What background do I need to go into the Child Psychiatry field?

Hi Ashley,

There is a misconception in the general population that a psychiatrist and psychologist are the same profession. Either goal requires you to attend graduate school; you cannot become one with only a bachelor's degree. As a child psychiatrist, you would diagnose and treat mental health disorders and manage patient medications. If you are interested in becoming a psychiatrist, you should declare a pre-med major in college, which will be heavily focused on science courses, such as biology and chemistry. Upon graduation, you would need to attend medical school to become an M.D.

As a child psychologist, there are a plethora of jobs that are not limited to diagnosing and treating disorders. Psychologists, unlike psychiatrists, cannot prescribe medication. If you are interested in becoming a child psychologist, you should declare a psychology major and select courses that allow you to focus on child and adolescent behavior/development/health. Upon graduation, you would need to complete a graduate program in clinical psychology to become a Ph.D. or Psy.D.

I think your first step is deciding whether you would like to pursue psychiatry or psychology. If you are interested in becoming a medical doctor, then psychiatry is better suited for you. If you are more broadly interested in helping people (whether that be through therapy or some other avenue), psychology is better suited for you. This single decision will help you pick an undergraduate major and which classes will best prepare you for graduate school.

All the best,
Lauren