Who's a Psychiatrist?
Would you like to help do away with the stigma surrounding mental health? Would you like to help people suffering from mental health issues? Are you interested in understanding how the human mind works? If so, consider a career in psychiatry!
Psychiatrists are medical experts in mental health. They diagnose and treat people with mental illness. They study physical and mental health, and how they affect each other. As a psychiatrist, you will help people with mental health conditions such as schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, addiction, etc.
Are you passionate about psychiatry? Want to pursue it as a future career option? Explore a day in the life of a Psychiatrist- Dr. Sujay Prabhugaonkar
What will you do?
Where will you work?
How do you get there?
What skills would you need?
Analytical and Data Skills
Analytical and data skills involve the ability to evaluate information, interpret data, and draw insights to solve problems or make informed decisions. These skills require critical thinking, logical reasoning, and proficiency in working with data sets, often using tools like Excel, SQL, or statistical software. This skill set helps you break down complex problems, identify patterns, and make data-driven decisions. In the workplace, strong analytical and data skills allow you to provide insights that guide strategies, optimise processes, and drive innovation. They are essential for roles involving research, business analysis, marketing, finance, and operations. build this skill
Scientific Skills
Scientific skills encompass a range of abilities that enable individuals to conduct scientific research, understand scientific concepts, and apply scientific reasoning. Having strong scientific skills is crucial in fields such as healthcare, environmental science, engineering, and research, as they underpin the ability to innovate and solve complex problems. They also foster a deeper understanding of how scientific principles impact everyday life. build this skill
Attention to Detail
Attention to detail means being careful and noticing small things that others might miss. It involves checking your work carefully for mistakes, following instructions exactly, and making sure everything is done correctly. This skill helps you do accurate work and avoid errors. In jobs, attention to detail is important for tasks like writing reports, managing data, or following safety rules. build this skill
Social Skills
Social skills are the abilities that enable effective communication and interaction with others. They encompass a range of interpersonal competencies, including active listening, empathy, non-verbal communication, conflict resolution, and teamwork. These skills help individuals navigate social situations, build relationships, and collaborate effectively in various settings. Having strong social skills is crucial for personal and professional success. They enhance teamwork, foster positive relationships, and improve communication, which can lead to better collaboration and productivity in the workplace. In many professions, especially those involving direct interaction with others—such as education, healthcare, and sales—strong social skills can significantly impact outcomes and overall effectiveness. build this skillHow do you make it to the top ranks?
Intern
You will have to complete your residency to get your medical license. For this, you can work at a clinic or a hospital under a senior psychiatrist to get some hands-on experience in the field and also learn from the experts.
Trainee Psychiatrist
As a trainee, you will choose your area of specialisation and work under a senior psychiatrist in that field. You will assist them in administrative tasks, conduct initial communication with patients, and learn the tricks of the trade from them.
Specialist
Once you have gained enough experience in the field, it is time to build your reputation and rise above the ranks to become a senior psychiatrist. Once a senior, you can set up your own practice and hire a team of juniors to work for you.
Private Psychiatrist
As you build your experience in the field, you earn the title of a certified counsellor and work towards the improvement of your patients’ lives and mental well-being. You can set up your own practice and limit the number of patients you handle at a time.
Pursuing your career locally VS abroad
With the growing awareness about mental health, jobs in psychiatry are on a rise. From government and private hospitals to rehab centres and other health institutes, psychiatrists are in high demand. Counsellors are also required in social, corporate and academic organisations. To pursue a course in psychiatry, you need an MBBS degree from a reputed institute. After a four-and-a-half-year course followed by a one-year internship, you can either choose a three-year MD course or a two-year diploma in psychiatry. The cost of an MBBS degree can range from INR 1,00,000 to INR 10,00,000, while an MD can cost an additional INR 25,000 to INR 20,00,000, depending on your choice of institute. These courses will also give you some hands-on experience at a psychiatric facility. You can also apply for the Diploma of National Board Exam (DNB) conducted by The National Board of Examinations. This three-year post-graduation programme is considered to be equivalent to an MD degree and costs between INR 36,000 to INR 2,40,000. Top colleges to pursue psychiatry in India are AIIMS (Delhi), AFMC (Pune), CMC (Vellore), etc.
In order to pursue psychiatry abroad, you must first earn a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution before applying for medical school. The subjects in focus must include pre-medicine, physical sciences, or psychology – or a combination of all three. You must then apply for the MCAT examination, which will help you secure admission in a medical school. In your four to five years of medical training, you will be given a choice between the Doctor of Medicine (MD) and the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) programme. While they have similar methods of treatment, DO focuses more on osteopathic manipulative medicine. After graduation, you are put through three to eight years of supervised training with residency at a psychiatric facility. Here, you can hone your skills even further in order to acquire a licence for private practice and board certification. Some of the best countries to study this course include Austria, Italy, France, Australia, and Denmark. Pursuing psychiatry abroad could cost you anywhere between INR 20,00,000 to INR 40,00,000.
How much would you get paid?
The exact amount of your salary would depend on your skill set, experience, and the facility you're working for. However, we can give you a fair idea of how much you could make as a psychiatrist.
What are your career options?
Addiction Psychiatry
This branch of psychiatry involves dealing with patients who are subjected to substance abuse, primarily drugs and alcohol. Professionals in this field usually work with rehabilitation centres on a full-time or contractual basis. They treat patients individually or in groups and chart a step-by-step treatment plan for each patient, even involving their families at a stage of treatment. Addiction psychiatrists must ensure that the treatment is wholesome and does not trigger a relapse.
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
As the title suggests, these psychiatrists mainly work with individuals up to the age of 18 and their families. They could either have a private practice or work with a social or academic organisation. These professionals usually address children individually, perform a diagnostic examination to understand their issues and their causes, and work with the patients and their families to find solutions or work around their illnesses to mitigate their adverse effects.
Geriatric Psychiatry
Unlike child and adolescent psychiatrists, geriatric professionals in this field deal with the emotional and psychological illnesses of the elderly. They are experts in the cases of dementia, anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia. These professionals listen and respond to the needs of their elderly patients by diagnosing, evaluating, testing and treating their disorders.
Psychosomatic Medicine
This is a complex branch of psychiatry also known as consultation-liaison psychiatry. These professionals diagnose a variety of psychological and emotional issues through complicated procedures and work on a comprehensive plan of treatment for the same. They meet patients for counselling sessions, chart out treatment plans, and prescribe medication for different stages of treatment.
Forensic Psychiatry
There is a special branch of psychiatry that deals with patients whose mental disorders have led to criminal activities. These professionals mainly work with individuals in prisons and psychiatric hospitals. Apart from the awareness about mental health problems, these psychiatrists also have an understanding of the law and help their patients get treatment and find solutions to their issues within the framework of the same. Some of these professionals might also solely focus on research of criminal behaviour.
Clinical Neurophysiology
Clinical Neurophysiology is a special branch of psychiatry that is linked to medicine as it studies the central and peripheral nervous systems. These professionals use computers or other electrical, magnetic or electronic devices to investigate and record the functions of organs like the brain, spinal cord, spinal roots, peripheral nerves and muscles. The conclusions they draw can be used to diagnose neurological disorders such as epilepsy.
Emergency Psychiatry
Professionals in emergency psychiatry are called upon during crisis situations. They generally work with hospitals and other health institutes and are usually available 24×7. These professionals deal with patients who either have attempted suicide or are at the risk of suicide due to severe cases of anxiety, depression, violence, psychosis or substance abuse. Some professionals even work with rehabilitation centres and are called upon on the occasion of a patient’s relapse.
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