Psychiatrists are physicians who diagnose, treat and work to prevent disorders relating to the mind and mental health. Having undergone medical school and psychiatry residency programs, these professionals are equipped to understand the complex relationships between ailments of the mind and body. They are also trained to evaluate the entire spectrum of a patient’s health, make a diagnosis and design a treatment plan. Patients might suffer from mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression, and receive a form of treatment known as psychotherapy – a fancy word for meetings in which a patient discusses his or her moods, problems and feelings with a psychiatrist. Psychiatrists can also prescribe a wide range of drugs or even recommend hospitalizations. 

For Judith Orloff, the last thing she wanted to be when she grew up was a doctor – even though she had 25 physicians in the family, including her mom and dad. "I thought physicians were incredibly nice, but I found them to be a little boring," she says. But one day, she heard a voice telling her that she would, in fact, join the family trade. Intrigued, she signed up for a course at a community college, which eventually led to medical school at the University of Southern California, an internship at Wadsworth Veterans Hospital and a residency at the University of California – Los Angeles. Orloff has built her career as a motivational speaker, writer ("Emotional Freedom," her book on inner peace, is a New York Times bestseller), an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at UCLA and a practicing psychiatrist in Santa Monica, California.

Orloff hopes that more psychiatrists will take into account a patient’s whole mind, body and spirit when evaluating, diagnosing and treating a patient. "Integrating traditional medicine with complementary practices like energy work, spiritual beliefs, yoga and meditation is the best road [to treating patients]," she says. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 6.7% employment growth for psychiatrists between 2022 and 2032. In that period, an estimated 1,900 jobs should open up.

Prospective psychiatrists shouldn’t expect their training to be a cakewalk. "I had a hard time at med school," Orloff says. "I failed my first bio-chem exam." But the hope of getting to help patients gave Orloff the drive to stick with all the science-heavy courses. "What really saved me was the first time I ever sat next to a patient and heard a patient’s story," she says. "That’s what won me over, the stories, the incredibly raw emotions."

Here’s how to get started for a career in psychiatry:

1. Get a bachelor’s degree. Earning a bachelor’s degree is required for entry to medical school. Several prerequisite courses are needed to enter medical school, such as biochemistry and biology.
2. Take the Medical College Admission Test. Performing well on the MCAT will increase your chances of acceptance to medical school.
3. Complete medical school. Medical school is typically completed in four years. The curriculum includes clinical rotations in addition to traditional coursework and time spent in laboratories.
4. Undergo residency. After medical school, psychiatrists must complete a residency program, in which they work directly with patients under the supervision of licensed psychiatrists.
5. Become licensed. To become licensed, MD graduates must take the multi-step U.S. Medical Licensing Examination and DO graduates will take the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination. Professionals also must receive board certification through the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

If psychiatrists want to subspecialize, they must complete a fellowship in an area such as forensic psychiatry, psychosomatic medicine or addiction psychiatry, among other subspecialties.

A major difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist is that unlike psychiatrists, psychologists do not earn a doctor of medicine from medical school. While both focus on mental health, psychiatrists also prescribe medications and facilitate medication plans. Psychologists generally focus on psychotherapy-based treatment plans and rarely handle medications.