Psychiatrist
Diagnose and treat mental, emotional and behavioural illnesses and disorders
Job opportunities
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Jobs in SEEK right now
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5-year projection
Salary
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Typical salary
Job satisfaction
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Job opportunities
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Jobs in SEEK right now
Salary
-
Typical salary
Job growth
-
5-year projection
Job satisfaction
-
On this page
- What's it like to be a Psychiatrist?
- How to become a Psychiatrist
- Psychiatrist courses
- Latest Psychiatrist jobs
- Top skills and experience for Psychiatrists
What's it like to be a Psychiatrist?
As a Psychiatrist you will specialise in treating a range of different mental illnesses, such as depression, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease, personality disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, eating disorders and anxiety disorders. You will be authorised to recommend treatment plans, including medications, psychotherapy techniques, advice on lifestyle changes that may be exacerbating or triggering mental illness symptoms and admitting patients to hospital.
Tasks and duties
- Talking with patients about their mental, emotional or behavioural problems in order to establish treatment plans.
- Assessing and diagnosing the mental and physical health of patients.
- Preventing and treating mental health conditions.
- Ordering laboratory tests, imaging, assessment tests and other diagnostic procedures.
- Examining the results of tests and examinations to work out the most appropriate forms of treatment.
- Prescribing and administering medication, psychotherapy or other treatment and rehabilitation programs.
- Providing expert opinion to the community, government and courts.
- Researching to improve understanding of mental health issues and to improve mental health care.
- Consulting and working with other health professionals.
How to become a Psychiatrist
Becoming a Psychiatrist requires many years of formal training. You will have to complete a medical degree and extensive postgraduate study before you can become certified in the field.
- Complete an accredited medical degree such as a Bachelor of Medical Studies / Doctor of Medicine. This typically takes 6 years of full-time study. Alternatively, if you have already completed a related undergraduate degree, complete a Doctor of Medicine. This typically takes 4 years of full-time study.
- Complete a 1-year internship before applying for registration as a Medical Practitioner with the Medical Board of Australia via the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
- Apply to the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) to undertake specialist training in psychiatry. This typically takes 5 years and includes supervised rotations in hospitals and clinics.
- On successful completion of this training, you will be admitted to the Fellowship of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (FRANZCP) and will be eligible to practise independently as a Psychiatrist.
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Latest Psychiatrist jobs on SEEK
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Skills and experience employers are looking for
Having the right skills and experience can make you an in-demand applicant. Psychiatrist employers on SEEK are looking for job seekers with expertise in the following areas.
Source: SEEK job ads and SEEK Profile data
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