Psychology vs. Psychiatry

Although they are both in the mental health field, there is a large difference between psychology and psychiatry. If you are thinking about going into the mental health field, studying either of these fields, or you are a consumer looking into mental health services, it is important to understand the difference between the two.

There are many similarities between these two fields. Both psychologists and psychiatrists conduct research, perform psychotherapy, work with patients and have a concern with how the mind works. However, what is more important is how these fields differ.

Psychology and Psychiatry Degrees

As a student of psychology, the education, training and credentials you receive will be vastly different from the education, training and credentials that a student of psychiatry receives. A psychologist must have a doctoral-level degree in psychology, either a PhD or PsyD, which takes five to seven years. Many states require that psychologists complete an internship for one or two years and/or supervised practice for one or two years before qualifying for licensure. A psychiatrist, on the other hand, must complete a medical doctorate degree (M.D.) and a four year residency. Technically, they can be called a doctor or physician at the end of it all. Psychiatrists can assess, diagnose, treat and help to prevent mental illnesses, and they typically have a specialty, such as addiction, child psychiatry or geriatric society.

Patient Treatment

Both psychologists and psychiatrists may act as therapists for their patients, but a psychologist has some limitations in how they can treat their patients. Most importantly, psychologists cannot prescribe medications to their patients, although they can recommend visiting a physician to get a prescription. Some states are currently looking into the possibility of allowing psychologists to write prescriptions after consulting with a psychiatrist, but no laws have been changed as of yet.

You may think it sounds better to go into the field of psychiatry because you will have more power and the prestige of being called a doctor, but there are many good reasons to go into the field of psychology as well. It all depends on your own goals, interests and skills sets. If you can see yourself administering psychological tests, conducting psychotherapy and doing research, psychology could be just the right path for you. Another option, if you want to go into psychiatry but don’t want to finish all those years of medical school, is becoming a psychiatric nurse with a master’s degree.

These two distinct fields offer a world of possibilities.

To know more about Psychology majors and Best colleges for psychology visit http://www.psychologyschoolsu.com