4 years of college before enrolling in another 4 years of medical school. After this, they require a further three to eight years of experience through internships and residency programs. Only after this rigorous training can you officially be considered a psychiatrist.

Most students choose to complete an undergraduate degree in science, covering courses in psychology, biology, physics, and mathematics. Additionally, some students choose to take courses in the humanities to sharpen their analytic skills. You can also choose to complete a master’s degree in psychology if you wish; however, this will take extra time to complete. If students are unable to attend on-campus programs because of various reasons like they do not live near a school, they already have commitments like a full-time job or a family, or they want to change careers; now they have the option of enrolling in accredited online degree programs.

The next step is to gain acceptance into a medical school. Over the course of four years, students will take advanced courses in anatomy, biology, and medical ethics; followed by supervised training in a clinical setting. Through this combination, you will become comfortable with applying your learning in a practical setting. In order to become a psychiatrist, you will have to choose a residency within this specialty. During your four years in residency, you will be taken through all the sub-specialties of the field, allowing you to gain employment in a variety of settings. The last step in the process is to obtain a license in order to practice your profession legally. This is done by taking and passing the US Medical Licensing Exams (USMLE).

Questions / Answers

Q:How to become a psychiatrist right after graduating from high school?

A:First you have to complete a suitable college degree such as one in biological sciences and physiology. Some even prefer to major in psychology, although psychiatrists do very little counseling and are geared towards prescribing psychotropic drugs. Afterwards, you have to go through medical school, complete a residency program and finally pass the board exam to be licensed and get certified by American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Q:How much schooling is required to become a psychiatrist?

A:Psychiatrists are professionals who assess, diagnose, and treat people with mental or behavioral issues. To become a psychiatrist, you need to have at least a four year college degree in this field. You can also acquire further education and get a masters degree. Apart from this, you must complete a certain number of training hours. The residency training hours may vary slightly from state to state. The last step to becoming a professional psychiatrist is getting a license.

Q:How long does it require to be a psychiatrist?

A:The time needed to become a psychiatrist depends upon how much education you acquire at college. The duration of bachelor and masters degree can range anywhere from four to seven years. You can only find out about the exact duration by getting in touch with the college you plan to enroll in and confirm.

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