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Psychologist vs Psychiatrist

Hi my parents won't let me be a psychologist for whatever reason - they want me to go to a medical career, and don't count a psychologist as a health career, even though it is. Would being a psychiatrist make up for it?

Reply 1

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

I don't really understand what you are asking. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor. A psychologist is not. Psychiatrists and clinical psychologists may work together perhaps but they don't do the same thing (there wouldn't be much point in having both careers existing simultaneously if they did).

To become a psychiatrist in the UK you need to do a medical degree, then go through 2 years of foundation training as a junior doctor, and only then are you able to specialise in psychiatry. To become a clinical psychologist you need to do a BPS accredited psychology degree, then a DClinPsy. Note that the DClinPsy is extremely competitive and most applicants have many years of relevant work experience, a masters degree and/or a PhD.

Reply 2

Ra_Ar

Original post by artful_lounger

but my parents want me to go to medical school - so would I still do psychology if i do psychiatry?

Reply 3

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by Ra_Ar

but my parents want me to go to medical school - so would I still do psychology if i do psychiatry?

I mean you might learn some psychological concepts in medical school or in the process of psychiatry training, but I assume you wouldn't study all the same material as in a psychology undergraduate course. You could conceivably do a BPS accredited masters degree in psychology which will then (in theory) bring you up to speed on the core material of a psychology undergraduate degree. But if your goal is to use that BPS accredited course to become a clinical psychologist (rather than continue in medicine, be it psychiatry or something else) then it seems a bit pointless to get the medical degree first and not really use it...

@GANFYD I think previously worked in psychiatry before moving into GP, and might be able to give some idea of the scope of "psychological" material you'll study (or practice) in the process, compared to "medical", perhaps?

Reply 4

Ra_Ar

Original post by artful_lounger

ok, but psychiatrists still know a lot about psuchology in general though right?

Reply 5

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by Ra_Ar

ok, but psychiatrists still know a lot about psuchology in general though right?

I'm not a psychiatrist, so I wouldn't know; however, while health psychology plays a part of in medical degrees as I understand, you're going to spend a lot of time in a medical degree learning about physiology, anatomy, mechanisms of drug action, and then clinical skills connected to these. I wouldn't expect much time would be spent in the academic (and experimental) study of psychology because, well...that's a different field and a different degree. Like I doubt a medical degree would go into that much detail in e.g. cognition, memory, perception, affect, psychometrics, etc...

Reply 6

GANFYD

Original post by artful_lounger

Thanks

@Ra_Ar Most DGH Psychiatrists are expected to perform a Dr role, ie assessing patients and coming up with a medical treatment plan, be that in Adults, Children or Older Adults. They may have a specialist interest in Psychological Therapies and do a session or so of this a week, but they are too well-paid to be used for the general work of "talking therapies" and not trained for things like Neuropsychological assessments.
A few may specialise in things like Medical Psychotherapy, where they primarily do Psychoanalytical type Therapy, but most Trusts are very short of Drs and want their medics dealing with the medical side of things, as there are other pathways into talking therapies.
https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/members/your-faculties/medical-psychotherapy/supporting-trainees/who-are-medical-psychotherapists

As pointed out, Psychologists and Psychiatrists are totally different job roles, and whilst there may be some overlap, the focus of the day job is on entirely different things
https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/psychological-therapies/differences-between-psychology-psychiatry-and-psychotherapy

Reply 7

GANFYD

Original post by Ra_Ar

ok, but psychiatrists still know a lot about psuchology in general though right?

I spent years as a Psychiatrist, and was trained in CBT and Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, but I could not do a Psychologists job, any more than I could do a Physio, OT, Dentist, SaLT or any other specialisms we work alongside's job. You can do additional training in Psychology, but the pay scales for Clinical Psychologists tend to be far less than that for a Consultant Psychiatrist, so if you are doing the work of a Psychologist for much of your time, that is what you are likely to be paid as.
I probably do more CBT and behavioural therapy, etc in my current role as a GP than I did as a Psychiatrist.
What is it you actually want to do in your job? If you think about the skills you want to obtain and use, it might guide you a bit further.

Reply 8

Ra_Ar

@GANFYD
thank you,
i guess what i mainly want to do is sort of cognitive behavioural stuff; talking through things with people; helping them through treatment (be it medical or anything else). etc

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 9

GANFYD

Original post by Ra_Ar

@GANFYD
thank you,
i guess what i mainly want to do is sort of cognitive behavioural stuff; talking through things with people; helping them through treatment (be it medical or anything else). etc

Well a Psychiatrist takes a history, formulates a treatment plan, advises re therapy +/- meds and may have some sessions where they offer psychological therapies, both for inpatients and out patients, but like I say, this is not the majority of their work, generally. Depending on the type of Psychologist, they are more likely to be implementing psychological therapies, but do play a role in assessments, especially of things like personality disorders or neuropsych issues