The Importance of Psychiatrists

By:Victoria Lam

In today’s society, conversations about mental health are slowly becoming more common, yet many people still choose to struggle in silence. Behind these scenes, psychiatrists play a crucial role in helping those who balance their emotional needs. They may look like your typical doctor, but their work can change and save many lives. Many underestimate just how much they can do to shape someone’s health. 

For a better description of what psychiatrists are, they are medical doctors who specialize in mental health. They give a diagnosis of one’s mental health to make sure they are in a good 

mental state. Unlike psychologists or therapists, psychiatrists are able to prescribe medications such as antidepressants, antipsychotics, etc. They will typically work with their patients to figure out the best treatment plan. Like any other job, this is no easy task as it demands an abundant amount of emotional labor. 

If you want to become a psychiatrist, the process is long, but every step matters. It starts with earning a bachelor’s degree from a college or university. Most students choose science-related majors, but it’s not required since you can major in subjects like English, music, or even art as long as you take the required pre-med courses. After that, you will need to take the MCAT, which stands for Medical College Admission Test. This exam is one of the most important steps because it helps determine whether you can get into medical school. Once accepted, the first two years of medical school focus on learning the basics of medicine and science while also developing clinical skills to prepare for the last two years, known as clinical years.

Work cited 

rotations or clerkships. During this time, medical students work in hospitals under supervision and rotate through different specialties, including psychiatry. For those who want to become psychiatrists, doing well in this rotation is very important since it helps you get into a psychiatry residency program. After earning your M.D., which stands for Doctor of Medicine, you begin residency, where you train full-time in your chosen specialty with the help of experienced doctors. Psychiatry residency usually lasts four years, but you can continue for one or two more years if you choose to specialize in areas like addiction forensics or geriatric psychiatry. The final step is getting your medical license. Most psychiatrists take the USMLE or United States Medical Licensing Examination, which is a three-part test that proves you are ready to practice on your own. Others take the COMLEX-USA, which is similar but for students earning a D.O. degree. Both paths prepare future psychiatrists to provide the best care possible for their patients. 

Ultimately, psychiatrists play an important role in improving people’s lives by helping them understand their mental health. They are the mentors of our society who have been dutifully trained to have the ability to change lives for the better. It goes a long way to show that psychiatrists are just the people we need to shine a spotlight on how important it is to care for our emotional well-being.

Work 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. 

Clinic, Cleveland. “What Is a Psychiatrist? What They Do & When to See One.” Cleveland Clinic, 14 Apr. 2022, “Psychiatrist Salary Guide 2024.” PsychologyJobs.com, 5 Feb. 2024, psychologyjobs.com/psychiatrist-salary/#How_much_do_psychiatrists_make. my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22702-psychiatrist#overview. Accessed