Occupation · SOC 29-1223
Psychiatrists
Diagnose, treat, and help prevent mental disorders.
Median wage
$239,200
$77,360–$239,200
Projected growth
—
—
Annual openings
—
per year
Employed (US)
24,800
Job Zone 5
Typical preparation
Extensive preparation
Stackable credential programs
56 mapped
Core skills
Active ListeningSocial PerceptivenessSpeakingCritical ThinkingWritingReading ComprehensionJudgment and Decision MakingMonitoringActive LearningService OrientationScienceCoordinationComplex Problem SolvingLearning StrategiesPersuasionInstructingTime ManagementSystems EvaluationSystems AnalysisOperations AnalysisNegotiationManagement of Personnel ResourcesMathematicsOperations MonitoringManagement of Material ResourcesManagement of Financial ResourcesTechnology DesignProgrammingQuality Control AnalysisOperation and ControlTroubleshootingRepairingInstallationEquipment SelectionEquipment Maintenance
Knowledge areas
Therapy and CounselingPsychologyMedicine and DentistryEnglish LanguageBiologyEducation and TrainingCustomer and Personal ServiceSociology and AnthropologyAdministration and ManagementPhilosophy and TheologyComputers and ElectronicsChemistryLaw and GovernmentPublic Safety and SecurityMathematicsAdministrativePersonnel and Human ResourcesForeign LanguageEconomics and AccountingGeographyCommunications and MediaSales and MarketingTelecommunicationsPhysicsHistory and ArcheologyTransportationEngineering and TechnologyFine ArtsProduction and ProcessingMechanicalDesignBuilding and ConstructionFood Production
Technology & tools
ADL Data Systems OptimumClinicals Electronic Health RecordAdvantage Software Psych AdvantageAllscripts SunriseBlumenthal Software PBSW24Cerner ProFileComputer Assisted Diagnostic Interview CADI softwareElectronic medical record EMR softwareEpic EpicCare Inpatient Clinical SystemEpic SystemsFifthWalk BillingTracker ProGE Healthcare Centricity EMRICANotesIntegrated Systems Management OmniMDMDofficeManager MediVoxxMEDITECH Behavioral Health ClinicalsMEDITECH softwareMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft WordNetsmart Technologies Avatar Clinical Workstation CWSPractice management software PMSPsychiatric assessment softwarePsychiatric information databasesSigmund Software Sigmund Enterprise ManagementSoftPsych Psychiatric DiagnosisTexas Medical Software SpringCharts EMRUnisonCare UniChartsVirtual reality softwareWeb browser softwareeClinicalWorks EHR software
Representative tasks
Assisting and Caring for OthersGetting InformationMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeDocumenting/Recording InformationCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsTraining and Teaching OthersInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersAnalyzing Data or InformationJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleProcessing InformationResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsDeveloping and Building TeamsOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsThinking CreativelyDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesWorking with ComputersCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationPerforming Administrative ActivitiesGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicCoaching and Developing OthersCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersScheduling Work and ActivitiesSelling or Influencing OthersEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsStaffing Organizational UnitsPerforming General Physical ActivitiesControlling Machines and ProcessesHandling and Moving ObjectsOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentRepairing and Maintaining Electronic EquipmentDrafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Patient social and medical histories — collect and document under attending supervision in an inpatient psychiatric unit.Diagnostic interview findings — record accurately using standardized intake forms within an institutional clinical setting.DSM diagnostic criteria — apply to straightforward presentations under direct attending guidance in a residency training program.Laboratory and screening test results — interpret basic findings with supervisor review to inform initial differential diagnoses.Psychopharmacological treatment options — identify and present to supervising psychiatrists during case rounds in a hospital setting.Patient information — maintain in electronic medical record systems under established confidentiality protocols at a teaching hospital.Mental status examination components — perform systematically on assigned patients under direct clinical supervision.Active listening and empathic communication — demonstrate during supervised outpatient counseling sessions with adult patients.Interdisciplinary team discussions — participate in by reporting patient observations to physicians and psychiatric nurses during care conferences.Professional ethics and patient rights — recognize and apply foundational principles under mentorship in a clinical training environment.
