How to Become a Psychiatrist?
Learn about the healthcare role and career journey of psychiatrists.
Last updated: December 4, 2025
Our awareness of mental health and well-being is more acute than ever, with many now recognizing that mental health conditions such as stress and anxiety are endemic in modern societies.
Within the U.S., approximately 25% of individuals without homes live with mental illness. Nearly three-quarters of those in the juvenile justice system are found to have mental health conditions. And up to a third of U.S. military service members also endure mental illness, with many suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
To help address these conditions, the role of the psychiatrist is increasingly important; but what is a psychiatrist and what do psychiatrists do?
What Is a Psychiatrist?
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in psychiatry, the study and treatment of mental health conditions. Psychiatrists often earn a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree from an accredited medical school and usually complete four years of post-graduate training in a psychiatry residency.
What Does a Psychiatrist Do?
Psychiatrists diagnose, treat and help prevent mental, emotional and behavioral disorders using medication, neuromodulation — which utilizes devices to stimulate nerves with pharmaceutical agents or electrical signals — and psychotherapy. Once fully qualified, the average psychiatrist salary across the U.S. is between $120,000–$270,000 USD.
Here’s a breakdown of the top eight paying states and the lowest eight paying states on average.
| Hawaii | $269,800 | Montana | $167,370 |
| South Dakota | $267,520 | D.C. | $167,190 |
| Connecticut | $258,200 | West Virginia | $166,400 |
| Maine | $256,270 | Alabama | $166,220 |
| California | $255,790 | Arkansas | $153,920 |
| New Mexico | $255,410 | Utah | $145,700 |
| Illinois | $251,390 | Idaho | $137,280 |
| Wyoming | $251,070 | Louisiana | $120,090 |
Hot To Become a Psychiatrist
Step 1: Earn a bachelor’s degree
Aspiring psychiatrists should consider completing a four-year undergraduate degree in a science field, with courses in biology, chemistry and English.
Step 2: Take the MCAT and apply to medical school.
Many medical schools require students, especially U.S. students, to take the MCAT and submit their MCAT scores. High scores generally facilitate admission and can result in some useful financial support from merit-based scholarships.
When it comes time to apply, you will likely also need to submit a personal statement, personal and professional recommendation letters, and your official transcripts.
Step 3: Complete medical school.
Easier said than done, but successfully completing a 4-year Doctor of Medicine (MD) program at an accredited medical school will put you on the path to a successful career in psychiatry.
Step 4: Complete residency.
Again, this overly simplifies a very challenging process, but securing a psychiatry residency and successfully completing it will put you in position to practice psychiatry as a medical specialization. Such residency programs generally last four years.
Step 5: Practice
This will involve first pursuing board certification in the location you want to practice and obtaining your medical license. You may also want to consider fellowships and additional training, depending on the type of psychiatric medicine you wish to practice.
But when all is said and done, you can look for psychiatrist jobs at hospitals, clinics or medical learning centers. You may also consider setting up your own practice, but will likely benefit from time spent practicing within a larger organization before taking such an intensive career step.
Evaluation and Diagnosis
One in five of all U.S. citizens are said to suffer from mental illness at some time in their lives — and less than half of those seek help for their condition.
Common conditions that psychiatrists come across include:
- Anxiety
- PTSD
- Insomnia
- Depression
- Bipolar disorder
- Agoraphobia
- Phobias
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders (OCD)
- Personality Disorders
- Schizophrenia and paranoia
- Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
- Eating disorders e.g., anorexia and bulimia
- Addictions, drugs, alcohol
Once an evaluation has been carried out and a diagnosis is made, the patient may undergo treatment such as prescription medications, psychotherapy or possibly electroconvulsive therapy.
Psychiatrist vs. Psychologist
When evaluating the role of a psychologist vs. psychiatrist, it is important to note that both practice psychotherapy, however there are important differences between the two methods.
