M.D vs Psy.D

[lilmacstew]

Hey everyone,
Lets think about this. I have wanted to go to medical school to become a psychiatrist. I have known since I was little little that I wanted to become some sort of a therapist. Here is the situation. I know that as a Psychiatrist, you are able to write prescriptions, and such and as a Psychologist you can't. However is that really the only difference. I have contemplated either going to medical school and getting my M.D then going into Psychiatry. Or getting my masters in Clinical Psyhology and then going on to get my Psy.D so I would have a Doctrate in Psychology. Now I know that the pay is much different. Even with a Psy.D you only make about 55,000. However if money was the issure obviously I would choose medical school. However I only long to help people Psychologically.
The reason that I have to make this decision is because my hubby is planning on going to med school in 2005. At that point I would have my masters and could help put him through and cut back on the number loans. We also have 2 children. So that wouuld keep us from being seperated.
What do you guys think? What are the differences, besides the obvious one. You still have the presitige I suppose, in the fact that you still have the title Dr. People keep telling me to get my BS and then don't worry. Your hubby wants to go into Orthopedic sugery, you won't have to work. However, I hate staying at home!!! I have 2 kids, but that doesn't mean that I can't work or have a life!! Right??!!!!
Also on that topic, how competitive is the Ortho field? How long is the residency? What kind of Salary are you looking at?
Thank you all!!!

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[geldrop]

Private clinical psychologists make more than 55k a year guaranteed.

 

[Febrifuge]

It's largely a matter of where you are.

The best way to decide would be to contact whatever board, agency, committee, or body issues licensures in your state for therapist/ counsellor/ licensed psychologist. Even the titles can be a little different from place to place, so I'm sorry to be vague.

As you already know, one difference is that since a psychiatrist is an MD (or DO) with advanced training in mental health areas, psychiatrists are licensed to prescribe drugs. Most Psy.D.'s are not. Also, there's often a philosophical difference that goes with that; it's a really broad generalization, but the Psy.D. perspective usually tends to be more oriented toward a cognitive or behavioral model, rather than a neuropsych one. Psychiatry has many branches, but since they are docs who can administer drugs, they often do.

Bottom line, try to get as clear a picture as you can of exactly what sort of work you want to do, the settings in which you'd like to do it, and the approach you feel you'd administer best. Then talk to all kinds of people working in those fields and settings, and check with your state (or the state where you want to practce) to find out exactly what requirements there are for people who do that work.

In Minnesota, where I live, I know of a few really excellent counsellors who have MSW (Master's in Social Work) degrees. I know Psy.D.'s and Master's-level psychologists. And I know psychiatrists. Some sorts of counseling, any of the above would be great. Other things, you really do need one or the other.

If you want to work with marriage and family issues, that's one thing. If it's trauma therapy, that's another. If it's Freudian psychoanalysis, that's another. So step one is to make yourself a sketch of where the destination might be; that'll help you pick a road. Good luck!

 

[lilmacstew]

I am very interested in trauma, and very interested in children. I was a victim myself of a great amount of child abuse, and am very interested in working in that field because I feel as if I could greatly contribute. I am also interested in family and marriage. Really I am just very interested in everything. However I am not really interested in the neuro part of it, more of the theraputic portion. What do you think?

 

[Firebird]

Our school just started offering a Psy.D. What is the difference between a Psy.D. and an Ph.D. in Psychology???

 

[lilmacstew]

I would also like to find this out. I read somewhere that the Psy.D is just now becoming more widely accepted, and although the Ph.D is still more common, that the Psy.D is catching up!

 

[FutureM.D.]

from what i have been told, a Psy.D. is more clinically based. A PH.D on the other hand, is more research based. there are probably ppl here that could give you more info, but this is a good start.🙂

 

[FutureM.D.]

i would like to include that I am also facing this decision. I'm unsure of whether i would like to go into medicine, or clinical psych. I'm only a sophmore in college though, so i have lots of time to decide for sure.😎

 

[skypilot]

From what I have heard from psychiatrists and patients, the psychiatrist mainly just handles the adjustments to the medications while the psychologist does all the counseling and case management.

