<p>Which seems the better profession..both do what i want to do...money doesnt matter to me a whole lot..both of them do very well in that department...every teacher, family, counselor keep telling me im better in psychiatry but i am not interested in prescribing drugs...am i being hard headed or do i have a good argument?</p>
<p>wait, arent you 14?</p>
<p>Psychology requires a PhD, psychiatry requires med school. They're very different professions.</p>
<p>if you dont want to prescribe meds, there is no reason why you should plan on med school when you will be able to do everything else as a phd psychologist. plus, med school is crazy expensive, whereas clinical psych phd programs are fully funded.
and how can you know that you are better in psychiatry???????</p>
<p>This question is plaguing me too. I'll have to decide during college. Both appeal to me. Psychiatry is generally more hands-on, individual, case-to-case whereas psychology consists of much more theory and research as well as larger picture ideas such as society. I'm actually starting to look for MD/PHD programs in psychiatry/psychology and will post up my results should I find any. I'd talk to adults who are psychiatrists and psychologists to get a better idea and if psychology is still your passion, there's nothing wrong with it.</p>
<p>That's not really an accurate depiction of the distintion between the two professions, debryc. A psychologist can be self-employed full time in private practice or work for a clinic, in which case they are always working "hands-on, individual, case-to-case," or they can work for a University and do research and teach without ever seeing an individual patient ("theory and research as well as larger picture ideas such as society"). Some do both. It really depends.</p>
<p>just out of curiosity, which one makes more $</p>
<p>a psychologist or psychiatrist who is in private practice can make around $200 an hour. the vast majority of the research scientists in this field make much less, unless you are considered THE expert in your specific area, in which case you can make a ton in publications and lectures around the world</p>