By: Megan Aldworth
March is regarded as Mental Health Awareness month and therefore I saw it fitting to post of a common misconception having to do with both the medical field and mental health. There are two terms often confused in the mental health/medical field; Psychiatry and Psychology. Many people use these terms interchangeably, but the two terms actually have different definitions.
March is regarded as Mental Health Awareness month and therefore I saw it fitting to post of a common misconception having to do with both the medical field and mental health. There are two terms often confused in the mental health/medical field; Psychiatry and Psychology. Many people use these terms interchangeably, but the two terms actually have different definitions.
A psychologist is someone who studies the human mind and the
functions it has, mainly functions that affect behavior in a certain situation.
On the other hand, a psychiatrist is someone who has a medical degree and
focuses on diagnosing and treating mental illnesses. One of the main things
that sets the two fields apart is the fact that a psychiatrist can prescribe
medication while a psychologist cannot.
Another difference between psychiatrist and psychologist is
that a psychologist must earn an undergraduate degree in psychology and then
attend a graduate program to earn a masters and doctoral degree. In order to
earn certification, psychologist typically have to participate in an internship
or have some kind of supervised practice in the field.
A psychiatrist must earn an undergraduate degree in science
and then attend medical school to earn a medical degree. After earning a medical
degree, one must complete four years of residency training in psychiatry.
In both fields, one can choose to specialize in a certain
area. For example, a registered psychologist could choose to be a child
psychologist, clinical psychologist, school psychologist, etc. Whereas a
Psychiatrist can specialize in addiction psychiatry, forensic psychiatry, child
psychiatry, etc.
There are many options open to those who explore the fields
of psychiatry and psychology, and even though the terms are separate, in many
cases psychologists and psychiatrists work together in treating patients.
"Psychologist vs Psychiatrist - What's the
Difference." Psychologist vs Psychiatrist - What's the Difference. Web. 20
Mar. 2016.
Photo 1: "Psychologist or Psychiatrist: What Is the
Difference?" M1 Psychology. Web. 10 Mar. 2016.
Photo 2:"Philly420: This Is Your Brain on Marijuana."
Philly.com. Web. 10 Mar. 2016.
This is pretty interesting, I didn't realize there was such a disparity between both studies. I do have to ask if there is a field or major that covers both fields or if you are encouraged to only pick one.
ReplyDelete-Ian O.
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ReplyDeleteIan, great question. A psychiatrist can perform most of the tasks that a psychologist would, integrating the two fields. But, a psychologist cannot complete many things that a psychiatrist can, such as prescribing medication. Thanks for the feedback!
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