While both psychiatrists and psychologists can be referred to as ‘doctors’, only psychiatrists are medical doctors and therefore able to legally prescribe medication to patients. A psychologist cannot prescribe medication. Rather than taking a more ‘medical’ route to treatment, a psychologist uses an individual’s history and symptoms to assess what is causing the illness and then designs a treatment plan using an evidence-based psychological approach.
After completing thorough evaluations, psychiatrists however can prescribe various medications to help treat mental disorders or conditions associated with mental health and well-being. Patients on long-term treatment will need to meet routinely with their psychiatrist to keep track of the effectiveness of the medication and any potential side effects the patient may have experienced. Medication can be prescribed in tandem with psychotherapy sessions. This is different from psychology.
These medications can include:
- Antidepressants: Used to help relieve symptoms of conditions including social anxiety disorders, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, PTSD, borderline personality disorder and dysthymia (persistent depressive disorder).
- Sedatives and anxiolytics: Used to treat panic disorders, anxiety and insomnia.
- Antipsychotic medications, such as asenapine, clozapine and lurasidone: Used to treat psychotic symptoms (delusional behavior, hallucinations), schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
- Hypnotics, such as Ambien, Butisol and Estazolam: Used to induce and maintain sleep.
- Mood stabilizers: Used to treat bipolar disorder by preventing the highs (mania) and the lows (depression).
- Stimulants, such as Methylphenidate: Used to treat ADHD.
Other treatments are also used. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), a medical treatment that involves applying electrical currents to the brain, is sometimes used to treat severe depression, when the patient has not responded to other treatments. Deep brain stimulation (DBS), vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) are some of the newer therapies being used to treat certain mental disorders. Light therapy can be used to treat seasonal depression.
Psychiatrist vs. Therapist
Both psychiatrists and therapists share the same goal: to help patients with mental health problems. They will both know the many kinds of issues, behavioral disorders and syndromes. However, a therapist is a mental health care practitioner and cannot prescribe medication. Both types of professionals have the same goal of helping patients recognize and navigate the issues that may be holding them back in life. Therapists do this by carefully listening to the patient and then helping them reflect back on their life. A traditional psychotherapist will look at the past and early relationships, and dissect them to get to the root cause of existing issues.
A Rewarding Career
So, what is the attraction of working in psychiatry? Those in the profession say it is extremely satisfying for a psychiatrist to see the positive results that their work has achieved. Many will tell you of the sense of achievement they get from helping patients improve their quality of life. And the financial benefits are not to be overlooked.
Examples of positive impact include helping patients who once suffered anxiety enter a packed room and communicate confidently with others or supporting someone as they overcome an addiction. A patient’s journey can be long and complex, but it gives many patients great comfort to know that their psychiatrist will be with them every step of the way.
If you are interested in becoming a psychiatrist to help people overcome mental health challenges, Medical University of the Americas (MUA) is the right choice for you! MUA offers a rigorous MD program that can get you on the path to success in psychiatry. Thanks to our individualized support, hands-on training and dedicated faculty, MUA students consistently achieve academic and career success.
Want to know more? Check out this video testimonial from an MUA alum who is currently completing a psychiatry residency in Canada:
If you’re ready to get started, apply now or contact us for support with your application.
FAQs About Psychiatry
It will take approximately 12 years of post-secondary education before being able to obtain your medical license and practice as a psychiatrist. This includes four years each of undergraduate studies, medical school and residency. If you choose to pursue additional education in the form of a psychiatry fellowship, an additional 1-2 years will be added to your timeline.
Psychiatrists are medical doctors who are able to diagnose mental health issues and prescribe medication. Certified practitioners must be properly accredited, and this includes having attended medical school and obtained their degree.
The primary difference between psychiatry and psychology lies in the ability of psychiatrists to prescribe medication. This results from additional years of study and medical specialization.
Psychiatrists often work in hospitals, clinics and medical centers. They can also be found in private practices, mental health institutions and even places like prisons – anywhere where people face mental health challenges.
