Research Assessment #5

Date: October 17th, 2017

Subject: Variations of Psychiatry

MLA Citation:

Choosing a Career in Psychiatry. Choosing a Career in Psychiatry, American Psychiatric

Association , 2017,

www.psychiatry.org/residents-medical-students/medical-students/choosing-a-career-in-psy

chiatry.

The chosen article, written by the American Psychiatric Association, informs their

readers about the variations of psychiatry. According to this read, there are many locations to

work, salary ranges based on conditions, and psychiatrists that sub-specialize in particular areas.

By reading this I discovered where psychiatrists work, an average salary for a psychiatrist, and

categories of mental health physicians.

This content is significant to myself, my learning, my topic, and my Independent Study

and Mentorship (ISM) journey; as I am on my way to reaching my goal of becoming an

accomplished psychiatrist. As a student in the ISM program, I feel an urgent desire to expose

oneself to the aspects of psychiatry that are kept closed off. Learning about financial and

environmental factors, that will affect ones way of life, is important to understand. The more I

learn about my topic, throughout ISM, the stronger I will become throughout understanding what

my career choice is precisely about. Throughout this experience, it is vital that I begin to become

specific with the categories of psychiatry I choose to research, on top of being aware of each

element that comes into play with the process in its entirety.
 The information given can be classified into three parts: salary, place of business, and

sub-specialties. According to the article, the mean annual wage for a psychiatrist in the United

States is $163,660. However, psychiatrists earn about the same as pediatricians and family

physicians, depending on the type of practice, hours worked, and geographic location. For

instance, if a psychiatrist were to work in a private facility, the pay would be higher than those

who are working in a public facility. On average psychiatrists work approximately 48 hours each

week; with about 60% of their time being spent with patients. The facilities mental health doctors

may work in are places like psychiatric hospitals, university medical centers, prisons, nursing

homes, corporate buildings, government, military bases, schools and universities, rehabilitation

programs, emergency rooms, hospices, and many other places. These places of business provide

opportunity for those patients to receive direct medical attention; this also allows practitioners set

their own work schedules and time commitments according to their personal lifestyles and needs,

meaning appointments evolve around the doctors agenda. Lastly, in psychiatry there are

multiple categories in which one may specialize in. For example, one may concentrate

specifically on child and adolescent psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry, forensic psychiatry,

addiction psychiatry, emergency psychiatry, psychiatry in general medical settings (liaison

psychiatry), mental retardation psychiatry, military psychiatry, and psychiatric research. Every

type of psychiatry specialty listed provides its own unique value to the improvement of society.

With this information I will narrow down on, explicitly, where I want to work and which

category of study I wish to pursue in the future. In addition, I have the utmost desire to help

those in need of mental assistance, so this article will be used to further my ability to

comprehend the work-related details of my potential career. I will use this information to further
my understanding of psychiatric field. Currently, my only prolonging question is about the

definition of a liaison psychiatrist.

In its entirety, the article from American Psychiatric Association was more than helpful

and extremely beneficial. I discovered data I did not realize before, which aids me in my strive

toward achieving my goal of learning the particular aspects of psychiatry.

 Choosing a Career in Psychiatry
The Surgeon Generals report, Mental Health: Culture, Race and Ethnicity, unequivocally states
that mental health is fundamental to overall health and productivity. It is the basis for
successful contributions to family, community, and society. Throughout the lifespan, mental
health is the wellspring of thinking and communication skills, learning, resilience, and
self-esteem. Psychiatrists make a difference because they can apply medical knowledge and
understanding to the treatment of the mentally ill in a cultural competent manner. There is
untold richness in diversity in being a psychiatrist and each year more and more medical
students are choosing a career as a psychiatrist.

How do you become a psychiatrist?

