Psychiatry Training

What is psychiatry training?

A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of mental, addictive, and emotional disorders. He or she understands the biological, psychological, and sociocultural components of mental illness and is qualified to order diagnostic laboratory tests, to prescribe medications, to evaluate and treat psychological and interpersonal problems, and to give continuing care for psychiatric problems. The psychiatrist is also prepared to help individuals and families who are coping with stress, crises, and other life problems.

Psychiatry residency training is four years long. Physicians commonly enter psychiatry programs at the first-year postgraduate level. Entry at the second-year postgraduate level is also permitted, following a transitional year or intern year in internal medicine, family practice, or pediatrics.

Residency training provides clinical experiences, supervision and formal didactics in all aspects of psychiatric medicine. Residents are given responsibility for a wide variety of patients in outpatient and inpatient settings. Programs also provide the training necessary to understand the psychiatric literature, to evaluate the validity of scientific studies, and to incorporate new knowledge into the practice of medicine.

Many psychiatrists continue training beyond the initial four years. A number of specific fellowships provide advanced training in child and adolescent psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry, forensic psychiatry, addictions psychiatry, psychiatry in general medical settings (consultation/liaison psychiatry), pain medicine, neurodevelopmental disabilities, and psychiatric research. Additionally, advanced training is available in administrative psychiatry, emergency psychiatry, community psychiatry and public health, health policy, military psychiatry, neuropsychiatry, and specific psychotherapies.

After completing their residency training, most psychiatrists take a voluntary examination given by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, to become a "board certified" psychiatrist. An ABPN board-certified psychiatrist has been certified as having special skills and knowledge to diagnose and treat specific problems and to medically manage the care of psychiatric disorders.