Career questions tagged psychiatry


How can I work towards my own psychiatry practice? Is it a good career goal?
I am an undergraduate psychology student and I want to become a psychiatrist. How realistic is it to work towards establishing my own practice, and what would that process look like? I am also curious if I would be able to have a psychiatry practice, and research neuroscience. I have big dreams. I want to write books, and have my own clinical practice, and have a family, and travel, but I don't know if all my ambitions are achievable. Is there anyone who has been able to have a career like this as well as having a thriving personal and family life?

How do I know what job is exactly for me? With psychology, can it be a good idea to start my own business? Additionally, how do I know how much schooling I have to go through or which degrees I need to get?
Personally, I am a high school senior with psychology as my decided major. I have already taken many psychology classes and am very interested in the subject, I am just not sure what exactly I want to do career wise. I am also leaning against getting a PHD.

How do I improve my resume for med school as an incoming sophomore in college? #spring2025
I am looking to become a psychiatrist, and struggle to know what steps to take to stand out.

How do I achieve my goal of becoming a psychiatrist within the time period of nine years or less? What can I do in order to gain more knowledge about my career path and what tools will I use to help me?
I have always been intrigued about the human psyche and behavior which is why this career path is so special to me. It will hopefully help me see the perspective of others and educate people on the knowledge that I have acquired in order to spread awareness about certain types of mental health disorders.

What were the most difficult challenges faced in your career of becoming a medical doctor, and what’s some advice could you give me for the future? #Spring25?
I’m currently an upcoming freshman at Penn State Harrisburg. I’ve always had a goal of being a medical doctor since my sophomore year of high school, specifically wanted to go on the track of being a psychiatrist. There are not many psychiatrists around me to be able to receive advice and guidance on how I should go about doing it and what path I should take to reach my goal.

Is there a route going into Psychiatry that does not involve touching people?
Hi, I know it's a weird question at first, but hear me out. I have a BS in Biological Sciences and was originally going to school looking to be a Plant Scientist, allowing myself to keep my options open by taking courses in molecular biology, genetics, microbiology, soil biology, organic chemistry, physics, etc. But after being in Environmental Microbiology labs for 2.5 years, going to therapy/psychiatrists myself, and being the go-to person to help friends and family with their emotional issues, I realized I'm more naturally inclined to interact with and help people. Because of my love for science, I want a career that will allow me to combine science and psychology, so I have been looking into Psychiatry, with the hope that there is an intersection between Psychiatry and Genetics because I have grown a love for Genetics as well over the years. But here's the issue: I simply cannot fathom using an IV, hanging a blood bag, and physically touching people in a medical sense. It makes me very queasy and I already know it is not something I am willing to do, even in the short-term. I have spoken to a Psychiatrist in the field that indicated many routes to being a Psychiatrist include these medical practices in some way, and because I hoping that is not true I am coming here to ask a larger professional community. Is there a route from the Biological Sciences degree I have to Psychiatry that does not involve mandatory clinical medical techniques? And while I am here, are any of these routes less financially taxing than others? #Spring25

I want to be a therapist, but I am having doubts.
I want to be a therapist, but is the pay good enough? Is it a fulfilling profession? I wanted to be a psychiatrist, but I didn't want to go through med school. Is it that hard to get a doctoral degree? Also, how do I know what type of therapist I want to be, if at all?

what are some extracurricular ideas for someone with interests in psych + bio?
what are some things i can do to start building my college app around an interest in psych + bio? [extracurriculars, competitions, etc] i’ll be a rising sophomore this summer + i’m scared i’m not doing enough to stand out to colleges in the future 😰 any advice is appreciated <3

How forgiving are colleges about grades? Do they care about who I am beyond my GPA?
Hello all, I am a sophomore in high school! And how has your day been? I'd like to ask, do colleges care who you are beyond your GPA/resume? Last year, I averaged a 3.5 GPA first semester and a 3.8 GPA second semester. I'm taking half of the APs my friends are, and not taking any AP science courses that colleges like. Only AP Pysch. Last summer, I slipped in heavy (actual, prescribed medication-wise) depression and made measly grades first semester of this year. I'm taking classes I enjoy next year (General Psych and Anatomy Honors), but I won't be taking any APs I can't handle. I really, really, really! want to be a psychiatrist due to my own specific struggles, and I know the prereqs will be extremely difficult... But I'm wondering-do colleges care about who I am, and my story? Will I have a chance to explain my grades is the better question. Or will they just see another discardable applicant?

What is the better career?
What would be the steps for becoming a mental health therapist? What would be the steps for becoming a psychiatrist? Which is the better career to follow? I'm not sure which I want to go to.

What to do to be a Psychiatrist? I'm on 12th grade...6 months and I'll finish high school...I wanted to be a Psychiatrist! But kinda confused...what to do..which college I should choose etc etc...can someone tell me step by step? Please Also suggest me some books about psychology
Career. College . Psychology

What AP or regular courses should I take in my senior year of high school if I plan to major in psychiatry in college?
courses could be online too.

What colleges do you recommend for studying psychology in hopes of becoming a psychiatrist
I'm looking for affordability, but a promise of internships and networking. Preferably in the state of Texas, or one with a generous out-of-state tuition.

What class should I take if I'm interested in psychology and the only one my school offers is psychology?
I'm in 10th grade so I only have 2 years left.

how to easily become a psychiatrist in less years than normal while also knowing a lot about it
I want to become a psychiatrist and not be in my 30's or mid 30's. My goal is to try to be a young psychiatrist.

Clinical Psychologist or psychiatrist Which one is better as a career?
After graduating high school, I've been struggling for 6 years working different jobs. But now I want to do something real in life.

Here are a few interview questions I want to ask a psychiatrist...
Question 1: What inspired you to become a psychiatrist? Question 2: How long have you been practicing psychiatry? Question 3: How do you measure progress in treatment? Question 4: How do you decide on whether or not medication is necessary? Question 5: How do you get your patients to open up about themselves? Question 6: Do you often collaborate with other healthcare professionals? Question 7: What is one thing you’ve learned from your patients over the years?

Is the work of psychiatrists mostly effective??
I wonder how many people have successful outcomes with attending therapy and talking to their psychiatrist.,

How can I pursue a career as a psychiatrist in the USA?
hey im currently in 11th grade living in India and I am really interested in becoming a psychiatrist. there is no scope in India so my main focus is Usa. if you can help me show a path it would be of great help. I have PCB with psychology rn.

Psychiatry
I’ve been doing research online but haven’t found anything concrete across sites, what at the steps to become a psychiatrist after college?

Any advice for a young trans man interested in psychiastry?
I want to take a career in psychiatry, but being a young trans man is sort of discouraging, especially because I'm in the Deep South. I am more scared of people not trusting me and my opinions. Is there any advice anyone can offer?

What is the main reason people become interested in becoming a psychiatry?
I would like to know why people mainly want to study psychiatry, to see if we have similar interests.

What experiences should I obtain to help me stand out to get my residency?
I learned that getting a psychiatry residency is quite competitive, so I want to know what experiences will help me stand out.

What skills should I learn in order to become a psychiatrist?
I'm currently a student at Job Corps and looking into becoming a psychiatrist.

What are the day-to-day responsibilities of a psychiatric PA?
Hello, I am a college student trying to figure my future career. I was wondering if someone could provide some insight on this role.

How Do I Understand What Part of Psychology I want to be in?
I thought Psychiatry was the one for me, but I don't think I could handle med school, unfortunately. I feel very lost.

What should I consider when deciding on a major and picking a college?
I'm currently a junior in high school and I'm still working on choosing what I want to go to college for. I might be interested in psychology, law, or finance, but I also really enjoy art and design. What kinds of things should I consider before making my final choice?

What do the work hours look like? How do you maintain work and family time?
I'm a high school student looking into becoming a psychiatrist, but I am looking forward to starting a family in my mid 20's. What do the work hours look like? Would I be spending a lot of time at work, or is it pretty well distributed? If you are a psychiatrist with a family at home, how do you manage your time?

Mentally draining psychiatrists?
Is being a psychiatrist mentally draining and exhausting? You're with people everyday at probably their lowest points of their lives, but you get to help them grow and get better. One one hand it is extremely rewarding, but I feel like it may get overwhelming a lot of the time. Is this true, and if so, how do psychiatrists deal with this?

Character traits of psychiatrists?
I am a senior in high school right now, but I feel extremely drawn to the field of psychology and mental health treatment. How do I know I have what it takes to be a psychiatrist? What types of characteristics do psychiatrists need to have to be successful?