What are the differences and similarities between the jobs done by a psychologist and a psychiatrist?
A psychologist and a psychiatrist often confused as having a same meaning. While both study the brain, emotions, feelings and thoughts, there is a distinct difference between the two fields of study. The primary difference between the two fields is mainly the education requirements, the specific training, practice and salary.
If your career is to become a psychologist, you would begin your education with an undergraduate major in psychology. After earning either a bachelor of science in psychology or a bachelor of art in psychology, you would then need to attend a graduate program to ear a master degree as well as a doctorate degree in psychology. Following undergraduate classes, there is an additional five to seven years required for earning a doctorate degree. Most states require a two year internship before you are eligible for licensing or with two years of supervised practice. While earning a degree, you can also choose to specialize in a particular field of psychology which may require additional class time and/or additional state exams for licensure. A psychologist may also practise as a psychoanalyse which requires addition training to become an expert in a non-medication mental health treatment techinique know as psychoanalysis.