Relationship Between Psychology and Psychiatry

Perhaps the question most often asked of a psychology instructor is. "What is the difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist')" Although there are many similmities. there are numerous differences as well. A psychiatrist has completed medical school and has ob­he M.D. (doctor of medicine) degree. usually has done an internship in general medicine and has completed residency training in psychiatry. Although some psychiatrists are researchers, most are practitioners in clinics who see patients with emotional or be­problems. Because of their medical training. psychiatrists are licensed to prescribe
drugs and use other medical treatments.
A psychologist has been trained in psychology but has not attended medical school. Psychology is a much broader field than psychiatry and contains many different specialty areas. The specialty within psychology that is most similar to psychiatry is clinical psy­chology. Clinical psychologists have attended graduate school in psychology, have ob­tained the degree of Ph.D. (doctor of philosophy) or psy.D. (doctor of psychology), and have completed an internship in clinical psychology. Because they do not have medical training, they do not prescribe drugs or other medical treatments. On the other hand, a de­bate is currently going on among psychologists on a proposal to provide psychologists with enough additional training to allow them to prescribe psychiatric medications.
In addition to these professions, people with psychological problems often also seek help from clinical social workers, counselors, and other individuals. It is worth noting, however, that, although nearly every state regulates the practice of clinical psychology, psychiatry, and clinical social work, most states do not regulate other helping professions. That means that persons with no training in psychology or any related field can advertise themselves as a "counselor" or "therapist" in many states. It's good advice, then, to ask about the training and professional background of anyone who is not licensed in her or his profession by the state.