

Although a psychologist is not a medical doctor, five to seven years of training and supervised clinical practice is required after earning a bachelor's degree. Psychologists help people with a variety of mental, emotional and behavioral issues, including depression and anxiety, grief, anger management, addiction and problems with relationships.

In the second, third and fourth years, they devote themselves to the diagnosis and treatment of mental health, working with inpatients and outpatients in clinics, hospitals and emergency rooms. In the first year, residents work with patients with a range of medical conditions. They typically treat patients by using a combination of psychotherapy and prescription medications.īecoming a psychiatrist requires four years of residency training. Psychiatrists deal with mental, emotional and behavioral disorders such as depression, anxiety, psychoses and addiction. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who diagnoses and treats the brain through the psychological perspective. Neurologists and neurosurgeons treat physiological conditions, meaning the physical functioning and mechanisms of the brain and its related systems. Some doctors will undertake additional specialty training in the form of a fellowship so they can focus intensely on one area of the body, such as the spine. After medical school, they must complete a one-year internship and then spend five to seven years in residency. Neurosurgeons have the longest required training period of any medical specialty. They perform brain surgery but may also operate on herniated discs and pinched nerves that cause pain in other parts of the body, including the legs and back. Neurosurgeons are medical doctors who provide both nonsurgical and surgical treatment of conditions, diseases and injuries to the brain, neck, spinal cord and central nervous system. If they determine surgery is necessary to the course of treatment, they will refer the patient to a neurosurgeon. Some neurologists choose a longer residency in order to study a subspecialty. They may specialize in treating children, in athletes who suffer sports injuries or in treating older adults.Ī neurology residency usually requires three years after the internship year. Many neurologists specialize in one area, such as movement disorders or conditions related to dementia. Neurologists specialize in disorders such as cerebrovascular disease, or stroke, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, sleep disorders and chronic headache. What Is a Neurologist?Ī neurologist is a medical doctor who diagnoses and treats diseases of the brain, spinal cord and central nervous system. Board certification demonstrates to patients and employers that a physician has achieved a high level of education and experience and is up-to-date on the latest research in the field. Board certification in the specialty area is not required, but is highly desirable. All physicians must be licensed in the state where they will practice. A residency can require three years or more, depending on the requirements for practice and the physician's area of interest. degree (doctor of medicine or doctor of osteopathy), the new physician completes a one-year internship and then a residency in the area of specialty. These rotations through the specialties provide students with valuable learning experiences as well as with the information they need to help make decisions about their choice of specialty after graduation.Īfter completing medical school with either an M.D. The final two years of medical school consist of additional lecture and supervised clinical practice in a variety of medical specialties. They observe licensed physicians working with patients in various settings to start building the foundation for providing medical care. They learn about the medical ethics and communications related to patient care. Once in medical school, students spend the first two years participating in lecture and laboratory courses in advanced life sciences and pharmacology.
