How to Become a Psychiatrist
Updated May 1, 2024
Psychiatrists are in high demand and report some of the top salaries for medical professionals. However, becoming a psychiatrist means attending medical school and spending over a decade to meet the field's educational requirements.
Learn more about how to become a psychiatrist, including job responsibilities, specializations, and earning potential.
Popular Online Psychology Bachelor's Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
What Do Psychiatrists Do?
Psychiatrists assess, diagnose, and treat mental health disorders. As licensed physicians, they can prescribe medication and treat patients in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
In an inpatient setting, psychiatrists work in mental health units at hospitals, where they conduct clinical rounds to evaluate patients. Psychiatrists in outpatient settings work in clinics or medical offices to meet with patients, conduct evaluations, and prescribe medications.
Becoming a psychiatrist takes more than a decade. "Psychiatrists are medical doctors," explains Dr. Heather Luing, a triple board-certified psychiatrist in forensics, addictions, and general psychiatry. "So, in order to become a psychiatrist, you have to go to medical school and then do an additional four years of a psychiatry residency."
Psychiatrists also need strong people skills to communicate with patients and coordinate with nurses, psychologists, social workers, and other mental health professionals.
Inpatient Responsibilities
- Check on patients and meet with everyone involved in the treatment team
- Write case notes and prescriptions
- Be on call as patients need you or as new patients are admitted
Outpatient Responsibilities
- Evaluate new patients
- See a lot of patients for follow-up appointments
- Document in electronic health records
- E-prescribe medications
- Check labs in your electronic health records
Skills Needed
-
Time management -
Interpersonal skills -
Communication skills -
Critical thinking -
Organization
Steps to Becoming a Psychiatrist
Before becoming a psychiatrist, you must attend medical school and complete a psychiatric residency. To qualify for medical school, you need a bachelor's degree, solid MCAT scores, and healthcare experience.
Here are the steps to become a psychiatrist:
-
1
Earn a Bachelor's Degree
Before applying to medical school, you must earn a bachelor's degree. Because med school prerequisites include math and science courses, the most common majors include the biological sciences, physical sciences, and social sciences, according to the American Medical Association.
Completing a bachelor's degree typically takes four years for full-time students. You will also strengthen critical thinking and problem-solving skills during your general education requirements.
-
2
Gain Healthcare Experience
Pre-med students can strengthen their med school applications by gaining healthcare experience. Pursuing a healthcare internship, working or volunteering in healthcare during undergrad can build valuable skills.
The Association of American Medical Colleges suggests working as an EMT, volunteering in a hospital, or becoming a medical scribe to expand your clinical experience.
-
3
Pass the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT)
You must take the MCAT to get into med school. This multiple-choice exam assesses your understanding of biological systems and human behavior, emphasizing critical analysis and reasoning.
Currently, MCAT registration costs $335. Med school applicants often spend weeks or months studying for the exam, which takes over six hours to complete.
-
4
Earn a Medical Degree
After applying to medical school and choosing your program, you'll spend four years completing your medical degree.
During the first two years, sometimes called "preclinical learning," you'll take courses in science, math, and medicine. The final two years emphasize experiential learning. You'll complete internships in various settings to prepare for licensure and residency programs.
-
5
Prepare for Medical Licensure
Medical doctors need a state-issued license to practice, but the licensure process varies by state. M.D.s must pass the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), while D.O.s must pass the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensure Examination (COMLEX).
Candidates complete two parts of these medical exams during med school to earn a training certificate. You'll complete the final part of the exam during your residency to become fully licensed.
-
6
Complete a Psychiatry Residency
Psychiatrists must complete a four-year residency to enter the profession. Psychiatric residency builds on your clinical experience and teaches psychiatric evaluation, treatment methods, psychotherapy, and psychiatric medication through hands-on learning. This also allows you to strengthen your diagnostic skills. You may complete your residency in an inpatient or outpatient setting.
