4 answers
Ella
Student
Fort Wayne, Indiana
1
Question
Updated
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Is pursuing a career as a Psychiatrist right for me?
Hello there! I am currently a junior in high school. I am very passionate about psychology and would love to become a psychiatrist in the future. I have almost all As and A pluses, including an A in my AP Psychology class. The only problem is, I struggle in math and currently have a C- in my Trigonometry class. I am one class advanced from the average Junior course. Is it essential for me to do well in my math classes to become a Psychiatrist? I am very creative, but math has always been more difficult for me. To those Psychiatrists or Psychologists out there, do you think I have what it takes to pursue a PhD in Psychology or should I shoot for something more attainable? Also to those Psychiatrists out there, what is your work-life balance like? Is it achievable to have quality time with your family outside of work? Thank you for your time!
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4 answers
Charlotte Geiger
Public Health Science Student at the University of Maryland
151
Answers
Sykesville, Maryland
Updated
Charlotte’s Answer
Hi there,
It’s great that you’re thinking about this early! Becoming a psychiatrist is an admirable goal, and your passion for psychology is a strong start. Let’s break down your concerns and give you a clear picture:
1. Do You Need to Be Good at Math to Be a Psychiatrist?
Math Skills:
While math is part of the journey, it’s not the core focus of psychiatry. You’ll need basic proficiency in math and statistics, especially for the pre-med track.
In college, you’ll take courses like General Chemistry, Physics, and Statistics as part of your pre-med requirements. These involve math, but mostly algebra and basic trigonometry rather than advanced calculus.
Medical schools require some math, but they value overall academic performance and passion for patient care more than perfection in math.
The Reality:
You don’t need to be a math genius to become a psychiatrist. Many students who struggle with math still succeed by working hard and seeking support (like tutoring or study groups).
Focus on improving your current math skills rather than giving up on your dream. Colleges appreciate seeing resilience and dedication.
2. The Path to Becoming a Psychiatrist:
Step 1: Undergraduate Degree (4 years)
Major in Psychology, Biology, or another science.
Complete pre-med prerequisites (biology, chemistry, physics, math).
Maintain a high GPA and gain experience through volunteering, shadowing, or research.
Step 2: Medical School (4 years)
Earn your MD or DO degree.
Complete courses in anatomy, pharmacology, psychiatry, and clinical skills.
Step 3: Psychiatry Residency (4 years)
Hands-on training in hospitals and mental health settings.
Work with patients dealing with various mental health conditions.
Step 4: Board Certification
Pass the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) exam to practice independently.
3. Is Psychology (Ph.D. or Psy.D.) a Better Fit?
If math continues to be a major struggle, you might also consider becoming a clinical psychologist rather than a psychiatrist.
Clinical Psychologist (Ph.D. or Psy.D.):
Focuses on therapy and research, rather than prescribing medication.
Requires less math-heavy coursework compared to medical school.
Key Difference:
Psychiatrists are medical doctors who can prescribe medication.
Psychologists typically focus on therapy, counseling, and behavioral interventions.
4. Work-Life Balance as a Psychiatrist:
Private Practice:
Offers flexibility, allowing you to set your own hours.
Many psychiatrists in private practice work around 40 hours per week and can take evenings or weekends off.
Hospital Setting:
More structured hours, sometimes including nights or weekends.
Typically, you’ll work in shifts, but it can be demanding, especially early in your career.
Achieving Balance:
Many psychiatrists do achieve a good work-life balance, especially once established in their career.
Some choose to work part-time or in settings that offer more predictable hours.
5. My Advice:
Don’t Let Math Discourage You:
Math can be a hurdle, but it’s not an insurmountable one. Keep working on it, seek help, and focus on showing improvement.
Keep Exploring Psychology:
Since you’re passionate about psychology, keep learning and gaining experience in the field.
Consider Both Paths:
Keep your options open between psychiatry (MD/DO) and psychology (Ph.D./Psy.D.). You don’t have to decide right now.
Build a Support System:
Connect with teachers, mentors, or professionals who can guide you through your academic challenges and career planning.
It’s great that you’re thinking about this early! Becoming a psychiatrist is an admirable goal, and your passion for psychology is a strong start. Let’s break down your concerns and give you a clear picture:
1. Do You Need to Be Good at Math to Be a Psychiatrist?
Math Skills:
While math is part of the journey, it’s not the core focus of psychiatry. You’ll need basic proficiency in math and statistics, especially for the pre-med track.
In college, you’ll take courses like General Chemistry, Physics, and Statistics as part of your pre-med requirements. These involve math, but mostly algebra and basic trigonometry rather than advanced calculus.
Medical schools require some math, but they value overall academic performance and passion for patient care more than perfection in math.
The Reality:
You don’t need to be a math genius to become a psychiatrist. Many students who struggle with math still succeed by working hard and seeking support (like tutoring or study groups).
Focus on improving your current math skills rather than giving up on your dream. Colleges appreciate seeing resilience and dedication.
2. The Path to Becoming a Psychiatrist:
Step 1: Undergraduate Degree (4 years)
Major in Psychology, Biology, or another science.
Complete pre-med prerequisites (biology, chemistry, physics, math).
Maintain a high GPA and gain experience through volunteering, shadowing, or research.
Step 2: Medical School (4 years)
Earn your MD or DO degree.
Complete courses in anatomy, pharmacology, psychiatry, and clinical skills.
Step 3: Psychiatry Residency (4 years)
Hands-on training in hospitals and mental health settings.
Work with patients dealing with various mental health conditions.
Step 4: Board Certification
Pass the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) exam to practice independently.
3. Is Psychology (Ph.D. or Psy.D.) a Better Fit?
If math continues to be a major struggle, you might also consider becoming a clinical psychologist rather than a psychiatrist.
Clinical Psychologist (Ph.D. or Psy.D.):
Focuses on therapy and research, rather than prescribing medication.
Requires less math-heavy coursework compared to medical school.
Key Difference:
Psychiatrists are medical doctors who can prescribe medication.
Psychologists typically focus on therapy, counseling, and behavioral interventions.
4. Work-Life Balance as a Psychiatrist:
Private Practice:
Offers flexibility, allowing you to set your own hours.
Many psychiatrists in private practice work around 40 hours per week and can take evenings or weekends off.
Hospital Setting:
More structured hours, sometimes including nights or weekends.
Typically, you’ll work in shifts, but it can be demanding, especially early in your career.
Achieving Balance:
Many psychiatrists do achieve a good work-life balance, especially once established in their career.
Some choose to work part-time or in settings that offer more predictable hours.
5. My Advice:
Don’t Let Math Discourage You:
Math can be a hurdle, but it’s not an insurmountable one. Keep working on it, seek help, and focus on showing improvement.
Keep Exploring Psychology:
Since you’re passionate about psychology, keep learning and gaining experience in the field.
Consider Both Paths:
Keep your options open between psychiatry (MD/DO) and psychology (Ph.D./Psy.D.). You don’t have to decide right now.
Build a Support System:
Connect with teachers, mentors, or professionals who can guide you through your academic challenges and career planning.
Thank you so much for all the advice, thought, and time you put into this response! This helps clear things up for me, so thank you so much!
Ella
Chiquria Willis
Loan Processor - Rocket Mortgage
94
Answers
Dearborn Heights, Michigan
Updated
Chiquria’s Answer
Hello! It's wonderful that you're enthusiastic about psychology and thinking about a career as a psychiatrist. Your strong academic background and interest in this field are fantastic starting points. Here's some guidance to help you understand what pursuing psychiatry involves and how math plays a role:
Is Math Important for Becoming a Psychiatrist?
Psychiatry is a medical field focused on diagnosing and treating mental health disorders. To become a psychiatrist, you'll need to complete:
A bachelor’s degree (usually 4 years) with necessary courses (including some science and math)
Medical school (4 years)
Residency in psychiatry (typically 4 years)
While math isn't the main focus, you will need to take courses in biology, chemistry, physics, and sometimes calculus or statistics during your undergraduate years to qualify for medical school.
Many medical schools require coursework in math or statistics, but most do not require advanced math beyond that. Struggling with advanced math like trigonometry now doesn't mean you can't pursue psychiatry. You can work on improving your math skills gradually, especially in statistics, which is often used in psychology and medicine.
PhD in Psychology vs. Psychiatry:
Psychiatrist = Medical Doctor (MD) who can prescribe medication and treat mental illnesses with medical methods.
Psychologist (PhD or PsyD) = Focuses more on therapy and research but usually cannot prescribe medication (varies by state).
If you love both therapy and medicine and are okay with longer schooling, psychiatry could be a great fit. If you prefer research or counseling without as much medical school, a psychology doctorate (PhD) might be the better path.
Creativity & Skills:
Your creativity and passion are important in psychiatry and psychology. Effective communication, empathy, and problem-solving are crucial skills that go beyond math ability.
Work-Life Balance for Psychiatrists:
Psychiatry often offers more predictable hours compared to some other medical specialties.
Many psychiatrists work in outpatient settings with regular office hours, allowing for quality family time and a balanced life.
However, like any medical career, some roles may involve on-call duties or longer hours, especially early in your career.
Tips For You:
Keep up your hard work in science and math, especially statistics, as it will be useful.
Consider seeking extra help or tutoring for math classes to build confidence.
Explore volunteering or internships in mental health settings to gain real-world experience.
Reach out to professionals in psychology and psychiatry to learn more about their daily work.
You have a strong foundation, and with dedication and support, your challenges in math don’t have to hold you back. If psychiatry is your dream, focus on developing the necessary skills and stay passionate—your creativity and empathy will take you far!
Is Math Important for Becoming a Psychiatrist?
Psychiatry is a medical field focused on diagnosing and treating mental health disorders. To become a psychiatrist, you'll need to complete:
A bachelor’s degree (usually 4 years) with necessary courses (including some science and math)
Medical school (4 years)
Residency in psychiatry (typically 4 years)
While math isn't the main focus, you will need to take courses in biology, chemistry, physics, and sometimes calculus or statistics during your undergraduate years to qualify for medical school.
Many medical schools require coursework in math or statistics, but most do not require advanced math beyond that. Struggling with advanced math like trigonometry now doesn't mean you can't pursue psychiatry. You can work on improving your math skills gradually, especially in statistics, which is often used in psychology and medicine.
PhD in Psychology vs. Psychiatry:
Psychiatrist = Medical Doctor (MD) who can prescribe medication and treat mental illnesses with medical methods.
Psychologist (PhD or PsyD) = Focuses more on therapy and research but usually cannot prescribe medication (varies by state).
If you love both therapy and medicine and are okay with longer schooling, psychiatry could be a great fit. If you prefer research or counseling without as much medical school, a psychology doctorate (PhD) might be the better path.
Creativity & Skills:
Your creativity and passion are important in psychiatry and psychology. Effective communication, empathy, and problem-solving are crucial skills that go beyond math ability.
Work-Life Balance for Psychiatrists:
Psychiatry often offers more predictable hours compared to some other medical specialties.
Many psychiatrists work in outpatient settings with regular office hours, allowing for quality family time and a balanced life.
However, like any medical career, some roles may involve on-call duties or longer hours, especially early in your career.
Tips For You:
Keep up your hard work in science and math, especially statistics, as it will be useful.
Consider seeking extra help or tutoring for math classes to build confidence.
Explore volunteering or internships in mental health settings to gain real-world experience.
Reach out to professionals in psychology and psychiatry to learn more about their daily work.
