how do I know if i am interested in clinical psychology or psychiatry?
I know the difference between them. one is M.D. one is PH.D. But how do i know which one is more interesting and suits me? (I am very interested in mental illnesses, and I enjoy helping people.)
also, How many years would it take to become clinical psychologist? do u have to have a master degree first? cant u just go straight into the PH.D degree? In short, I would like to know which path is shorter.
Posted in psychiatry jobs
content rss
November 21st, 2009 at 9:29 pm
Hi -
Both can be very rewarding careers and both take an extensive amount of time to complete. The big difference between the two is that a Psychiatrist can both prescribe medication and provide therapy. A Psychologist goes through at least 11 years of school (going on the track of 4 years to complete a BA/BS, 2 years for a MA/MS and another 5 years for the PhD). A Psychiatrist has at least 12 years in the making (assuming 4 years for the BA/BS, 4 years of medical school, and 4 years of residency). So either way, you’re going to be spending a large amount of time in school. Either of these are flexible, depending on how long you take with your undergraduate degree and if you choose to take more than two years for a Master’s degree; medical school is fairly structured and is typically completed in four years (the only school I know of that extends the time is the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Medical School).
Some schools allow you to enter a PhD program immediately following the completion of a Bachelor’s. However, not all universities do so and the ones that do are selective. So if you’re planning on going with a PhD in Psychology, then work hard while you’re an undergraduate so you can either obtain your Master’s in passing to the PhD or immediately get into the PhD program.
As far as which one to pick, take some classes while you’re an undergraduate that interest you. At my alma mater, we have pharmacology classes, clinical psychology, and even some nursing classes that entailed psychiatric and psychological studies. The most important thing is to do what you enjoy - take some classes and then work it out.
A third possibility you may want to consider is nursing. There is a huge demand for nurses and they make pretty decent money. Furthermore, if you decide to get a Master’s degree in nursing, you can become a Nurse Practitioner, which can then turn into a Psychiatric Nurse - they do the exact same thing as a Psychiatrist, but work under a Psychiatrist. You would see patients for therapy and prescribe medication on your own, most likely "checking in" with the Psychiatrist who works with you.
Best wishes and good luck with school!
November 21st, 2009 at 9:29 pm
Sit yourself down with yourself and ask yourself which would make you happier. Then remind yourself that going to a job you hate every day is sort of a definition insanity.
November 21st, 2009 at 11:28 pm
[...] post: how do I know if i am interested in clinical psychology or … AKPC_IDS += “2454,”;Popularity: unranked [...]