A Career in Psychiatry
Mental illness is extremely common - far more
prevalent than most people realise. Research suggests that 1 person
in 4 will experience some kind of mental health problem in the
course of a year1. This kind of illness therefore ranks
alongside cardiovascular disorders and cancer as one of the
nation's biggest health problems. Mental health problems can take
many forms including depression, schizophrenia, eating disorders,
anxieties, phobias, drug and alcohol abuse, post-traumatic stress
disorder, and dementia.
Many of us may already have experience of
mental health problems; we may have a relative, friend or partner
suffering from depression, or who has had to deal with the effects
of bereavement, marital difficulties, misuse of drugs or alcohol,
or take responsibility for old people suffering from memory loss,
or children with painful emotional problems. These are issues which
could affect any one of us.
1. The Mental Health Foundation - data
derived from Goldberg, D. and Huxley, P. 'Mental illness in the
Community.' 1980. Also Goldberg, D. 'Filters to care', in
'Indicators for Mental Health in the population.', Jenkins, R. and
Griffiths, S, (ed.) The Stationary Office 1991
Why should I train to be a
psychiatrist?
Doctors interested in treating psychiatric
disorder are attracted to the profession for a number of
reasons:
- It is innovative, exciting and rewarding
- UK training schemes for would-be psychiatrists are some of the
most high-quality and well-structured on offer
- Working conditions are flexible, with many opportunities for
part-time working, making it attractive to women and doctors with
families
Many of us already have experience of mental health
problems
Career prospects are excellent with a good choice of
consultant posts on offer. There is enormous variety within
psychiatry. You could be treating people suffering from numerous
mental health problems including:
- schizophrenia
- mania
- depression
- learning disabilities
- alcoholism or drug addiction
- eating disorders
- phobias, such as fear of heights or open spaces
- post-traumatic stress disorder
- anxiety
- personality disorders
or helping patients to cope with:
- marital or family problems
- bereavement
- memory impairment
- Alzheimer's Disease
- the mental health problems of children and teenagers
- criminal proceedings and Court appearances
If you are someone with good 'people' skills and would like to
develop these further helping a wide variety of people with their
problems and concerns, psychiatry offers a challenging and
stimulating career.
Psychiatry offers the opportunity to work closely in a
multi-disciplinary team with a variety of other healthcare
professionals such as community psychiatric nurses, social workers,
psychologists, psychotherapists and occupational therapists.
You can work in a range of different settings, including
hospitals, the community, schools, special units, residential homes
and even prisons.
How to become a psychiatrist
-
Medical degree (usually 5
years): All psychiatrists are qualified doctors, so first
you must gain a place at a medical school. Medical school
provides students with exposure to the different specialties within
medicine. You will find general information and advice on becoming
a doctor, as well as a list of medical schools, on the British
Medical Association website.
-
Foundation training (2
years): After medical school you will spend 2 years
working in a hospital as a ‘foundation programme trainee.’ This
will extend the knowledge and skills you have gained as a medical
student.
-
Specialty training (usually 6
years): On completion of your foundation programme you
will undertake six years of specialty training; three year
core training programme (CT1-CT3) and three years in a
higher training programme (ST4-ST6):
- During core training, trainees gain experience in the different
areas of psychiatric practice through four to six month training
posts.
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- During higher training, three 12 month posts are
generally undertaken which reflect the specialty chosen by the
trainee. The six specialties are as follows:
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Is Psychiatry right for me?
Have a go at our ‘Try
being a Psychiatrist’ quiz!
What if I already have a degree?
You will still need to apply for medical
school even if you already have a degree in another subject. A
number of medical schools however offer graduate-entry programmes
to candidates who already have degrees – usually, but certainly not
exclusively, in scientific subjects. These courses are shorter
(usually 4 years) than the traditional 5 years. For more
information please speak with the medical school you are
considering applying to.
Alternative Careers
If you would prefer to get information on
other careers in professions related to mental health, that do not
involve having a medical degree (such as psychology and
counselling), please visit the following: