At a mental health clinic, a patient may see Dr. Smitty, who is able to prescribe medications for a psychiatric issue and provide some psychotherapy, or a patient may see Dr. Roads, who is able to provide psychological testing to further assess the patient’s issue and provide some psychotherapy. Based on this information, which of the following best fits the type of mental health practitioner that Dr. Smitty and Dr. Roads are?
Explanation
Answer: B - Dr. Smitty is a psychiatrist, while Dr. Roads is a psychologist.
Psychiatrists are individuals who go to medical school, earn a M.D. or D.O., and then complete residency in psychiatry. Psychiatrists historically were the only health practitioners who could prescribe medications for psychiatric issues. They receive some training in psychotherapy, but their main expertise is in providing medical treatment, mostly through prescribing medication. Psychologists are individuals who complete graduate school in psychology, earning a Ph.D. or a Psy.D. Psychologists have expertise in psychological testing and providing psychotherapy. Some states are now allowing psychologists to have prescribing privileges with additional training.
