Psychiatry Physicians: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of psychiatry physicians about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for psychiatry physicians to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of psychiatry physicians expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for psychiatry physicians.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Psychiatry Physicians?
Do psychiatry physicians need a degree? What kind of experience do psychiatry physicians typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for psychiatry physicians to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Psychiatry Physicians
Jobs Postings for Psychiatry Physicians By Education
- No Education Listed: 42,777 (84%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 6,314 (12%)
- Master's degree: 906 (2%)
- Bachelor's degree: 741 (1%)
- High School or GED: 412 (1%)
No education was listed by most employers of psychiatry physicians. According to job data, no education was required for 84% of positions. In 12% of job listings a ph.d. or professional degree was required and in 2% of postings a master's degree was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Psychiatry Physicians
Jobs Postings for Psychiatry Physicians By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 1,313 (28%)
- 2-3 Years: 1,930 (42%)
- 4-6 Years: 1,321 (29%)
- 7-9 Years: 44 (1%)
- 10+ Years: 27 (1%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for psychiatry physicians. In 42% of job postings for Psychiatry Physicians, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 29% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience, while 0-1 years of experience was sought in 28% of job postings for psychiatry physicians.
What Kind of Degree Do Psychiatry Physicians Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for psychiatry physicians, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 3 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective psychiatry physicians, and in 2023 a total of 150,335 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective psychiatry physicians.
Top Degree Programs for Psychiatry Physicians
Top 5 Degree Programs for Psychiatry Physicians (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 143,660 |
| Behavioral Sciences. | 4,777 |
| Pre-Medicine/Pre-Medical Studies. | 1,898 |
What Skills Do Psychiatry Physicians Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by psychiatry physicians to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for psychiatry physicians, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Psychiatry Physicians
Based on 51,013 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Psychiatry Physicians
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Psychiatry | 30,019 | 59% |
| Medication Administration | 7,121 | 14% |
| Mental Health | 7,069 | 14% |
| Treatment Planning | 5,045 | 10% |
| Behavioral Health | 4,159 | 8% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Psychiatry Physicians
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Management | 3,563 | 7% |
| Teaching | 3,430 | 7% |
| Leadership | 3,164 | 6% |
| Communication | 3,075 | 6% |
| Research | 2,680 | 5% |
Based on 51,013 job postings related to psychiatry physicians, psychiatry was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 59% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for medication administration, mental health, treatment planning, behavioral health and administrative support were also highly sought.
As for common skills, management was the most desired skill found in job postings for psychiatry physicians, followed by teaching, leadership, communication, research and scheduling.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Psychiatry | 30,019 | 59% |
| Medication Administration | 7,121 | 14% |
| Mental Health | 7,069 | 14% |
| Treatment Planning | 5,045 | 10% |
| Behavioral Health | 4,159 | 8% |
| Administrative Support | 4,100 | 8% |
| Psychology | 3,538 | 7% |
| Child And Adolescent Psychiatry | 3,437 | 7% |
| Digital Technology | 3,290 | 6% |
| Telehealth | 3,159 | 6% |
| Geriatrics | 3,096 | 6% |
| Mental Status Examination | 3,057 | 6% |
| Psychotherapy | 2,633 | 5% |
| Mental Diseases | 2,540 | 5% |
| Patient Treatment | 2,178 | 4% |
| Medical Records | 2,060 | 4% |
| Electronic Medical Record | 2,036 | 4% |
| Nursing | 1,944 | 4% |
| Primary Care | 1,913 | 4% |
| Psychiatric Care | 1,856 | 4% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Management | 3,563 | 7% |
| Teaching | 3,430 | 7% |
| Leadership | 3,164 | 6% |
| Communication | 3,075 | 6% |
| Research | 2,680 | 5% |
| Scheduling | 1,220 | 2% |
| Coordinating | 1,166 | 2% |
| English Language | 1,028 | 2% |
| Planning | 948 | 2% |
| Operations | 890 | 2% |
| Clerical Works | 859 | 2% |
| Written English | 797 | 2% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 787 | 2% |
| Spanish Language | 764 | 1% |
| Customer Service | 741 | 1% |
| Administrative Functions | 685 | 1% |
| Quality Assurance | 677 | 1% |
| Innovation | 673 | 1% |
| Writing | 664 | 1% |
| Sales | 661 | 1% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about psychiatry physicians? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for psychiatry physicians.
What do psychiatry physicians do?
How much do psychiatry physicians make?
All Occupations
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.