How to become a psychiatrist (1 Viewer)

[TBK11]

title says it all what degree do you have to do to become a psychiatrist i think u need a MBBS first then specialize in psychiatry i think can some1 give an insight as to what the process is and what uni offers it ty

 

[Dr_Fresh]

psychiatry is a specialty of medicine. so u would need to study medicine first at any university. i imagine that you would do ur intern, registrar, residency etc and then specialise like you would with any other specialty in medicine. but im not 100% certain. soz

 

[KFunk]

title says it all what degree do you have to do to become a psychiatrist i think u need a MBBS first then specialize in psychiatry i think can some1 give an insight as to what the process is and what uni offers it ty

First you need to get a medical degree from any accredited medical school. Then you work for 1 - 2 (or more) years as a junior hospital doctor (rotating through various areas of medicine).

You then apply to training positions offered by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP). Training as a psychiatrist takes 5 years - consisting of 3 years of basic training and then 2 years of advanced training (in which you may remain in general psych or specialise in an area like geriatric psychiatry, psychotherapy, child & adolescent psychiatry, etc). Note, during these 5 years you are working as a psychiatrist (but under supervision).

If you are interested in academic psychiatry then a PhD / research will figure into the picture at some point.

 

[KFunk]

Also, for interest, here is a doc from the Royal College of Psychiatrists in the UK containing a rough curriculum which outlines the kind of knowledge someone is expected to acquire during training:

http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/files/pdfversion/cr95.pdf

 

[chinaski]

Note, during these 5 years you are working as a psychiatrist (but under supervision).

With the risk of sounding like a pedant:

During your training, you are not "working as a psychiatrist" (even under supervision) - you're working as a psychiatry registrar. Until you hold your fellowship, you are not professionally regarded (or paid) as a fully fledged specialist. Of this you're probably aware, KFunk - just wanted to draw some distinctions for those readers who mightn't have realised there is a difference.

 

[KFunk]

With the risk of sounding like a pedant:

During your training, you are not "working as a psychiatrist" (even under supervision) - you're working as a psychiatry registrar. Until you hold your fellowship, you are not professionally regarded (or paid) as a fully fledged specialist. Of this you're probably aware, KFunk - just wanted to draw some distinctions for those readers who mightn't have realised there is a difference.

I think that's a semantic distinction which is only really meaningful for those that better understand the system (i.e. I was using 'working as a psychiatrist' in the lay sense, not the more technical, heirarchichal sense which requires a bit more background understanding). The reason I said that is that some people view specialist training as 'yet another long wait' before they get to do what interests them. Certainly, one is not practicing consultant psychiatry at that point, but as a registrar they are practicing within the context of psychiatry nonetheless (interviewing psych patients, monitoring charts with psychotropics, even engaging in supervised psychotherapy) - which in lay terms amounts to practicing as a psychiatrist. I agree that the professional distinction is important though, especially in terms of one's legal responsibilities, ability to practice independently, etc.

Thus I would label your comment as pedantry, but also 'fair enough'

 

[TBK11]

Thnx Alot everyone helped me out

 

[chinaski]

Thus I would label your comment as pedantry, but also 'fair enough'

Eh, it headed off the inevitable, "omg so can I be a psychiatrist the year after I do internship?? Sweeeeet!" question.