What is a psychiatrist?

A psychiatrist is a Medical Doctor (MD) or a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) who specializes in mental health. They help people who are struggling with thoughts, feelings, behaviors, or mental illnesses. To become a psychiatrist, a person completes four years of college, four years of medical school, and at least four more years of specialty training in psychiatry, this specialty training is called residency. Some psychiatrists receive extra training to care for children, teenagers, or other special groups of patients, and is part of subspecialty training called fellowship. Psychiatrists can diagnose mental health conditions, prescribe medications, and work with patients to help them live healthier, happier lives. Sometimes they may refer you to a specialized therapist or medical provider, such as an occupational therapist, or dietician, for certain types of help they might think useful for you, or, they may refer you to a psychologist for specialized testing after beginning treatment, if it is needed. If they do this, they will continue to treat you and help to coordinate that care, always making sure to consider the whole person approach.