Psychiatrists are medical doctors. All psychiatrists usually begin their work with new patients by performing a standard psychiatric “intake” evaluation. This evaluation includes a thorough history of the presenting illness, past medical and psychiatric history, family history, developmental history, social history and a mental status examination. If after the evaluation the psychiatrist decides that the use of psychiatric medication is indicated, he or she will suggest a medication strategy, explain the risks and benefits of the treatment, and with the patient’s consent, prescribe medication.
If they restrict their practice to pharmacotherapy, psychiatrists will schedule follow-up visits that are usually fifteen minute “med-checks” designed to follow the patient’s response to the medication, make adjustments in dose or treatment schedule, and monitor for and correct undesirable side effects. If they feel psychotherapy is needed (with or without pharmacotherapy) and they include that treatment modality in the services they offer, they may explain why they think it will be helpful. If they don’t practice psychotherapy but nonetheless feel it is indicated, they usually know several nearby psychologists or counselors to whom they can refer their patients.
Key Benefits
- A thorough evaluation by a medical doctor gives patients confidence nothing serious is being missed, such as a medical or neurological condition that may present with psychiatric symptoms.
- The use of psychiatric medications is among the fastest and most effective methods to treat psychiatric disorders, and often enhances the effectiveness of psychotherapy and counseling.
- Psychiatrists are often consulted by other mental health professionals to assist with diagnosis and treatment planning because of their exceptionally broad training.
Capabilities
After graduating medical school, psychiatrists undergo post-graduate training in a psychiatric residency program. This training program conveys expertise in the neurologic functioning of the brain and the psychological functioning of the mind. Psychiatrists recognize that the physical brain is the organ responsible for both conscious and unconscious thinking, feeling, and behavior. They also recognize that the information contained within the neural networks of the brain is affected by biological, psychological, and social forces. Many health insurance plans require psychiatric medications to be prescribed by a psychiatrist in order to ensure that they are prescribed competently. Board Certified Psychiatrists have demonstrated proficiency in their field by passing both written and oral nationally standardized examinations.
Broad Training
Psychiatrists are trained to evaluate patients from a “biopsychosocial” perspective. This means that they take into consideration co-morbid medical problems, genetic predispositions, both naturally occurring and substance-related biochemical processes in the brain, both early-life and current psychological processes in the mind, and both familial and cultural social forces that may contribute to the development of psychiatric symptoms. No other medical specialists have this type of training.
Complete Diagnosis
A thorough psychiatric evaluation leads to a “multi-axial” diagnosis that addresses each of the major contributing influences on the current problem(s). This helps ensure that subtle forces that contribute to the problem are not overlooked. Psychiatrists also have rich clinical experience treating the major mental illnesses like Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder, and so are clearly in the best position to detect subtle cases and new cases early in their development.
Expert in Psychopharmacology
Psychiatrists also have advanced training in psychopharmacology. While many family doctors and some other physicians prescribe psychiatric medications, no other medical doctors have the same level of training and clinical experience in psychopharmacology. Psychiatrists are the “experts” in psychiatric medications.
For more information about Psychiatry, please visit the official web site of the American Psychiatric Association.