Is Psychology Needed When We Have Psychiatry?

Question

I am a psychology major and would like to become a doctor of clinical psychology, so i figured that trying to work out any issues i have with the field, may be a healthy process.

So, if we have a field of medicine which can treat, quite well, many of the most severe psychological disorders, do we need psychology?

****. i posted this in the wrong section. oh well, answer away, i will ask the people in the psychology section too.

Answer 1

Psychologists are still needed even though there are many prescription medications available to help with mental disorders.

Many disorders respond best to therapy & medication.

Psychologists can also work w/ companies to create a better work place. (Industrial Psychology) Another field is Forensic Psychology.

Lists of other fields:
http://www.auburn.edu/psychology/ug/major/fields.htm
http://maxweber.hunter.cuny.edu/~bseegmil/hdbk/fields.htm
http://www.jobbank-ja.com/downloads/fieldsofpsychology.asp

Answer 2

Yes, the two work in tandem. The psychiatrist is a fully licensed medical doctor or d.o. who prescribes the medication and monitors its effects. But the drugs are to be used as palliatives, not cures, whenever possible--the antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs lose effect over the long term. Therefore the patient requires psychological counseling to effect attitude and lifestyle changes for the long term.

The team is also more cost effective. It takes a full regimen of med school, internship, psychiatric speciality courses and more internships--and so commands top salary; by contrast, one can become a licensed professional counselor with a master's degree. Ergo, the highest salaried professional does the part of treatment that takes less time and permits seeing more patients, the lower-cost professional does the hour-long weekly sessions for 18 months.