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Psychiatrist

Many people, knowingly or unknowingly, suffer from mental health issues, and mental illnesses, old and new, seem to be on the rise.  Mental health professionals are an invaluable community of experts who help to keep societies from erupting in chaos.  If you are intrigued by the fascination of the human brain, would like to become a leading expert of the mental health community, and have an inclination for Science, Math, and Health, then you should study medicine and become a Psychiatrist.

Psychiatrists (often confused with Psychologists and Psychoanalysts) are medical doctors who specialize in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders, from mild cases of anxiety and dangerous, bizarre behaviors to conditions resulting from diseases and injuries.  As primary mental health caregivers, they assess and treat mental illnesses through a combination of psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, hospitalization, and medication.  Some Psychiatrists are self-employed and run their own mental health practices, while others work at hospitals, mental health clinics, government offices, and universities.

The duties of a Psychiatrist include but are not limited to:  performing physical examinations; conducting diagnostic tests; evaluating patients' data, diagnostic test, and examination findings to diagnose mental disorder; interviewing patients, their families, and other mental health professionals to learn about patients' mental health problems; gathering and maintaining medical records; collaborating with Physicians, Psychologists, Social Workers, Psychiatric Nurses, and other professionals to discuss treatment plans and progress and provide holistic medical and counseling services to patients; designing individualized care plans; prescribing, directing, and administering psycho-therapeutic treatments and medications; treating alcoholism and substance abuse; counseling patients during office visits; advising guardians, relatives, and significant others of patients' conditions and treatment; reviewing and evaluating treatment procedures and outcomes of other Psychiatrists; conducting research on the causes and treatment of mental illness; teaching at universities, medical schools, and special Psychiatric institutes; and writing and editing Psychiatric books and journals.

High school students interested in becoming a Psychiatrist benefit from taking Biology/Anatomy, Physics, Chemistry, Physical Science, Health, Nursing, Nutrition, Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, and Calculus.  Students entering Psychology Bachelor's of Science programs with no previous Psychiatry training should expect a period of 4 years to complete said program.  Upon completion of undergraduate studies, candidates must earn a 4-year Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree from an accredited medical school, complete 4 to 8 years of Psychiatry residency, and pass all parts of the United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) in order to practice as a licensed, credentialed Psychiatrist.  Licensure is required in all states, issued by each state, and depends on a selected sub-specialty. 

Sub-specialties in Psychiatry include:  Addiction (addiction and substance abuse), Adult, Adolescent and Child, Forensic (courts and criminal justice system), Geriatric (elderly patients), Neuro-Psychiatrist (mental disorders resulting from nervous system problems, brain diseases, and brain injuries), and Organizational (workplace and organizational settings).

Psychiatrists have a medical degree.  Psychologists are scientists who have a doctorate-level degree in Psychology and study people's reactions to their environment, while Psychoanalysts practice long-term therapy that investigates the subconscious or hidden causes of emotional disturbances. 

Because mental illnesses (Alzheimer's, autism, etc.) and growing knowledge thereof have garnered international attention, international sports have finally realized the seriousness of concussions and have begun to take necessary precautions, and more people are now educated on the benefits of and no longer shun but seek Psychiatric counseling, employment of Psychiatrists is expected to grow by 24 percent over the next decade.  Job prospects should be even better for those who are willing to practice in rural, low-income, inner-city, and other under-served areas.

Job Description

Median Salary & Range

​Median Salary:  $173,330

Salary Range:  ~$70,920 - $241,890+

College Majors & Attainment Routes

Colleges That Provide Above Majors

Available Scholarships

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA);

The normal routes to becoming a Psychiatrist have been to first attain a Bachelor's of Science degree in Pre-Medical, Microbiology, ​Biology or Biological Sciences, Biochemistry, Physiology or Physiology Sciences, Anatomy, Bio-Psychology, ​Chemistry (Pre-Medical or Pre-Professional concentration), Physics (Pre-Medical concentration), Biomedical Sciences, Health Sciences, Molecular Biology, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Biomedical Engineering, ​​​​Engineering Physics, Psychology (supplemented with Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Calculus), and Pre-Professional Education.

Psychiatrists must complete 4 years of undergraduate studies, 4 years of medical school, and 4 to 8 years of Psychiatry residency.  Applicants to medical school must have at least a Bachelor's degree and must submit transcripts, Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) score, and letters of recommendation.  While a specific major is not required, all students must complete undergraduate work in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics.  Students often volunteer at local hospitals or clinics to gain experience in a healthcare setting and to build mentor/mentee relationships with established Psychiatrists.

Colleges and universities that have Medical Schools and related majors are:  Howard University (Washington, DC); Meharry Medical College (Nashville, Tennessee); Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science (Los Angeles, California); Delaware State University (Dover, Delaware); Morgan State University (Baltimore, Maryland); Norfolk State University (Norfolk, Virginia); Elizabeth City State University (Elizabeth City, North Carolina); Fayetteville State University (Fayetteville, North Carolina); North Carolina Central University (Durham, North Carolina); North Carolina A&T State University (Greensboro, North Carolina); Virginia State University (Petersburg, Virginia); Morehouse College (Atlanta, Georgia); Johnson C. Smith University (Charlotte, North Carolina); Winston Salem State University (Winston Salem, North Carolina); Albany State University (Albany, Georgia); South Carolina State University (Orangeburg, South Carolina); Savannah State University (Savannah, Georgia); Spelman College (Atlanta, Georgia); Claflin University (Orangeburg, South Carolina); Allen University (Columbia, South Carolina); Fort Valley State University (Fort Valley, Georgia); Paine College (Augusta, Georgia); Livingstone College (Salisbury, North Carolina); Benedict College (Columbia, South Carolina); Hampton University (Hampton, Virginia); Huston-Tillotson University (Austin, Texas); Jackson State University (Jackson, Mississippi); Oakwood University (Huntsville, Alabama); and Voorhees College (Denmark, South Carolina).