Psychiatrist Career
Psychiatrists are a type of medical doctor. Unlike other doctors, psychiatrists work with the social/emotional health of the patient as well as the physical health. Their job is to listen to a patient’s problems to then assess what type of medical assistance will be best to enhance the patient’s mental health. Psychiatrists have been trained specifically in working with mental issues of patients.
When a patient goes to see a psychiatrist, they may be evaluated using different techniques. A patient may undergo individual, or group therapy depending on their situation. They may also undergo psychotherapy or psychoanalysis. It is up to the psychiatrist to determine which method will work best for the given situation.
Psychiatrist Career Snapshot
Psychiatrists can conduct their work in a large variety of settings. Some of the settings include, but are not limited to, hospitals, private practices, offices run by the government, and health clinics that specialize in the mental health field. The amount of hours and patients that a psychiatrist sees will depend on the type of facility the job is being held at.
Further details on a career as a psychiatrist are listed below (statistics from the May 2015 Bureau of Labor Statistics and Onet Online):
is the average annual salary according to the BLS.gov.
increase in employment between 2014 and 2024.
have a Post-Doctoral training while 34% have a Doctoral degree.
Psychiatrist Education
Psychiatrists earn a medical degree at an accredited university. After the prospective earns their bachelor degree, they need to take a pre – medical school exam to determine whether they have acquired enough information to move on in the field. After they have been admitted to medical school, they will complete an MD or DO degree program.
Psychiatrist Job Outlook
The expected job outlook for this career from the years of 2014 to 2024 is at 15 percent. This is faster than the average job outlook for other careers.
Psychiatrist Salaries
The median pay for a psychiatrist is $245,673 according to the BLS.gov in May 2015. Different factors that may influence salary include, but are not limited to education, years of experience, facility, and patient population.
Psychiatrist Job Duties
Psychiatrists complete a number of different duties throughout their day. They are in charge of all medication that needs to be sorted and distributed to their patients. They also design specific plans to improve the mental state of their patients using the medicine that they prescribe. It is up to the psychiatrist to check in, regulate, and assess the progress of their patient.
Psychiatrist Skills & Traits
| Psychiatrist Skill Set: | Required Abilities: | Tools Used by Psychiatrists: | Typical Work Activities: |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Active Listening • Social Perceptiveness • Critical Thinking • Speaking • Making Decisions | • Oral Comprehension • Oral Expression • Written Comprehension • Deductive Reasoning • Inductive Reasoning | • Electronic blood pressure units • Medical acoustic stethoscope • Mercury blood pressure units • Laptop computers • Personal digital assistants PDA | • Caring for Others • Getting Information • Decision Making • Interpersonal Relationships • Using Relevant Knowledge |
Related Careers
School Counselors
Master’s Degree
School Psychologist
Master’s Degree
Social Workers
Master’s Degree