-
7
Consider a Subspecialty with a Fellowship
After completing your psychiatry residency, you can work as an attending general psychiatrist or consider a subspecialty that may require an additional fellowship. For example, you can specialize as a forensic, child, or emergency psychiatrist during a fellowship.
"When you're choosing a specialty, it is good to spend a considerable amount of time getting exposure to that specialty to kind of see some of the challenges and opportunities that lay within that field," recommends Luing.
-
8
Earn Board Certification
After four years of medical school and four years of residency, you can apply for board certification as a psychiatrist. You'll need board certification to qualify for psychiatrist jobs.
Besides completing a residency program and holding a medical license, you must pass an American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology examination and complete continuing medical education requirements to maintain your board certification.
Psychiatrist Concentrations and Specializations
Psychiatrists specialize in many areas, often based on the type of patient or specific mental health issue they focus on. Explore some of the most common specializations.
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
These psychiatrists specialize in diagnosing and treating children with mental health disorders. They work closely with families to provide medical support for patients.
Salary Range: $144,000-$277,000
Geriatric Psychiatry
Geriatric psychiatrists specialize in the psychiatric effects of age-related conditions. They evaluate, diagnose, and treat aging patients.
Salary Range: $196,000-$252,000
Private Practice Psychiatry
Psychiatrists in private practice run their own offices to meet with patients to assess their needs, create treatment plans, and follow their progress.
Average Salary: $242,060
Addictions Psychiatry
Addiction psychiatrists treat mental health issues related to substance use, often when substance use co-occurs with other mental health conditions. These professionals assess patients, create treatment plans, and prescribe medication.
Average Salary: $252,000
How Much Do Psychiatrists Make?
More than $239,200
Median Annual Salary
Source: BLS
1,900
Projected New Jobs Between 2022-2032
Source: BLS
As a psychiatrist, you can expect to earn an average salary of $256,930, according to May 2023 Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data. Several factors influence your earning potential, including specialization, work setting, and experience.
For example, more psychiatrists work in doctor's offices and hospitals than in other settings. While psychiatrists at doctor's offices report an average annual salary of $304,440, those in hospitals earn an average of $200,000-$248,000 per year, depending on the type of hospital.
Psychiatrists benefit from a strong job outlook. While the overall number of physicians and surgeons could grow 3% from 2022-2032, according to BLS projections, psychiatrists may see 7% job growth.
Frequently Asked Questions About Becoming a Psychiatrist
What is a Psychiatrist?
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in mental health. They diagnose and treat psychiatric disorders and can prescribe medications. Psychiatrists attend medical school and complete a psychiatric residency to enter the profession.
How Long Does it Take to Become a Psychiatrist?
It takes over a decade to become a psychiatrist. First, you need a four-year bachelor's degree to apply to medical school. Then, you complete a four-year psychiatry residency. Some psychiatrists also complete a fellowship to specialize their skills.
What is the Difference Between a Psychiatrist and a Psychologist?
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who graduated from medical school, while a psychologist holds a doctorate in psychology. Both professions specialize in mental health, but psychiatrists apply their medical knowledge to prescribe medication and treat mental health disorders.
What Jobs Can Psychiatrists Get?
Psychiatrists can get jobs at in-patient hospital settings and care for acutely ill patients in crisis. They can also work in outpatient settings, such as doctors' offices and clinics, where they meet with patients to conduct assessments, develop treatment plans, prescribe medications, and follow patients' progress. Psychiatrists specialize in many areas, including child psychiatry, addiction psychiatry, and geriatric psychiatry.
Page last reviewed on April 30, 2024
Latest Posts
How to Become a Psychiatrist
Start your path to becoming a psychiatrist today. Find information about classes and certification requirements here.
How to Become a Social Worker
Want to join the helping professions? Social workers help clients cope with everyday problems. Explore the education and licensure requirements for this growing field.
How to Become a Paramedic/EMT
You can take numerous avenues to paramedic and EMT professions. Find out details on education and certification to find the option that best suits your needs.
LearnHowToBecome.com is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.
View the most relevant programs for your interests and compare them by tuition, acceptance rate, and other factors important to you.
