<p>The only required degree to become a psychiatrist is a doctoral degree (M.D.). Using your example, yes those people could train to become psychiatrists.</p>

<p>After passing the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and going through med school, most students undergo a psychiatric residency (aka. clerkship) where they are trained in different medical centers (hospitals, health clinics, psychiatric wards, etc.). This allows the prospective psychiatrist to gain "real world" experience. After a psychiatric residency, psychiatrists must then take an exam issued by the <a href="http://www.abpn.com/" rel="nofollow">American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology</a>. If they pass this exam they are certified and can then legally practice as a psychiatrist.</p>

<p><strong>Source:</strong>  <a href="http://study.com/articles/Psychiatrist_Educational_Requirements_for_Psychiatrists.html" rel="nofollow">http://study.com/articles/Psychiatrist_Educational_Requirements_for_Psychiatrists.html</a></p>

<p>Edit: Med school teaches you theoretical psychiatric knowledge whereas the clerkship will teach you how to apply it. The clerkship could also train you in specialty fields. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-02T18:57:19.387Z
Thanks for your answer Harris, but before one undergoes clerkship, does one have psychiatric knowledge in the med school necessarily?
BCLC
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-02T23:23:53.143Z
@JackBauer Med school teaches you theoretical psychiatric knowledge whereas the clerkship will teach you how to apply it. The clerkship could also train you in specialty fields.
HarrisR
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-03T02:58:33.307Z
Include in answer?
BCLC
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-12-27T05:12:07.133Z
2016-01-04T03:54:14.440Z
2016-01-04T03:54:14.440Z
HarrisR
<p>Most pre-medical students take psychology, biology, chemistry or something science-related, in addition to the classes needed as prerequisites for medical school, for their undergraduate degree or even for a master's, but is there any particular degree besides an MD that someone who wants to be a psychiatrist needs to take?</p>

<p>For example, is a business, philosophy, english or political science major who has taken the required classes of medical school who later finishes medical school eligible to train to become a psychiatrist? I'm curious as to how such a person would get the psychology-related training and knowledge. Is it in the training after medical school? Is it related to medical school electives?</p>

<cognitive-psychology><psychiatry><medication>
Do psychiatrists have educational requirements other than an MD?
BCLC
# Do psychiatrists have educational requirements other than an MD?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-12-27)

Most pre-medical students take psychology, biology, chemistry or something science-related, in addition to the classes needed as prerequisites for medical school, for their undergraduate degree or even for a master's, but is there any particular degree besides an MD that someone who wants to be a psychiatrist needs to take?

For example, is a business, philosophy, english or political science major who has taken the required classes of medical school who later finishes medical school eligible to train to become a psychiatrist? I'm curious as to how such a person would get the psychology-related training and knowledge. Is it in the training after medical school? Is it related to medical school electives?

**Tags:** cognitive-psychology, psychiatry, medication


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2015-12-27. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

The only required degree to become a psychiatrist is a doctoral degree (M.D.). Using your example, yes those people could train to become psychiatrists.

After passing the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and going through med school, most students undergo a psychiatric residency (aka. clerkship) where they are trained in different medical centers (hospitals, health clinics, psychiatric wards, etc.). This allows the prospective psychiatrist to gain "real world" experience. After a psychiatric residency, psychiatrists must then take an exam issued by the [American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology](http://www.abpn.com/). If they pass this exam they are certified and can then legally practice as a psychiatrist.

**Source:** <http://study.com/articles/Psychiatrist_Educational_Requirements_for_Psychiatrists.html>

Edit: Med school teaches you theoretical psychiatric knowledge whereas the clerkship will teach you how to apply it. The clerkship could also train you in specialty fields.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks for your answer Harris, but before one undergoes clerkship, does one have psychiatric knowledge in the med school necessarily?  
> **username_1**: @JackBauer Med school teaches you theoretical psychiatric knowledge whereas the clerkship will teach you how to apply it. The clerkship could also train you in specialty fields.  
> **username_0**: Include in answer?  

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