Psychiatrists have lost some of the scope of practice they used to have in an attempt to save money by transferring some of the workload to the lower cost psychologist.

So if you are mainly interested in medicine and its effects on the human mind then go psychiatry.

 

[geldrop]

Just from personal experience I much prefer speaking with a clinical psychologist over a psychiatrist. It bothers me that psychiatrists are so eager to prescribe medication.

In addition, I think being a good psychologist or psychiatrist has very little to do with study ability which doctors have to have and a lot to do with being a people person and having a lot of understanding.

 

[loomis]

future md is right,
psyd is more a clinically based degree....focus is on getting patient skiills. a phd entails a lot more focus on research; you normally carry out a large dissertation before starting you intern year (1 year of clinical psych training before graduating).

another thing to watch for is that different programs have different flavors....for example, most programs have a focus on cognitive behavioral therapy, but there are still some programs that put a greater emphasis on psychodynamic.
hope that helps!

 

[bella_dottoressa]

A Psy.D. is for those who just want to practice psychology, treat paitents, etc. who don't have an interest in performing research. On the mental health hierarchy or totem pole it's considered lower than a Ph.D.

 

[jojomo]

I am currently in a clinical psychology PhD program and will be starting an MD program in the fall. I would strongly suggest that you look into PhD programs before PsyD programs because a PhD will give more options after you graduate in that you will be able to look for academic as well as clinical positions. In addition, although a PhD program will require some research, programs vary a great deal on the balance they strike between research and clinical work.

As far as choosing between psychiatry and psychology, I think as a psychologist you will have more of an opportunity to do psychotherapy (although you can do this as a psychiatrist you will aslo most likely be doing medication management). In addition, in psychology programs, you will get a much more in depth education in psychological theory and will get more experience actually doing therapy.

 

[Corn-Trollio]

MD===money and prestige. fixer of problems

PsyD ===fake MD wannebe. no money. no chicks. fixer of nothing

 

[lilmacstew]

Originally posted by Corn-Trollio
MD===money and prestige. fixer of problems

PsyD ===fake MD wannebe. no money. no chicks. fixer of nothing

I will have you no that you had no idea what you are talking about. Psychologists are not MD wannabe's. Plus I don't want a chick I am female! Second I am not in it for the money. Obviously unlike you, I want to help people. Although the money is not as good as MD's it is still comfortable.
If you are only going to say these kind of things in my thread I would appreciate it if you would go somewhere else to spread your negativity.

 

[FutureM.D.]

Mr. Corn man has some problems. 😛
Let's give him some psychotherapy!!!

 

[lilmacstew]

Originally posted by FutureM.D.
Mr. Corn man has some problems. 😛
Let's give him some psychotherapy!!!

I totally agree!!!! However I don't think that there is anything that would help him!! but I am always up for a challenge!

 

[cici]

Originally posted by Firebird
Our school just started offering a Psy.D. What is the difference between a Psy.D. and an Ph.D. in Psychology???

PsyD and PhD in clinical psychology are based on different principles or models of clinical psychology (a bit similar to that DO vs MD thing.....don't flame me cos' I only got the DO vs MD info from SDN. I'm not a physician myself). PhD in clinical psychology is based on the Boulder Scientist-Practitioner model. Graduates from PhD programs are supposed to be foremost a scientist, then a therapist. There is a lot of emphasis in combining science with the art of practice, and we're expected to do research as well as practice. As a result, we have lots of training in research methods and have to complete a Master's thesis and a PhD dissertation as part of our program requirements. Usually the emphasis on the clinical side of things will usually be the same as that on the research side of things, or for some programs, less.

PsyD, on the other hand, identifies with the Scholar-Practitioner model. Graduates were trained as effective CONSUMERS (rather than producers) of research. As a result, there's less emphasis on research, but more emphasis on the clinical stuff.

As mentioned, PhD in clinical psyc is considered the "standard" / "better" / "default" degree since the schools offering this degree are usually of better quality compared to those offering PsyD (most PhD's were offered through major universities; PsyD were mostly offered through independent schools not affiliated with major institutions).