Psychiatrists

By: Vy Lam

By every second, mental health problems are growing rapidly at an alarming rate, and often unnoticed. Psychiatrists are a type of doctor who works with patients, directly and indirectly, to treat mental illnesses with the proper care. They may look like a regular person under that white coat, but the truth is far more greater than you can imagine.

To become a psychiatrist, you must remember that the years of schooling are very tiring. You start off with getting a bachelor’s degree from a university of your choice. Many often choose STEM-related majors, but the truth is you can choose any major as long as you got the required pre-med courses finished. After that you’ll take the MCATwhich is  also known as the Medical College Admission Test. Once you get the score you need, you will enter medical school where the first two years you will learn the foundations of medicine and science. Moving on, it is also important for you to pay attention during the last two years of medical school which is called Clinical Rotations (also known as Clerkship.) For aspiring psychiatrists, paying attention significantly during the psychiatry rotation can boost your chances to be selected into a residency for it. Residency is the next destination after you finish your M.D. (Medicine of Doctor Degree.) Residency for Psychiatry is typically 4 years long unless you choose to specialize in a certain area like geniatric, pediatrics, or addiction. This is called a fellowship and it’s typically 1 - 2 years depending on the sub-field. 

Psychiatrists are a type of doctor who specializes in caring for people’s mental health. Their job is to provide diagnosis on one’s health and order certain tests to ensure they know what they are dealing with. Once a diagnosis is created (depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, etc), the psychiatrist will start discussing treatment plans. Treatment depends on the individual and can come in many forms such as medication, therapy referrals and lifestyle changes. They will usually schedule a follow up appointment to see how the patient is responding to the changes of the treatment. It helps them understand whether they need to try a different method or stick to the same one.

Ultimately, psychiatrists play a huge role in our society as they keep our mental health in check in this modern world. Even if their work may go unnoticed, it’s important to recognize why they play such a significant part in the medical field since mental health is equally important as physical health. 

Works Cited:

Bell, Ashley. “What Is a Psychiatrist?” UCLA Med School, 25 May 2023, medschool.ucla.edu/news-article/what-is-a-psychiatrist.

Sievert, Diane. “Psychologist vs Psychiatrist.” UCLA Med School, 22 May 2023, medschool.ucla.edu/news-article/psychologist-vs-psychiatrist-what-is-the-difference.

National Institute of Mental Health. “Mental Illness.” National Institute of Mental Health, Sept. 2024, www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness

Clinic, Cleveland. “What Is a Psychiatrist? What They Do & When to See One.” 

Cleveland Clinic, 14 Apr. 2022, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22702-psychiatrist#overview. Accessed 27 Nov. 2024.

“Psychiatrist Salary Guide 2024.” PsychologyJobs.com, 5 Feb. 2024, psychologyjobs.com/psychiatrist-salary/#How_much_do_psychiatrists_make.