Psychiatrists are licensed medical doctors who diagnose, treat, and help prevent disorders of the mind. Whether one-on-one or in groups, psychiatrists work with patients who have mental, emotional, or behavioral problems. Besides a fundamental knowledge of medicine, these doctors need persistence, e ...
mpathy, and exceptional communications skills.
Much of their time is spent talking with their patients, asking questions and carefully listening to the answers. A psychiatrist is often called upon to analyze not only what's being said - but what's not being said.
Some mental health problems are caused by chemical imbalances that can be treated with medication. As a licensed physician, a psychiatrist can prescribe drugs. They also order lab or diagnostic tests and confer with other medical professionals. In addition to college, years of medical school and advanced training are required. There is a shortage of psychiatrists in this country, so career prospects are excellent in this diverse field.
Psychiatrists find work in hospitals and clinics. Many teach or conduct research. Others are self-employed, managing a private practice. Though not physically demanding, this line of work can be emotionally draining. Patients often share deep fears and feelings of anguish, looking to the psychiatrist to help them find a solution to their problems.
SNAPSHOT
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Physicians who diagnose, treat, and help prevent disorders of the mind.
Leadership
HIGH
Critical decision making
HIGH
Level of responsibilities
LOW
Job challenge and pressure to meet deadlines
HIGH
Dealing and handling conflict
HIGH
Competition for this position
MED
Communication with others
HIGH
Work closely with team members, clients etc.
HIGH
Comfort of the work setting
HIGH
Exposure to extreme environmental conditions
LOW
Exposure to job hazards
LOW
Physical demands
LOW
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DAILY TASKS
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Serve on committees to promote or maintain community mental health services or delivery systems.
Prepare and submit case reports or summaries to government or mental health agencies.
Counsel outpatients or other patients during office visits.
Teach, take continuing education classes, attend conferences or seminars, or conduct research and publish findings to increase understanding of mental, emotional, or behavioral states or disorders.
Design individualized care plans, using a variety of treatments.
Review and evaluate treatment procedures and outcomes of other psychiatrists or medical professionals.
Advise or inform guardians, relatives, or significant others of patients' conditions or treatment.
Examine or conduct laboratory or diagnostic tests on patients to provide information on general physical condition or mental disorder.
Gather and maintain patient information and records, including social or medical history obtained from patients, relatives, or other professionals.
Prescribe, direct, or administer psychotherapeutic treatments or medications to treat mental, emotional, or behavioral disorders.
Analyze and evaluate patient data or test findings to diagnose nature or extent of mental disorder.
MAIN ACTIVITIES
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Assisting and Caring for Others
Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Getting Information
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Documenting/Recording Information
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People
Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
AREAS OF KNOWLEDGE
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Therapy and Counseling
Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
Medicine and Dentistry
Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Psychology
Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Biology
Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Sociology and Anthropology
Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
Law and Government
Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
KEY ABILITIES
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Oral Comprehension
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Written Comprehension
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Written Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Problem Sensitivity
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Deductive Reasoning
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Speech Recognition
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Inductive Reasoning
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
TOP SKILLS
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Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
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