Psychiatrist Education Requirements, Prerequisites and Career Info

A career as a psychiatrist can be highly rewarding; however, an extensive educational background will first be required. Once you have graduated from medical school, internships and residency training must be completed and board exams passed before one can be licensed as a board-certified psychiatrist.
Essential Information
Psychiatrists are doctors who address their patients’ mental and emotional health care needs. They may work in a hospital setting or private practice. Practicing psychiatrists have completed medical school as well as a supervised internship and residency. They must also be licensed and certified in order to practice their work.
Required Education MD or DO degree; internship; residency in psychiatry
Additional Requirements State medical license; ABPN certification
Projected Job Growth (2018-2028)* 16% for psychiatrists
Median Salary (2018)* 220,380 for psychiatrists
Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
Education Requirements for a Psychiatrist
As undergraduate students, many future psychiatrists earn a bachelor’s degree in biology or psychology. These 4-year degree programs provide the basis for future studies in medical areas. Students planning to enter graduate medical programs should strive for a high GPA. Common courses include:
Biology
Physics
Chemistry
Advanced mathematics
The Medical College Admission Test
All students who seek to enter medical school must pass the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). The Association of American Medical Colleges puts together this standardized test for potential medical school applicants. The test provides four separate scores for the various reading, writing and multiple-choice questions. Scoring well on the MCAT is helpful in determining a student’s potential entry into the best programs.
Doctor of Medicine and Medical Residency
Aspiring psychiatrists must complete four years of medical school where they take classes on histology, human anatomy, immunology and pharmacology. After medical school, graduates complete a residency program, in which they receive training in mental health care by working directly with patients in clinics and hospitals. Under the supervision of licensed doctors, residents diagnose patient illnesses and create treatment plans.
Licensure
Psychiatrists must hold medical licenses from the state in which they practice. To become licensed, students must pass a multi-step exam that begins during medical school. People earning the M.D. degree (Doctor of Medicine) take the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination, or USMLE. Students earning the D.O. degree (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine) take the COMLEX (Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination), a similar multi-part test. Either type of medical degree may lead to a career as a psychiatrist.
Licensed psychiatrists are periodically required to renew their licenses by their state board of medicine. Requirements for renewal may include completing continuing medical education coursework. Psychiatrists may check with their state board for more specific information.
Certification
Psychiatrists must obtain certification from the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) in order to legally practice. All psychiatry certification candidates need a medical license. Board certification shows patients and employers that the psychiatrist has appropriate knowledge from their completed specialty-specific training. The certification verifies this competence. The ABPN also offers subspecialty certifications in:
Addiction psychiatry
Adolescent and child psychiatry
Pain medicine
Sleep medicine
Forensic psychiatry
Career Information
Of the more than 28,600 psychiatrists employed in 2018, most worked in a doctor’s office, psychiatric care hospital or substance abuse hospital, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). In the same year, the BLS reported that psychiatrists averaged 220,380 annually. Aside from outpatient care, some psychiatrists conduct research and publish their findings in medical journals. Psychiatrists may also give lectures at national psychiatry and medical conferences or go into academia where they conduct research and teach. The BLS predicts 16% growth in employment opportunities for psychiatrists between 2018 and 2028, which is faster than the national average for all occupations.
Psychiatrists are required to complete four years of undergraduate school, four years of medical school, and a further three to seven years of internship and specialized residency training. Once complete, many psychiatrists open private practices and work to help people in emotional or mental crisis.
 
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