What major do I need to be Psychiatrist?

Question

I know they need an M.D. but you do have to go to college first,so what major would be best?

Answer 1

A person applying to medical school can take any major in college that they want, as long as they do very well in it and complete the basic pre-med courses which are:

1 year regular chemistry
1 year organic chemistry
1 year physics
1 year biology
1 year Calculus
1 year English

Your eventual profession (in this case psychiatry) is determined based on the residencies you complete AFTER med school and on some of the electives you take during your third and fourth years in med school. Med school itself is a basic education in medicine and everyone gets just about the same education to get you ready for advanced training in your specialty of choice.

Business is a major that many medical schools approve of--it gives students a good background for going into practice themselves. So is English, as it enables you to speak and write clearly which is necessary for "good doctoring". Medical schools do NOT necessarily approve of all-science curriculums in college because it limits the student's diversity in education.

Check out http://www.studentdoctor.net for information and forums which include pre-med student forums.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Often people do an undergraduate degree before applying to medical school. Usually the degree has been a science degree, though that is changing somewhat today, with a greater emphasis on "bedside manner" and improving physician/patient interactions. You will obviously need biology, but if you want to do a specialty in psychiatry completing psychology courses wouldn't hurt. Most of the work you need for psychiatry will actually be done after your undergraduate degree and as part of your medical training.

Answer 3

Do the pre-med curriculum (biology or bio-chem major), but minor in psychology. You should be able to find a school with an applied psychology or clinical psych major/minor.Talk to the med school(s) that you want to go to and find out what schools they've been accepting students from recently. You'll still have to get the grades, etc. but you'll be ahead if you've graduated from a pre-med program that the med school recognizes as a good one.

Answer 4

There is generally an entire "pre-med" curriculum. And make SURE your undergraduate college is fully accredited and regularly feeds into whatever medical school you want to go to.

For example, don't go to Cal State L.A. if you want to get into Harvard. Not that there's anything wrong with my alma mater, but Boston College would probably work better ...

... and take your residency in psychiatry. Good luck, it's a lot of hard work.

Answer 5

Biology, chemistry. Your grade are extremely important, and so is the prestige of the college/university that you attend, when you apply for medical school.

Where I work, the Psychiatrists are allotted 15 minutes to monitor a persons medications, write any prescriptions and write their notes before the next patient. Assembly line medicine.

Answer 6

I'd say a science degree--biology or chemistry. If you like you could minor in psychology. The important thing is to get into medical school and get through medical school. After that, you can specialize in psychiatry by getting additional training.

Answer 7

You should probably go to college first before applying to medical school.

Biology would be a good major for someone who is trying to get into medical school.

Answer 8

Psychology...a psychiatrist is basically a psychologist who went to medical school.