developing
Individualized psychiatric care plans — design using a range of pharmacological and psychotherapeutic modalities for routine outpatient cases.Patient histories and evolving clinical records — gather, update, and maintain with reduced oversight across an outpatient psychiatric practice.Mental disorder diagnoses — analyze patient data, test findings, and collateral information to formulate independently for common presentations.Psychotherapeutic treatments and medications — prescribe and administer according to evidence-based guidelines for established patient panels.Outpatient counseling sessions — conduct routinely, adjusting therapeutic approach based on patient progress and session feedback.Treatment plan progress — communicate to multidisciplinary teams including psychologists, social workers, and psychiatric nurses in scheduled case reviews.Guardians and family members — advise on patient diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment expectations using clear, accessible language in clinical office settings.Electronic medical record and billing software — use proficiently to document encounters, manage scheduling, and ensure accurate coding in a community mental health center.Standardized diagnostic and psychological test batteries — administer and interpret to distinguish between co-occurring or complex mental health conditions.Critical thinking and clinical judgment — apply when adapting treatment protocols for patients presenting with comorbid medical or substance use conditions.
proficient
Complex, treatment-resistant psychiatric cases — evaluate autonomously and develop multi-modal care plans integrating pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, and community support resources.Comprehensive patient data sets including longitudinal records and specialist reports — synthesize to diagnose rare or atypical mental disorders across inpatient and outpatient settings.Non-routine psychopharmacological regimens — prescribe and titrate independently, managing polypharmacy risks for patients with comorbid medical and psychiatric conditions.Individualized care plans for diverse populations — design and revise dynamically, incorporating cultural, socioeconomic, and psychosocial factors in a full-scope psychiatric practice.Challenging outpatient and crisis counseling encounters — conduct with clinical autonomy, applying evidence-based therapeutic modalities including CBT, DBT, and psychodynamic approaches.Diagnostic laboratory and neuroimaging data — examine and integrate with clinical findings to rule out organic etiologies across the full spectrum of psychiatric presentations.Families, guardians, and significant others — counsel with depth and nuance about complex diagnoses, risk factors, and long-term prognosis in high-stakes clinical situations.Interdisciplinary collaboration — lead across physician, nursing, psychology, and social work teams to coordinate integrated treatment plans for high-acuity patients.Clinical documentation and outcome data — analyze using database and spreadsheet software to monitor population-level patient progress and identify practice improvement opportunities.Emerging psychiatric research and pharmacological developments — evaluate critically and integrate into autonomous clinical decision-making within an evidence-based practice environment.
advanced
Departmental psychiatric care standards and clinical protocols — establish and refine at organizational scale to elevate quality and consistency of patient outcomes across a health system.Residency and fellowship training programs — design and lead, mentoring early-career psychiatrists in diagnostic reasoning, therapeutic skills, and professional ethics.Institutional treatment philosophy and evidence-based practice frameworks — shape through strategic collaboration with hospital leadership, policymakers, and professional associations.Multidisciplinary psychiatric teams — direct and develop, fostering coordinated care models that integrate physicians, psychologists, social workers, and community health workers.Complex system-level mental health challenges — solve by applying advanced clinical expertise and organizational leadership to address gaps in care delivery across diverse patient populations.Organizational policies on medication prescribing, documentation, and patient safety — author and champion to ensure regulatory compliance and optimal clinical outcomes across departments.Academic and professional communities — contribute to through publication, peer review, and conference presentations that advance knowledge in psychiatry and behavioral health.Quality improvement and clinical outcome measurement initiatives — lead using data analytics and health information technology to drive evidence-based reform at the enterprise level.Stakeholder communication including boards, regulators, and payers — deliver with authority and persuasion to secure resources and shape policy affecting psychiatric service delivery.Ethical dilemmas at the intersection of psychiatry, law, and patient autonomy — adjudicate and provide expert guidance on at the institutional and policy levels, protecting patient rights and societal well-being.
Also known as
28 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Addiction PsychiatristAdult Inpatient PsychiatristAdult Outpatient PsychiatristAdult PsychiatristBehavioral AnalystBehavioral SpecialistChild and Adolescent Psychiatry PhysicianChild PsychiatristClinical PsychiatristConsulting PsychiatristDO Physician (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Physician)DoctorGeneral Adult PsychiatristGeneral PsychiatristInpatient PsychiatristMedical Doctor (MD)Mental Health PhysicianNeuropsychiatristOutpatient PsychiatristPediatric PsychiatristPhysicianPrison PsychiatristPsychiatric PhysicianPsychiatric RN (Psychiatric Registered Nurse)PsychiatristPsychiatry PhysicianPsychoanalystStaff Psychiatrist