Choosing your career after college or university can be a little intimidating. There are multiple options to pick from. If you have an interest in the medical field, consider pursuing a career in psychiatry. It is a rewarding experience to get to help others. Here are some of the main reasons to become a psychiatrist.  

 

What is a Psychiatrist?

A psychiatrist focuses on the diagnosis , treatment, and prevention of mental and behavioral disorders. They are similar to physiologists, but they can prescribe medications. Psychiatrists can treat several disorders, such as schizophrenia or depression. 

Benefits of a Psychiatry Career

If you decide this is the career path for you, here are some of the top advantages of becoming a psychiatrist. 

1. Better Work-Life Balance

One of the main reasons to become a psychiatrist is the opportunity to have a more flexible schedule. In the medical field, there are not many days off. However, as a therapist, you're usually on-call less. Their work hours are also reasonable, with about 40% of psychiatrists seeing patients 30-40 hours per week. 

Having a good work-life balance allows you to focus on other aspects of your life, such as family or travel. 

 

2. It's a Rewarding Career

Counselors help to make a direct impact on the patient's lives. Within your career, you can help them become more independent and form stronger relationships. By treating their mental health, you're improving their overall quality of life. 

As you continue to learn more about them, here are some other ways you can make a positive impact:

• Give them a voice
• Help them confront their fears
• Give them unbiased guidance
• Help them become a better version of themselves
  
  

3. It's a Good Time

Due to the pandemic, there are more people in need of mental health services. There has also been growing research in the field of neuroscience, which focuses on the brain. There have been studies on neurotransmitters and brain stimulation therapy. Also, some studies have looked into certain drugs. Researchers are digging deeper into mental illnesses, such as Alzheimer's and Dementia. 

With growing demand and continued research, this career path offers lots of opportunities. 

4. You Can Create Connections 

One of the benefits of psychiatry is you can form relationships with your patients. It's not all about facts and medicine. You need to get to know your patient in-depth to treat them properly. This requires psychologists to be emphatic towards their patient's feelings. Being empathetic helps you better diagnose the patient and form stronger bonds. 

Here are some other ways psychiatrists can connect with their patients: 

• Encourage mutual collaboration
• Be flexible and responsive with the treatment plan
• Gather and use patient feedback
• Be able to handle negative emotions 
  
  

5. It Provides You With Useful Skills

A degree in psychiatry is helpful for any medical specialty. One of the main reasons is you learn empathy that is needed in any medical field. Throughout your career, you'll work with people with mental health issues, and it's essential to advocate for them. The skills learned from your psychology degree, such as building positive relationships, will help you with this. 

How to Earn a Psychiatry Degree

Now that you know some of the benefits of a psychiatry career here is how to obtain a degree. The first step is to receive a medical degree , which usually takes about five years. 

Many universities require students to complete clerkships. During this time, they may take the psychiatry shelf exam testing their ability to diagnose and treat psychiatric illnesses. This may be slightly easier than other exams, but it still requires you to study. 

You then must complete a two-year foundation course and a six-year specialty program. Once you've finished your studies, you receive a Certificate of Completion of Training(CTT). You are then entered into the General Medical Council's (GMC) register to start applying for jobs. 

Why Pursue a Career in Psychiatry

As the demand for mental health professionals grows, the field of psychology has many opportunities. It can be a rewarding career with a flexible schedule. If you're still deciding what to study, consider these reasons to pursue a career in psychiatry today. If you need help with your medical resume there are lots of websites and resources out there to help you.