Medical students follow a standard curriculum. In addition to anatomy, biochemistry, and

physiology, students take courses in psychiatry, behavioral science and neuroscience in the
first two years of medical school. In the last two years, students are assigned to medical
specialty clerkships where they study and work with physicians in at least six different
medical specialties, including psychiatry. Medical students rotating through their psychiatry
clerkship take care of patients with mental health in the hospital and in outpatient settings.
They also have an opportunity to work with medical and surgical patients who may have
psychiatric problems or who have difficulty coping with their illness. Because modern
psychiatry places special emphasis on the relationship between mind and body, students pay
special attention to issues of stress and physical illness, prevention, and behavior change, in
addition to learning to care for severely mentally ill patients. Upon graduating from medical
students, doctors can elect to specialize in psychiatry through a 4+ year residency. Doctors
spend the first year of residency training in a hospital taking care of patients with a wide
range of medical illnesses. He or she then spends at least three additional years in psychiatry
residency learning the diagnosis and treatment of mental health, gaining valuable skills in
various forms of psychotherapy, and in the use of psychiatric medications and other
treatments.

The education and training requirements for psychiatry are set by the ACGME. Upon
completing residency, a psychiatrist can apply for board certification from the American
Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. Many psychiatrists choose to go on to additional years of
training in a subspecialty.
Can psychiatrists become "sub-specialists?"

Yes. Many psychiatrists continue training beyond the initial four years. They may study child
and adolescent psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry, forensic (legal) psychiatry, administrative
psychiatry, addiction psychiatry, emergency psychiatry, psychiatry in general medical settings
(called "consultation/liaison psychiatry" or psychosomatic medicine), mental retardation
psychiatry, community psychiatry and public health, military psychiatry, and psychiatric
research. Some choose additional training in psychoanalysis at psychoanalytic institutes.

Where do psychiatrists work?

Psychiatrists practice in diverse settings including private practice, general and psychiatric
hospitals, university medical centers, community agencies, courts and prisons, nursing
homes, industry, government, military settings, schools and universities, rehabilitation
programs, emergency rooms, hospices, and many other places. About half the 42,000
psychiatrists in the nation maintain private practice.

The hallmark of a psychiatrist's career is diversity and flexibility. Although some psychiatrists
prefer working only in one setting, others work in several areas, combining, for instance, a
private practice with hospital or community mental health center work.

Practitioners set their own work and time commitments according to their personal lifestyles
and needs.

Also, because mental health affects all races, ethnic groups, and cultures, the specialty of
psychiatry offers special opportunities for members of minority groups.

How much do psychiatrists earn?

Psychiatrists earn about the same as pediatricians and family physicians, depending on the
type of practice, hours worked, geographic location, and whether the psychiatrist works in the
public or private sector. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, mean annual wage for a
psychiatrist is $163,660.

The average psychiatrist spends approximately 48 hours each week at work. Most
psychiatrists spend 60% of their time with patients. Two-thirds of these patients are seen as
outpatients, with the rest being seen in a hospital setting or, increasingly, in partial
 hospitalization or day programs and community residential programs. Psychiatric
hospitalization is now more intense, more focused, and much shorter in duration than in
previous years. Additional professional activities include administration, teaching,
consultation, and research.

What kinds of tools do psychiatrists use to help their patients?

Today's psychiatrist provides a wide range of biological, psychotherapeutic and psychosocial

treatments which are tailored to the specific needs of the patient. The psychiatrist also
serves as the medical expert for the mind/brain/body interface. Psychiatrists use a wide
variety of treatments including various forms of psychotherapy, medications, and
hospitalization in accordance with the needs of each patient.

There are a number of effective medications that psychiatrist may prescribe to treat mental
illness. A psychiatrist prescribes these medications in the context of the patients overall
medical condition. A psychiatrist may recommend combining medications any number of
psychotherapies.

Psychotherapy is a systematic treatment method in which, during regularly scheduled

meetings, the psychiatrist and patient discuss troubling problems and feelings. The physician
helps patients understand the basis of these problems and find solutions. Depending on the
extent of the problem, treatment may take just a few sessions over one or two weeks, or
many sessions over several years.

Psychiatrists use many forms of psychotherapy. There are psychotherapies that help
patients change behaviors or thought patterns, psychotherapies that help patients explore
the effect of past relationships and experiences on present behaviors, psychotherapies that
treat troubled couples or families together, and more treatments that are tailored to help
solve other problems in specific ways.

Psychoanalysis is an intensive form of individual psychotherapy which requires frequent

sessions over several years. The psychiatrist, who must have additional years of training in
psychoanalysis, helps the patient to recall and examine events, memories, and feelings from
the past, many of them long forgotten, as a means of helping the patient understand present
feelings and behavior.