Psychiatry Degree Specialties
Psychiatry Degrees
Psychiatry Degrees you probably know by now, don’t exist, to become a psychiatrist, you must go through a long process that starts at high school and ends years later. this is how you technically obtain a psychiatry degree.
Psychiatry Degrees
High School: Becoming a psychiatrist starts as early as high school.
Must take several science classes, chemistry, biology, physics and math. (Oxford & Cambridge prefer Chemistry / Physics)
Be involved in several extra-curricular activities.
Demonstrate leadership.
University – Undergraduate Degree: At university is where most students take classes that will prepare them for med-school.
Study a pre-medical major such as BS in Chemistry, BS in Biology, BS in Psychology, BS in Physics.
Participate in volunteer work.
Demonstrate leadership.
Maintain high GPA.
MCAT: The MCAT is a standardised test used for medical school admissions.
Obtain high MCAT scores by studying thoroughly (Kaplan provide good MCAT study resources).
Psychiatry School - Medical School: Once in medical school, students become more involved in practical work.
Be involved in coursework and rotation.
Maintain high performance.
Take necessary examinations (COMLEX / USMLE - Taken after completion of second year).
Residency: A residency is a paid on-the-job training that all doctors must complete in order to become M.D.s and D.O.s
Get into a solid residency program.
Obtain Medical Licensing (Pass remaining COMPLEX / USMLE and state required examinations).
Complete residency (Most students become doctors in 3-5 years).
Specialty: A psychiatrist may choose to specialise his psychiatry degree in something more specific such as child psychology.
Obtain necessary further education (Fellowship)
The journey to obtaining a psychiatry degree is a long one, but it is worth it’s weight in gold.
The Breakdown:
Undergraduate – 4 Years
MCAT – NA
Medical School – 4 Years
Residency – Average of 4 Years
USMLE / COMLEX
Fellowship (Optional)
So it takes at least 10 years to become a practicing psychiatrist and technically obtain a psychiatry degree.
Shortening the Path:
Some universities combine undergraduate degrees with medical school, for a degree that takes 6 years to obtain, shaving 2 years off the total time.
The minimum education requirement for medical school is a 3 year degree, studying an undergraduate degree in the UK in 3 years might be more time efficient.
Residencies typically last 2-6 years but they have been completed in 1 year only before.
Topics & Skill-Sets:
Psychology and Psychological Principles: Psychiatrists must know the ins and outs of human behaviour in order to diagnose and treat patients.
Therapy and Patient Treatment: Psychiatrists learn how to act as therapists and how to treat patients in order to make them feel comfortable and diagnose them correctly.
Ethics: Psychiatrists are doctors, and with that label comes responsibility. Psychiatrists are expected to uphold and maintain a certain level of ethics (confidentiality, oath etc.).
Psychiatry Degree
Psychiatry Degrees you probably know by now, don’t exist, to become a psychiatrist, you must go through a long process that starts at high school and ends years later. this is how you technically obtain a psychiatry degree.
Psychiatry Degrees
High School: Becoming a psychiatrist starts as early as high school.
Must take several science classes, chemistry, biology, physics and math. (Oxford & Cambridge prefer Chemistry / Physics)
Be involved in several extra-curricular activities.
Demonstrate leadership.
University – Undergraduate Degree: At university is where most students take classes that will prepare them for med-school.
Study a pre-medical major such as BS in Chemistry, BS in Biology, BS in Psychology, BS in Physics.
Participate in volunteer work.
Demonstrate leadership.
Maintain high GPA.
MCAT: The MCAT is a standardised test used for medical school admissions.
Obtain high MCAT scores by studying thoroughly (Kaplan provide good MCAT study resources).
Psychiatry School - Medical School: Once in medical school, students become more involved in practical work.
Be involved in coursework and rotation.
Maintain high performance.
Take necessary examinations (COMLEX / USMLE - Taken after completion of second year).
Residency: A residency is a paid on-the-job training that all doctors must complete in order to become M.D.s and D.O.s
Get into a solid residency program.
Obtain Medical Licensing (Pass remaining COMPLEX / USMLE and state required examinations).
Complete residency (Most students become doctors in 3-5 years).
Specialty: A psychiatrist may choose to specialise his psychiatry degree in something more specific such as child psychology.
Obtain necessary further education (Fellowship)
The journey to obtaining a psychiatry degree is a long one, but it is worth it’s weight in gold.
The Breakdown:
Undergraduate – 4 Years
MCAT – NA
Medical School – 4 Years
Residency – Average of 4 Years
USMLE / COMLEX
Fellowship (Optional)
So it takes at least 10 years to become a practicing psychiatrist and technically obtain a psychiatry degree.
Shortening the Path:
Some universities combine undergraduate degrees with medical school, for a degree that takes 6 years to obtain, shaving 2 years off the total time.
The minimum education requirement for medical school is a 3 year degree, studying an undergraduate degree in the UK in 3 years might be more time efficient.
Residencies typically last 2-6 years but they have been completed in 1 year only before.
Topics & Skill-Sets:
Psychology and Psychological Principles: Psychiatrists must know the ins and outs of human behaviour in order to diagnose and treat patients.
Therapy and Patient Treatment: Psychiatrists learn how to act as therapists and how to treat patients in order to make them feel comfortable and diagnose them correctly.
Ethics: Psychiatrists are doctors, and with that label comes responsibility. Psychiatrists are expected to uphold and maintain a certain level of ethics (confidentiality, oath etc.).
Psychiatry Degree
