Who knows what courses you need to become a psychiatrist?

Steps for Becoming a Psychiatrist.

Completing an undergraduate education: Aspiring psychiatrists must first earn a bachelor’s degree at a 4-year college or university in order to gain entrance to medical school. There is no specific major for premed psychiatry students, but popular fields of undergrad study include biology, chemistry and psychology.

Attending medical school: After earning their baccalaureate degrees, future psychiatrists must complete four years of medical school. All med school students, including aspiring psychiatrists, first take general medical education courses, including anatomy, physiology and medical law, before spending the last two years becoming familiarized with different medical specialties in practical settings.

Completing a rotating internship: Aspiring psychiatrists who have earned a Doctor of Osteopathy (D.O.) degree instead of the more common Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) typically need to complete a rotating internship divided between a number of different medical establishments. Psychiatrists and other doctors must spend at least one year as rotating interns.

Completing a residency: After earning their M.D. or D.O. degrees and completing any necessary internships, psychiatrists still aren’t done with their training - they need to complete a psychiatric residency, typically lasting four to six years. This period of training allows them to develop their skills with patients under the supervision of experienced psychiatrists.

Choosing a subspecialty: During the residency, psychiatrists generally choose to specialize in a specific subfield within psychiatry, such as neuropsychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, forensic psychiatry or addiction psychiatry. Fellowships and internships, as well as extra years of residency, help provide psychiatrists with training in these subfields.

Gaining licensure: Psychiatrists must hold valid licenses to practice in all states. Gaining licensure requires the completion of a full residency and the passing of a lengthy examination. Psychiatrist certifications, which also include exam requirements, may also be sought in the various subspecialties.

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