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In the past few years, I’ve seen more interest in psychiatry. As mental health has received more attention and people have become more aware of how important it is, more students are becoming interested in being part of that shift. And while psychiatry can look quite different from what many people picture when they think of a traditional doctor, the path to becoming a psychiatrist is actually very similar.
I spoke with several counselors on my team who have expertise in this area of medicine to learn more about how to join it, what students should keep in mind along the way, and what the career itself really looks like. I share all of that below.
To become a psychiatrist, you have to earn a bachelor’s degree, take the MCAT, graduate from medical school (MD or DO), complete a four-year psychiatry residency, obtain state licensure, and become board-certified.
Here’s the step-by-step path:
Complete a four-year undergraduate degree that allows you to finish the typical medical school prerequisites, including biology, chemistry, physics, and biochemistry.
As the experts on my team always emphasize, your pre-med major really doesn’t matter. Callie Ginapp, a former Yale Med admissions officer and current Inspira Advantage admissions counselor, confirms this in our webinar on building a strong application narrative:
“The best major is one that does two things: You can talk about it and care about it and then you can get good grades in it. The best major for a pre-med is the one that you're going to get the best grades in.”
Some students choose to major or minor in psychology since it’s related to psychiatry, but the most important factor for your application is that you just complete your prerequisites and maintain a high GPA.
Take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT); the majority of schools require MCAT scores as part of their application process. The higher your score, the more competitive your application is from an academic standpoint.
As the admissions experts on my team consistently emphasize, your MCAT score plays one of the most important roles in getting the rest of your application seriously considered.
A strong MCAT score can offset a lower GPA by showing that you’re academically prepared for medical school. The reverse is more difficult. Even an excellent GPA won’t usually compensate for a particularly low MCAT score.
Once you’ve completed all prerequisite coursework, you can apply to medical school. Top medical schools for psychiatry are highly selective, so you have to present strong academic performance, competitive MCAT scores, clinical exposure, and clear motivation for medicine to get accepted.
Once you’re accepted to medical school, it will take four years to complete your MD or DO. The first two years focus on foundational sciences. The final two years include clinical rotations in specialties like psychiatry, internal medicine, pediatrics, and neurology.
Both MD (Doctor of Medicine) and DO (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine) graduates can become psychiatrists. Training standards and residency pathways are equivalent.
Match into and complete a four-year accredited psychiatry residency program. During residency, you train in adult psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, addiction, emergency psychiatry, and inpatient and outpatient care.
Pass required licensing exams (USMLE for MDs or COMLEX for DOs), obtain state licensure, and pursue board certification through the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN).
Some psychiatrists choose to complete an additional fellowship to subspecialize. Fellowship training typically lasts one to two years, depending on the field. Your total training time will increase if you pursue one of these advanced pathways.
As important as it is to understand exactly how to become a psychiatrist, it's just as important to understand what these professionals do in their day-to-day lives.
People often assume psychiatrists mainly talk to patients about their mental health and help them figure out ways to cope with their struggles, but the job is much broader than that.
In reality, psychiatrists are licensed medical doctors who can diagnose mental health conditions, develop and adjust treatment plans, prescribe medication, evaluate how physical health may be affecting a patient's symptoms, manage medications, provide psychotherapy in some settings, and work alongside other healthcare professionals to coordinate care.
Their jobs aren’t always appointment-based, with patients sitting comfortably on couches across from them. Depending on where they work, they also respond to psychiatric emergencies or consult on patients being treated for other medical conditions.
For example, another physician might ask a psychiatrist to evaluate a hospitalized patient who suddenly becomes confused, agitated, severely anxious, or suicidal.
Forensic psychiatrists also help with criminal or civil cases, consultation-liaison psychiatrists work with patients being treated elsewhere in the hospital, and addiction psychiatrists may manage withdrawal, substance use disorders, and medication-assisted treatment.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that psychiatrists make an average salary of $259,497 per year. However, this figure changes depending on where they practice. Psychiatrists in private practice, high-demand geographic areas, or subspecialties typically earn the highest salaries.
It takes 12-14 years to become a psychiatrist.
Here is the standard timeline:
Psychiatrists can work in:
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor (MD or DO) who specializes in mental health. Psychiatrists attend medical school, complete a psychiatry residency, diagnose mental health disorders, prescribe medication, and can provide psychotherapy.
A psychologist typically holds a doctoral degree in psychology (PhD or PsyD) and can diagnose mental health conditions, provide psychotherapy, and conduct psychological testing, but they don’t attend medical school. In most U.S. states, psychologists also can’t prescribe medication.
No, you can’t become a psychiatrist without going to med school, as psychiatrists are licensed physicians. You have to graduate from med school and become an MD or DO to become a psychiatrist.
Yes, there are a lot of job opportunities in psychiatry, and the demand for licensed psychiatrists continues to grow. According to the BLS, employment for physicians, including psychiatrists, is projected to grow faster than average over the next decade.
Becoming a psychiatrist can cost $300,000+ before considering any financial aid you might receive:
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