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Psychiatrist
HealthcareYou're a medical doctor who specializes in the mind, which means you went through all of med school just to sit in a chair and ask people how they feel. You prescribe medication, manage complex mental health cases, and carry the emotional weight of every patient who trusts you with their darkest thoughts. The burnout rate is ironic.
Salary Range
Low
$200k
Median
$275k
High
$400k
10-Year Growth
faster than average
US Workers
37K
Education
Medical degree (MD/DO) + 4-year psychiatry residency + board certification
Environment
indoor
Tools & Technical Skills
- ▸Psychopharmacology and medication management
- ▸DSM-5 diagnostic criteria application
- ▸Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) techniques
- ▸Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) protocols
- ▸Psychiatric evaluation and risk assessment
- ▸Electronic health records (Epic, Cerner)
- ▸Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
People & Mindset Skills
- ▸Active listening
- ▸Emotional intelligence
- ▸Non-judgmental communication
- ▸Patience
- ▸Boundary setting
- ▸Cultural competency
Learn the skills
Courses and certifications to get you job-ready
Electronic health records (Epic, Cerner)
What you'll actually do
- 01Conduct psychiatric evaluations that go way deeper than 'so, how are you feeling?'
- 02Prescribe and manage psychotropic medications with side effects longer than the benefits list
- 03Navigate the ethical tightrope of involuntary holds and capacity assessments
- 04Manage a caseload of patients with complex, overlapping mental health conditions
- 05Coordinate with therapists, primary care docs, and sometimes the legal system
- 06Process your own emotional responses to hearing about human suffering all day — therapist for the therapists
Related Shifts
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