What Is A Psychiatrist?

Psychiatrists

• are medical doctors (MDs) specializing in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental illnesses and substance use disorders
• have completed 4 years of college, 4 years of medical school, and an additional 4 to 6 years of intense specialty training, treating hundreds of patients with mental and emotional disorders under the supervision of senior psychiatric physicians
• have the background and experience to understand how the body and the mind as a whole react when psychiatric medication is given
• have extensively studied the total body including the mind, brian biochemistry, tissues, glands, and organs, leading to a fundamental understanding of how these all interact and react to the patient’s environment in health and illness
• understand the interactions between mental illness and other medical problems; have experience in prescribing psychiatric medications