Are there any two specialist physicians more confusing than the psychologist and the psychiatrist? More often than not, people not knowledgeable about the field of medicine use the terms interchangeably, even though they’re not quite the same.

That’s not a surprise, either. With so many physician specialties available and so few opportunities to visit the doctor, a large amount of the population is probably not going to encounter anything more than a family physician during the first half of their lives.

Unfortunately, that’s not exactly advantageous for when you finally need to contact a specialist. If you’re interested in finding out what the field of psychiatry entails and how you can become a psychiatrist, then make sure to read on! There are a lot of Los Angeles psychiatry jobs available, so the time is ripe for opportunities.

Let’s get right into it.

What Is Psychiatry?

Psychiatry is the medical field that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional disorders. Most such disorders people frequently come in contact with are depression, which has become overwhelmingly common as of the past few years, as well as schizophrenia, to cite a more extreme example.

Unsurprisingly, a physician that has specialized in psychiatry is called a psychiatrist. They are often expected to have a very good understanding of critical thinking as well as a relatively holistic approach to their treatment due to the unique conditions of their specialization.

Psychiatry is arguably one of the more unpleasant physician specialties for those who do not have a social bone as well as the necessary amount of empathy (or too much of it!). Since their patients deal with mental disorders, it can be very easy for them to linger with the psychiatrists as well.

Quite ironic that psychiatrists are most vulnerable to mental and emotional disorders while also being equipped to solve those very same problems. In fact, a decent amount of contemporary psychiatrists chose their careers after having had personal experiences with how capricious the human psyche can get.

How Is It to Be a Psychiatrist?

Harder than some people expect, that’s for sure. Millions of youths from across the globe clamor to become physicians, although a lot of them give up halfway through after having expended a tremendous amount of entry fee cash and mental determination.

To be a psychiatrist you must pass at least four years of college, medical school – which is famous for how difficult it can be – and then also undertake a residency program with a more experienced physician for the first few years so that you gain the necessary experience.

Once you’ve become a physician, and have specialized in psychiatry, then it can’t be said that there’s a unifying experience for everyone since everyone’s approach and circumstances are different. For example, some people might work at a very busy hospital, while some might work at a private clinic where only a few clients show up each day.

On the other hand, psychiatrists get paid very well. You won’t struggle too much with financial difficulties if you’ve made this your career choice, save for trying to pay the $200,000 (estimated) entry fee for medical school. Some psychiatrists only manage to pay it off years after their residency.

Additionally, psychiatrists also don’t work under any sense of overwhelming urgency as do other professions. You can’t hurry up a psychiatrist, which means that this specialization is arguably more slow-paced than others.

One thing that all physicians have in common, however, is an expectation to occasionally do night calls. This is relatively unlikely to happen to psychiatrists unless one of their patients has an explicit need for mental and emotional guidance during a critical moment.

You and Your Mind

It’s very profitable to be a physician in general. The rewards are manyfold, and although the road is paved with difficulties, a strong determination can help you break through and reap the benefits of your work. It’s only a matter of persevering!