Within the field of psychology, there are so many different specialties and fields that people go into. There are psychiatrists, psychoanalysts, and psychologists who all have psychological interests and careers but do different activities on a daily basis and have been through different training. There are also clinical psychologists and counseling psychologists who do very different things at work compared to one another. Psychology is a wide field with many opportunities in today's society.
"Psychiatrists give patients drugs, not hugs, " says psychologist Shannon Odell of the Mayo Clinic. (1) Psychiatrists are physicians who specialize in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental health and emotional issues. A Psychiatrist is the health professional who distinguishes between physical or psychological causes to either physical or psychological issues. (2) Psychiatrists must go to medical school with very few choices allowed for them. They must take biochemistry, chemistry, and physiology along with others such as psychiatry courses, neuroscience, and behavioral studies. After graduating from medical school, psychiatrists must spend a minimum of three years in residency. Once they have finished their 3 or more years of residency then they must take the ACGME (American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology) exam and if they pass, they become board certified psychiatrists and can have their own practice, work in a hospital, be part of a clinic, work at a nursing home, prison, or even a school or university. There is such a shortage of psychiatrists in our society that they have many, many options and can choose whichever fits their personal plan in the best way. On average, the annual salary of a psychiatrist is approximately $165,000. Psychiatry is a field that is in demand and always will be, it would be a great profession to go into. .
Psychoanalysts have what some might call a "double identity.