Psychiatrists and Psychologists

Ever since I decided to go to graduate school to study psychology, I have been asked what is the difference between a psychiatrist and a psychologist. “Which are you again?” and “What is the difference?” are common questions. The answer is, I am a psychologist and the differences lie in both our training and our practice. The letters behind a psychologists name are PhD (doctor of philosophy of psychology) or PsyD (doctor of psychology) while the letters behind a psychiatrists name are MD (medical doctor). But what does that mean in the every day world?
 
Psychologists attend graduate school to study primarily psychology and are trained in the practices of therapy and psychological testing (link to what is testing). Another common question is, “Can you prescribe medication?” The answer is no, I received basic training in medication so that I understand the biology behind different diagnoses and how medication can play a role, but this is not my area of expertise. I refer to psychiatrists for that.
 
Psychiatrists, on the other hand, attend medical school and are trained in the practices of therapy and medication management. They are experts in the biology behind the diagnoses as well as the medication treatment for them. They are also often trained to understand the basics of psychological testing but do not perform it; rather they refer to psychologists for this service. Both of us are trained in and provide therapy services to our clients, though our training can be somewhat different.
 
Together, psychologists and psychiatrists can make a great team for individuals providing psychological testing by the psychologist to ensure accurate diagnosis and detailed understanding of the issue, therapy provided by either the psychologist or the psychiatrist, and medication management provided by the psychiatrist. I often work closely with psychiatrists to ensure my clients have the best treatment they can receive so that the providers they are working with are well-informed and are working together on each goal for them.