Different Ways of Becoming a Psychiatrist

Psychiatrists treat patients struggling with a wide range of mood and emotional disorders.

A psychiatrist is a medical professional who specializes in the treatment of mental disorders, which include behavioral, cognitive and mood abnormalities. Everyone who pursues psychiatry as a profession is required to complete four years of undergraduate study, four years of medical school and a four-year residency program. Once these requirements are met, newly trained psychiatrists can begin practicing general psychiatry or select from a number of fellowship options depending on what type of psychiatry they wish to practice.

General Psychiatry vs. Specialization

After residency, those doctors who do not wish to receive additional training in a special subset of psychiatry are able to begin practicing general psychiatry. General psychiatrist might work in hospitals or maintain their own private practices treating addiction, schizophrenia, depression and a number of other acute and chronic mental disorders. Those doctors who wish to treat patients in specialized areas can participate in an additional academic fellowship after they have completed their residency programs. These fellowships train psychiatrists to better diagnose and treat patients in a number of areas including: addiction and rehabilitation, sports psychiatry, forensic psychiatry or child/adolescent psychiatry,

Addiction and Rehabilitation

Addiction and rehabilitation psychiatrists focus on diagnosing and treating patients who struggle with mood disorders related to various types of addiction. These addictions might include alcohol, illegal drugs, food, gambling and sex.

Sports Psychiatry

Psychiatrists who complete a fellowship in sports psychiatry are trained to diagnose and treat a range of psychological and mood disorders in college and professional athletes. Like general psychiatrists, the work of sports psychiatrists is multidisciplinary. However sports psychiatrists focus on the intersections of mental health with optimal physical performance and tailor their treatments to the unique physical and mental needs of athletes.

Forensic Psychiatry

Forensic psychiatrists specialize in the intersections between medicine and the law. These doctors act as expert witnesses in criminal and civil cases. They work closely with attorneys and judges to determine if those suspected of criminal acts are competent to stand trial.

Child/Adolescent Psychiatry

Child and adolescent psychiatrists focus on the specific needs of children, teenagers and families who are affected by mental disorders. Fellowships in this specialty train doctors in the developmental stages children go through and the methods and medications best suited for treating younger patients.

Academic Medicine

In some cases, doctors will decide not to practice clinical medicine after completing their residency programs. In lieu of seeing patients, these doctors often enter academic medicine and become researchers and professors in medical schools and labs. Their research might focus on developing new medications, discovering alternative treatments to common disorders like depression or studying social and community psychiatry.

References

• Medical University of South Carolina: General Psychiatry Residency
• International Society for Sports Psychiatry; Expert Analysis from the Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association; Sherry Boschert;
• National Health Service; General Psychiatry
• National Resident Matching Program; Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship