3 answers
Kelsey
Student
Elyria, Ohio
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I am in 10th grade and I am thinking of becoming a psychiatrist. What is the average day in the life of being a psychiatrist and what tasks are involved on a daily basis?
#psychiatrist #psychiatry #healthscience
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3 answers
Susan Delphine Delaney
Psychiatrist
30
Answers
Plano, Texas
Updated
Susan Delphine’s Answer
Almost all psychiatrists work in different ways at different times in their career.
New psychiatrists often do hospital work all day, with some on-call responsibilities.
New psychiatrists with an office practice often must work a few days a week in public psychiatry (indigent work for an agency) until their practice builds up.
I am semi-retired and working three days a week. Due to the pandemic, I am doing tele-psychiatry exclusively. I am thinking of moving my tele-psychiatry practice to my home when my lease expires in a year.
New psychiatrists often do hospital work all day, with some on-call responsibilities.
New psychiatrists with an office practice often must work a few days a week in public psychiatry (indigent work for an agency) until their practice builds up.
I am semi-retired and working three days a week. Due to the pandemic, I am doing tele-psychiatry exclusively. I am thinking of moving my tele-psychiatry practice to my home when my lease expires in a year.
Ryan Smith
Child Psychiatrist
2
Answers
Corpus Christi, Texas
Updated
Ryan’s Answer
I agree with Dr. Delaney. A big distinction is between inpatient (in the hospital) and outpatient work (when patients come for appointments at a clinic). Sometimes psychiatrists will treat patients at a hospital in the morning and then see patients in a clinic in the afternoon.
As you might imagine, a psychiatrist treats things like depression and anxiety along with substance use disorders, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia along with other illnesses that are listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), which is the manual that is used to make a diagnosis.
Psychiatrists usually stick to managing medications so clinic appointments are pretty short, around 15 minutes for an established patient and between 30 minutes to an hour for a new patient. In a typical day, a psychiatrist see around 15-20 patients usually in the outpatient clinic. In the hospital, it is usually around 5-10 patients.
Tasks that are needed on a daily basis are documenting appointments usually in an electronic medical record so typing and computer skills are required a lot. In order to manage medications well, training in medical school and residency is required as well as ongoing education to stay current on new medications that come out.
I find it satisfying to apply scientific knowledge to help people who are in need of treatment and improve their daily lives. Each patient is different so there is a lot of variety even within a particular diagnosis and it requires the ability to use good judgement to help them in the best way.
As you might imagine, a psychiatrist treats things like depression and anxiety along with substance use disorders, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia along with other illnesses that are listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), which is the manual that is used to make a diagnosis.
Psychiatrists usually stick to managing medications so clinic appointments are pretty short, around 15 minutes for an established patient and between 30 minutes to an hour for a new patient. In a typical day, a psychiatrist see around 15-20 patients usually in the outpatient clinic. In the hospital, it is usually around 5-10 patients.
Tasks that are needed on a daily basis are documenting appointments usually in an electronic medical record so typing and computer skills are required a lot. In order to manage medications well, training in medical school and residency is required as well as ongoing education to stay current on new medications that come out.
I find it satisfying to apply scientific knowledge to help people who are in need of treatment and improve their daily lives. Each patient is different so there is a lot of variety even within a particular diagnosis and it requires the ability to use good judgement to help them in the best way.
James Constantine Frangos
Consultant Dietitian & Software Developer since 1972 => Nutrition Education => Health & Longevity.
3509
Answers
Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Updated
James Constantine’s Answer
Hi Kelsey,
Unveiling the Daily Routine of a Psychiatrist
The day-to-day life of a psychiatrist can be diverse, influenced by their specific work environment, which could be a hospital, clinic, private practice, or telepsychiatry. Here's a comprehensive snapshot of the potential daily activities and tasks for a psychiatrist:
1. Patient Consultations: A significant part of a psychiatrist's day is spent in patient appointments, assessing, diagnosing, and treating a variety of mental health conditions. These consultations can vary from quick medication management meetings to more extended therapy sessions.
2. Medication Supervision: A crucial role of a psychiatrist is to manage their patients' medications. This includes prescribing, adjusting doses, monitoring side effects, and ensuring the effectiveness of the medication regimen.
3. Psychotherapy: Some psychiatrists offer psychotherapy or counseling services to their patients. This could encompass individual therapy sessions, group therapy, or family therapy, tailored to the patient’s requirements.
4. Record Keeping: Psychiatrists are obligated to keep comprehensive records of each patient interaction. This involves documenting the patient’s history, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment plan, and progress notes in electronic medical records.
5. Professional Consultations: Psychiatrists often collaborate with other healthcare professionals like primary care physicians, psychologists, or social workers to deliver coordinated care for their patients.
6. Lifelong Learning: Keeping up-to-date with the latest research, treatments, and medications in psychiatry is crucial. Psychiatrists frequently participate in ongoing education via conferences, workshops, and self-study to augment their knowledge and skills.
7. Administrative Duties: Beyond clinical tasks, psychiatrists may also handle administrative responsibilities such as managing billing and insurance claims, responding to patient emails or phone calls, and coordinating referrals to other specialists.
8. On-Call Duties: Depending on their work setting, psychiatrists might have on-call responsibilities where they are ready to handle urgent mental health crises or emergencies outside of regular office hours.
In summary, the role of a psychiatrist is a blend of clinical work with patients, medication management, therapy sessions, documentation, collaboration with other healthcare professionals, and continuous learning to deliver top-notch care for individuals grappling with mental health issues.
Top 3 Credible Sources Referenced in this Response:
American Psychiatric Association (APA): The APA offers guidelines and resources on psychiatry practice, including care standards and professional tools for psychiatrists.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): NIMH is a premier research institution providing valuable insights into mental health disorders and treatment methodologies.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS): The BLS offers data on job outlooks and descriptions for various professions, including psychiatry.
Stay Blessed!
James Constantine Frangos.
Unveiling the Daily Routine of a Psychiatrist
The day-to-day life of a psychiatrist can be diverse, influenced by their specific work environment, which could be a hospital, clinic, private practice, or telepsychiatry. Here's a comprehensive snapshot of the potential daily activities and tasks for a psychiatrist:
1. Patient Consultations: A significant part of a psychiatrist's day is spent in patient appointments, assessing, diagnosing, and treating a variety of mental health conditions. These consultations can vary from quick medication management meetings to more extended therapy sessions.
2. Medication Supervision: A crucial role of a psychiatrist is to manage their patients' medications. This includes prescribing, adjusting doses, monitoring side effects, and ensuring the effectiveness of the medication regimen.
3. Psychotherapy: Some psychiatrists offer psychotherapy or counseling services to their patients. This could encompass individual therapy sessions, group therapy, or family therapy, tailored to the patient’s requirements.
4. Record Keeping: Psychiatrists are obligated to keep comprehensive records of each patient interaction. This involves documenting the patient’s history, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment plan, and progress notes in electronic medical records.
5. Professional Consultations: Psychiatrists often collaborate with other healthcare professionals like primary care physicians, psychologists, or social workers to deliver coordinated care for their patients.
6. Lifelong Learning: Keeping up-to-date with the latest research, treatments, and medications in psychiatry is crucial. Psychiatrists frequently participate in ongoing education via conferences, workshops, and self-study to augment their knowledge and skills.
7. Administrative Duties: Beyond clinical tasks, psychiatrists may also handle administrative responsibilities such as managing billing and insurance claims, responding to patient emails or phone calls, and coordinating referrals to other specialists.
8. On-Call Duties: Depending on their work setting, psychiatrists might have on-call responsibilities where they are ready to handle urgent mental health crises or emergencies outside of regular office hours.
In summary, the role of a psychiatrist is a blend of clinical work with patients, medication management, therapy sessions, documentation, collaboration with other healthcare professionals, and continuous learning to deliver top-notch care for individuals grappling with mental health issues.
Top 3 Credible Sources Referenced in this Response:
American Psychiatric Association (APA): The APA offers guidelines and resources on psychiatry practice, including care standards and professional tools for psychiatrists.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): NIMH is a premier research institution providing valuable insights into mental health disorders and treatment methodologies.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS): The BLS offers data on job outlooks and descriptions for various professions, including psychiatry.
Stay Blessed!
James Constantine Frangos.