Psychiatrist in 1808: The word psychiatry is coined

How long does it take to become a psychiatrist? Most countries require roughly eleven to thirteen years past secondary school: four to six years of medical school, then four or more years of psychiatry residency. The United States adds a separate four-year undergraduate degree before medical school even starts; the United Kingdom and much of Europe admit students directly into medicine at eighteen, shortening the total by a few years.

What is the difference between a psychiatrist and a therapist? "Therapist" is an umbrella term covering psychologists, licensed counselors, social workers and marriage-and-family therapists, most of whom deliver talk therapy without a medical degree or prescribing authority. A psychiatrist is a licensed physician who can also prescribe medication, order medical tests to rule out physical causes of symptoms, and manage the most severe or medically complex psychiatric cases.

It varies by country and setting. Psychiatrists in the United States earn a mean annual wage of roughly $257,000 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023); NHS consultant psychiatrists in England sit on the same national scale as other consultants, about £93,666 to £126,281; salaried Facharzt psychiatrists in Germany typically earn €90,000 to €110,000. Psychiatrists in lower-income countries often earn far less.