You must have 1 year of inorganic chemistry, 1 year of organic chemistry, 1 year of biology, 1 year of mathematics including calculus, and 1 year of physics in order to apply for medical school. Grades must be outstanding in order to secure admission. For every one person admitted to medical school, 7 will be rejected. [citation needed] Some universities offer pre-med programs that are designed to fulfill all of the prerequisites for applying to medical school. Going to the best school you can get into is a good idea when your end goal is becoming a psychiatrist. Medical schools are very competitive, so make sure you attend a top school and get the best grades you can get. While you’re in college, get experience in the psychiatric field by taking an internship at a hospital or doing volunteer work. Make sure psychiatry is definitely for you before you spend the time and money it takes to become licensed.
Do well on the MCAT and apply to the best school you can get into. You’ll have a greater range of career choices if you go to a great medical school. To become a psychiatrist, you’ll have to complete 4 years of college, 4 years of medical school, 4 years of training, and possibly an extra year or 2 of additional training. However, working as a psychiatrist is a highly rewarding and exciting experience. [1] X Research source Padam Bhatia, MD. Psychiatrist. Personal interview. 12 May 2020. During the first four years of medical school you take classes, do lab work, and learn about medical ethics. You may not have the opportunity to do hands-on psychiatry work at this stage, but earning your medical degree is a requirement in the path to becoming a psychiatrist, so stick with it.
Addiction psychiatry, which involves treating patients who are dealing with addiction (such as substance abuse, gambling, food, and sex addictions). Pediatric psychiatry, which involves helping children and teenagers (up to 18 years of age). Geriatric psychiatry, which involves helping elderly patients. Emergency psychiatry, which involves dealing with emergency situations that may endanger a person’s life (for example, suicide attempts, violent changes in behavior, self-harm, psychosis). Forensic psychiatry, which is psychiatry within the field of criminology, often dealing with the use of the insanity defense in a trial. Neuropsychiatry, which is psychiatry connected to diseases of the nervous system. You might also study groundbreaking new treatments in psychiatry, including the use of drugs like ketamine or psychedelics, as well as Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). [3] X Research source Padam Bhatia, MD. Psychiatrist. Personal interview. 12 May 2020.
Your residency will include general medicine rotations, neurology, psychiatry and electives geared toward the specialized fields of psychiatry that interests you. You’ll work in both outpatient and inpatient psychology. Many students of psychiatry complete their residency working in the psychiatric ward of a hospital. You will work with patients to treat problems like clinical depression, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, psychosis, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, dementia, post-traumatic stress disorder, dissociative identity disorder, and sleep disorders.
If you move states, you may have to sit for another examination to practice psychiatry there. [5] X Research source In order to prescribe medication, you must also get a federal narcotics license and register with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). [6] X Research source
Remember, one of the most important factors in a patient’s treatment is the rapport they have with you, so treat each patient on an individual level. For instance, some patients may want to pursue therapy without medication, some may prefer medication only, and some may want to combine the two. Your job is to figure out how to balance their wishes with the most clinically appropriate treatment. [7] X Research source Padam Bhatia, MD. Psychiatrist. Personal interview. 12 May 2020. Working an a hospital or clinic setting provides stability and structure, but the hours can be long, just as they are for any doctor. Opening a private practice is lucrative, but it may be tough to get patients when you’re first starting out. [8] X Research source
