What it means to be a Psychiatrist

By: Vy Lam

Edited by : Maya Adam

Every day, it’s clear that everyone has their sort of hardships. Whether it’s about a bad grade or the loss of a loved one, we all can understand how our emotions can take quite a toll on us. For some, these emotions can be too much to handle and negatively impact their health. But, have you ever heard of a person who is willing to put their feelings aside to aid others in their struggles? This is what the work of a psychiatrist is like saving someone’s mentality while potentially costing their own. Psychiatrists are a type of doctors who evaluate, diagnose, and treat psychiatric disorders with prescriptions. Psychiatrists may look nothing more than the average physician, but in reality, they rescue more lives than you would imagine. This job is a challenging pathway as they spend the majority of their time in very depressing settings and deal with constant negative stereotypes towards them. Nevertheless, even with the difficult obstacles they face, the thought of seeing a smile on their patients' faces knowing that they can ease their burdens is more than enough of a reason to continue on this path. Dedication and genuine passion are practical requirements you need to have to work in this field.

For a more in-depth understanding, psychiatrists are a type of medical doctor specializing in mental health. They start by providing an accurate diagnostic of one’s mental state. The percentage of individuals who have some sort of mental problem has skyrocketed for the past decade as the National Institution of Mental Health (NIMH) reported that more than one in five U.S. adults live with some type of mental disorder. There are various conditions psychiatrists treat such as gender dysphoria, depression, and attention-deficit/hyperactive disorder (ADHD) which are all common among many patients. They also work in collaborative relationships with other medical professionals like Psychiatric Physician Associates (PAs) and Therapists to ensure that people get the treatment they need. Some of the treatments they prescribe include: psychotherapy, medications, electroconvulsive (ECT), or transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Recovery is different for everyone therefore they may create a combination of treatments provided for certain individuals.

To become a psychiatrist, one must complete several years of rigorous schooling and education. You start by graduating from a college or university with a bachelor’s degree. This is one of the crucial steps to being a psychiatrist as it builds a strong foundation for understanding STEM-related topics. After that, many pre-med students will prepare to take a required test known as the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). With this standardized test, you will be able to continue to Medical school where you will further sharpen your knowledge of many subjects like psychology, biology, and chemistry for four years. Following this, once you receive your Doctor of Medicine degree (M.D.), you need to complete another four years in a residency in psychiatry. During this time, you will get experience with what it is like to treat mentally ill patients in an actual clinical setting under the supervision of an experienced psychiatrist. It is a perfect opportunity to let students know what the job is like once they finish their years of education. Optionally, some psychiatrists in training may start choosing an area they would want to specialize in like addiction psychiatry or adolescence psychiatry for example. If you are planning on taking this route, you may need to train under a licensed physician for a year to gain a fellowship for those specialties. Last but not least, you need to obtain a medical license to be able to work as a psychiatrist and there are different ways you can achieve this. You can choose whether to take the US Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) or the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX-USA) to receive your license.

 Just like any other job, being a psychiatrist is no easy task. Psychiatrists are said to be one of the most mentally draining jobs due to the depressive atmosphere they must be in every day. They must see patients in their most vulnerable state as they even meet people with little to no willpower left to live. This puts many psychiatrists in a difficult situation as they are practically responsible for whether some people gain the motivation to live again or not. The pressure of this position makes burnout and emotional strains a very common experience. Even when their patient's situation is not as severe, they’re still held to a very high standard for one’s mental health. Making a small mistake in prescribing treatment or a wrong diagnosis can lead to potential risks of lawsuits. In a sense, the career could practically be considered a long game of jeopardy they play throughout their life.

Psychiatrists are also known to be a very overlooked career in the medical field. People often view this career negatively due to misconceptions about psychiatry, social media, and stigmas around mental illnesses. In the general public, the term “mental disorder” is portrayed with many negative stereotypes which often lead to people feeling too frightened or ashamed to ask for help because “they think they’re failing personally” (Lubliner 2). Some may not have had the best experiences with certain psychiatrists in the field which further adds to the hostile opinions about this job. These are some of the many reasons why there is such a shortage of psychiatrists as many often get discouraged from this pathway. Fortunately, the psychiatric field is improving and the employment of psychiatrists has been significantly growing. Technological advancements, increased awareness, and positive images about psychiatry have led to more people getting the treatment needed as mental health services are high in demand in today’s society. 

Ultimately, psychiatrists play a crucial role in modern life by helping individuals manage their internal challenges. They’ve been trained for years to assist others with their health and provide essential care to those in need. In this stress-filled world, psychiatrists are like the secret heroes working behind the scenes in our communities. Despite the criticism they may receive, they are still able to stay optimistic with the thought that they might be able to help someone. With these compassionate souls dedicating themselves to helping others improve, people in our society can grow towards a much more fulfilling life. The commitment psychiatrists have is truly impeccable as this genuine passion to help those around them is not a lie and without them, we would be missing an invaluable asset to our society.

Work Cited

PracticeMatch. “The Pros and Cons of Being a Psychiatrist: A Comprehensive Overview of the Profession.” PracticeMatch, www.practicematch.com/physicians/articles/the-pros-and-cons-of-being-a-psychiatrist-a-comprehensive-overview-of-the-profession.cfm.

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

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.

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