You have a strong foundation, and with dedication and support, your challenges in math don’t have to hold you back. If psychiatry is your dream, focus on developing the necessary skills and stay passionate—your creativity and empathy will take you far!
Thank you so much for putting so much thought into your response! This was really helpful to me and helped clear things up for me. Thank you! :)
Ella
You are welcome! If you need anymore advice please let me know! :)
Chiquria Willis
Monica S.
Finance
45
Answers
Savannah, Georgia
Updated
Monica’s Answer
Hi Ella,
Thanks for sharing! At the end of the day you to choose what's practical for your and your life style. Sometimes, you can start with a major like (social work) and take the foundational courses (i.e. intro to psychology, intro to sociology etc...)for this major to get a feel for it.
Also depending on how your classes are structured with this major, you'll still have work/life balance. It's just all in your time management skills. I have seen some great things come from people who started a major in social work. Which has been a great starting foundation for good nurses, physicians and doctors in that field!
Take Care,
- M.S.
Thanks for sharing! At the end of the day you to choose what's practical for your and your life style. Sometimes, you can start with a major like (social work) and take the foundational courses (i.e. intro to psychology, intro to sociology etc...)for this major to get a feel for it.
Also depending on how your classes are structured with this major, you'll still have work/life balance. It's just all in your time management skills. I have seen some great things come from people who started a major in social work. Which has been a great starting foundation for good nurses, physicians and doctors in that field!
Take Care,
- M.S.
Thank you so much! This was very helpful! I will take your advice. :)
Ella
Alexander Verma
Physician - neurologist
2
Answers
Denver, Colorado
Updated
Alexander’s Answer
Hi Ella,
So first we need to clarify the difference between a psychiatrist and a clinical psychologist. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor specializing in the treatment of psychiatric illnesses. They receive a bit of education in counseling techniques and some can serve as therapists, but their primary skillset is using medications to manage their patient's symptoms. Psychiatrists go to medical school, then spend 4 years in a psychiatry residency to become an independently practicing clinician. This is a pretty tough road to go down, especially since strong math skills are required for some of the courses you need to ace in order to successfully get into medical school.
A clinical psychologist, by contrast, is someone who has done a Ph.D in psychology and has the necessary certifications to treat patients with talk therapy. They do not need to go to medical school and cannot prescribe medications. My wife is in the process of applying to PhD Psychology programs and I'm happy to report that most don't care about the GRE, which is a standardized math and reading exam taken by many college students who want to go to grad school. Very few programs even require you to take the GRE in order to apply. However you will still need to do well on the SAT or ACT in order to get into college, which requires good math skills.
I think either is attainable, but if you like psychology and helping people there is a whole wide world of professions to explore (social work, neuropsychology, law, counseling, case management, to name a few).
So first we need to clarify the difference between a psychiatrist and a clinical psychologist. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor specializing in the treatment of psychiatric illnesses. They receive a bit of education in counseling techniques and some can serve as therapists, but their primary skillset is using medications to manage their patient's symptoms. Psychiatrists go to medical school, then spend 4 years in a psychiatry residency to become an independently practicing clinician. This is a pretty tough road to go down, especially since strong math skills are required for some of the courses you need to ace in order to successfully get into medical school.
A clinical psychologist, by contrast, is someone who has done a Ph.D in psychology and has the necessary certifications to treat patients with talk therapy. They do not need to go to medical school and cannot prescribe medications. My wife is in the process of applying to PhD Psychology programs and I'm happy to report that most don't care about the GRE, which is a standardized math and reading exam taken by many college students who want to go to grad school. Very few programs even require you to take the GRE in order to apply. However you will still need to do well on the SAT or ACT in order to get into college, which requires good math skills.
I think either is attainable, but if you like psychology and helping people there is a whole wide world of professions to explore (social work, neuropsychology, law, counseling, case management, to name a few).
Thank you so much for your response! I didn't know there was that many opportunities for me. Thank you so much for your insight this really helped me! :)
Ella