What is the difference between a psychologist or psychiatrist?

Question

What is the difference between a psychologist or psychiatrist?

Answer 1

Training & treatment approach

psychiatrist is an MD that has additional training in psychology. An illness is treated by adressing the symptoms of the condition first. This is typically done via medication.

psychologist will not have the medical background but typically a much more rich theoritical background on what is causing the problem

There are clinical psychologists and those who get something known as a PsyD. The clinical (PhD has a research oriented mind and it trained in criticle thinking, The Psy D is trained in a counseling setting)

You might also consider www.ilcss.org

Answer 2

i think psychiatrists are able to prescribe medications

Answer 3

drugs.

Answer 4

A psychiatrist has a medical degree and has completed medical school (like your general doctor), and can thus prescribe medications (he is an MD). A psychologist can have either a Masters degree (~6 years of school) or a Ph.D. (between ~8-10 years of school), and usually provide counseling or do testing (like IQ testing). Ph.D. psychologist are also often university level psychology professors.

Answer 5

A psychiatrist is a medical doctor, receiving the same basic training as a regular doctor.

A psychologist only has training in psychology and does not possess a medical degree.