Although the two terms, Psychiatrist and Psychologist are often used interchangeably, there are significant differences between the two. They both can and do conduct psychotherapy, but their educational backgrounds are significantly different.
Education and credentials:
To simplify things, it is easy to identify the background of each. A psychiatrist is a person who holds a degree in medicine while a psychologist is a person who has a PhD in psychology. This is the simple explanation; there are defining distinctions that make each profession very different from the other.
A Psychiatrist is a medical doctor who possesses specific ability in assessing, diagnosing, treatment and prevention of mental illness. To become a Psychiatrist one must first have an undergraduate degree, and then they must attend med school and graduate as an M.D. Once they have graduated from medical school, a further four years of residency in mental health is required. Many psychiatrists will also go on to study specific areas of mental health, such as child psychiatry, drug and alcohol addictions, etc.
On the other hand, a psychologist goes on to pursue graduate training in psychology and either get a PhD, Doctor of Philosophy or a PsyD, Doctor of Psychology. Either of these doctorate programs can take as long as seven years to complete and a further two years of internship prior to getting a state license to practice, and some states require two more years of supervised practice.
Only a person who has gone through this lengthy process can call himself a psychologist. Often, they will use a less daunting title such as counselor, but this title can also be used by a licensed social worker as well.
Prescribing medication:
Another distinction between the two fields is the ability to prescribe medication; a Psychiatrist can write prescriptions, and in most states, psychologist cannot prescribe medication. There is a move afoot to allow the psychologist the right to prescribe medication, especially those who hold a post-doctoral master’s degree in Clinical psychopharmacology.
Which is a better degree?
If you see your future as a therapist, then making the decision to determine which path to take in your career must be taken. If your interest lies in the conduct of psychotherapy, taking tests and conducting research, then pursuing a future in psychology may be the best choice.
Conversely, if your interest lies in the medical field, and you want to be in a position to help your patients with prescribed drugs, then your future may lie in psychiatry.
There are people involved in the mental health care industry that have not invested up to eight or more years in education; however, they have pursued a career as a licensed social worker or counselor. Depending on the training that they are subjected to, they too can provide mental health services. Both counseling and social work require two or three years of study.
A Psychiatrist at the Behavioral Hospital of Bellaire offers specific counseling in mental health problems which have an association with substance abuse and dependency.
