1) Is it possible to move on to Psychiatry with a Psychology major in the first four years of college?
2) Or is Psychiatry a whole major on it's own?
3) Does Psychiatry require much more math/science?
4) Is that BA in psychology really not as useful as it seems?
5) Would you recommend a PhD in Psychology, or MD in Psychiatry?
6) What is the difficulty rate at least in your opinion to accomplish either professions?
7) What ARE the actual steps from moving to a Psychology degree, and also for moving to Psychiatry AFTER the four years in college?
I know, hefty amount, but I'm completely stumped after doing research online. Thanks in advance.
Answers:
I may not know all the answers to the above, but I'll try with some. You probably already saw this page on About.com?
http://psychology.about.com/od/psychothe...
1. Since you need to go to medical school to become a psychiatrist, you need to check with your school what classes are required for Pre-med students. Whether your undergrad degree is Psychology or something else, you will have to complete the Pre-med classes to apply to med school.
After med school you need to complete four more years interning as a psychiatrist.
2. I don't know of any undergraduate psychiatry majors, but you'd have to check with your school or ask your department counselor if there is a school you can transfer to with a Psychiatry undergrad degree.
3. Yes. Remember the whole Med school part. You need Organic Chemistry and all sorts of other math/science classes for that.
4. I don't think it is especially useful on its own. You can go for a master's in social work and that is probably the minimum you would need for a career. To be a psychologist you need a Ph.D. or PsyD.
5. It depends what your focus is and you enjoy most. If you want to counsel people or be a therapist you should pick PhD. If you want to do experiments on how people tick you should get the Ph.D. If you want to do research, PhD.
MD in Psychiatry is, obviously, more medical. You will be spending a lot of time prescribing medicine to people. You could work in a hospital and give drugs to people with mental problems to help them out. Or you could be a private psychiatrist who prescribes anti-depressants etc. to clients who come in. You won't do much counseling in this or research.
6. I would find the MD very difficult as I was not that good at Calculus or Chemistry, even though I loved Biology and enjoy reading about the latest brain research. (Cerebrum is a good magazine with updates about what science has learned about the brain.)
My mom is a PhD psychologist and preferred teaching Psychology and counseling people to doing research and having to publisher all the time.
7. I would ask your major adviser about what the career steps are that you need to take. If you don't like him/her you could pick any professor in your department you like and ask him/her for, say, 30 minutes to ask questions about career paths.
As I said about the Pre-med option, you need to go to the department that handles Pre-med students and ask to speak to an advisor there. They won't mind meeting with you! That is one of the reasons they are there.
Good luck.
I understand completely, I was thinking about the same thing. I will answer everything for u since Im nice :P.
1. Yes it is possible to move on to Psychiatry wth a psych major. In fact its probably the best major if u want to persue a career in psychiatry, not bio chem pre med. Psychology!
2. I wouldnt think psychiatry is a whole major or a major at all, it is a specialization after medical school. Psychology is barely a branch of psychiatry. They are two in fact different but yet similar things.
3. Psychiatry Yes uses a lot of science. The best and worthwhile career using psychiatry is in fact a psychiatrist(an md doctor). U need to pass the MCAT and ace medical school meaning you have to be pro at math, biology, chemistry, physics, and english.
4. BA in psychology is good but I wouldn't recommend it. Unless your a super psychology nerd and can't live without it but wouldn't seem the case since you r still "debating many things." Psychologists don't really get a lot of money to enjoy life to the fullest unless your some famous person or a person who discovers depression analysis or anxiety forecast in premature babies lol poor examples but you get my point.
5. i would reccomend an MD in psychiatry. thats my view i mean unless you are willing to devote 110% to your studies. I would then persue a PHD in psychiatry not really psychology, But if you just want to do psychology yes get that PHD but be warned that may barely give you more $/happiness.
6. Like i said psychiatrists need to go to med school and psychologists don't. Its a totally different path but you can look at those 2 professions the same way.
7. To become a psychiatrist u need an md and fellowship/residency and possible phd or even further studies for more $/publicity(so u can get more patients).
Ok now for the difficulties, although psychiatrists are doctors and do get quite a bundle of $ to live a fancy life they do get burned and barged with depressed patients and struggles that patients get. Be advised the majority of psychiatrist patients are Psychiatrists lol funny? ironic? Yes! You will have to cope with patients depression and although u may seem it like no big deal but it is. U need to have a really strong heart so u can deal with patients/give them their prescriptions and have a good family life. Remember don't have to have your profession ruin ur life and ur family/friends/relationship. Psychiatrists have to overcome this difficulty and I guess since they are professionals they have their own way rite?
Ok i hope I helped you, any questions email me at ironchef8768@hotmail.com Good luck ~Abdul Haq. :D
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