Career as a psychiatrist

With the fast increasing cases of people suffering from the problems of anxieties, depression and suicide, the mental health condition of the common masses has turned out to be the latest grave national concern across the country. As per the latest report of the World Health Organization, depression has unfortunately grown to be a common mental disorder and more than 254 million people of all ages suffer from it.

If the latest report of the WHO is to be believed, suicide has become the second leading cause of death among the people of the age group of 15-29. This statistics reveals the consistently worsening mental health of the people in the country.

Who is a psychiatrist?

The term psychiatry has been derived from the Medieval Latin which literally means "healing of the soul." Basically, a psychiatrist is a medical doctor who is specialized in the domain of psychiatry and takes care of the mental health of the people. Psychiatrists diagnose and treat mental illnesses and psychosomatic disorders. They are specialized in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of a host of mental disorders and psychological problems.

What qualities must you have to become a psychiatrist?

The role of a psychiatry in the treatment of the people suffering from a variety of mental disorders calls for possession of high level of patience, fortitude and compassion. Besides, the aspirants must also have the following inherent qualities to make them successful psychiatrists -

♦ Excellent communication skill.

♦ High level of intelligence and perspicacity of mind.

♦ They must be introspective and inquisitive.

♦ Keen observation is the key to success for a psychiatrist and so the aspirants need to be a sharp observer.

♦ Psychiatrists must be analytical, rational, logical, intuitive, and rational in the approach to find and solve the problems.

Courses and eligibility

In the recent past, psychiatry has proved to be a very lucrative domain of professional career and that is why more of the medical professionals are adopting it as their favourite career option.

For the aspirants who aspire to make psychiatry as a career, they must start right from the senior secondary school. They must pass the plus two examination from a recognized board with subject combination of physics, chemistry and biology. After qualifying the NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test), aspirants are eligible for taking admission to MBBS course of 5 and a half years in a medical college.

After the completion of graduate in MBBS course, the candidates have the option to do Doctor of Medicine (MD) in psychiatry or Diploma in psychiatric medicine (DPM).

The MD course in psychiatry takes 3 years while Diploam in Psychiatric medicine course is completed in 2 years.

The aspirants can also pursue the career as a psychiatrist through a third option. The National Board of Examinations conducts a programme known as Diploma of National Board Examinations (DNB) which is considered as equivalent to the MD in psychiatry. At present, the Diploma of National Board Examinations conducts postgraduate and postdoctoral examinations in 54 disciplines. The complete course of the psychiatry also involves practical training and internship at various mental and research hospitals.

Top institutes for the study of psychiatry

Following are some of the important institutes for pursuing the psychiatry course-

♦ All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi

♦ Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh

♦ National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore

♦ Central Institute of Psychiatry, Ranchi

♦ Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu

♦ Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi

♦ All India Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Mumbai

♦ Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh

♦ Dr Vidyasagar Institute of Mental Health, Amritsar

How much can you earn?

Like other jobs, the salaries and pay packages of a psychiatrist vary from organization to organization. While in the government sector, they are paid on a par with the prescribed basic pay with the payment of regular allowances, the private sector makes payment to them on the basis of their personal qualifications and experiences.

However, the psychiatrists working as private practitioners at their own clinics can earn profusely that may go above Rupees 15 lakh to Rupees 20 lakh per annum.

Where are the employment opportunities available?

There are plenty of job opportunities available for a psychiatrist in both the public and private sector. They may work in several areas including hospitals, government offices, mental health clinics, nursing homes.