Editing Psychologist (section)

==== Differences with psychiatrists ====
{{further|Mental health professional#Psychiatrists and clinical psychology}}

Although clinical  psychologists and psychiatrists share the same fundamental aim—the alleviation of mental distress—their training, outlook, and methodologies are often different. Perhaps the most significant difference is that psychiatrists are licensed [[physicians]], and, as such, psychiatrists are apt to use the [[medical model]] to assess mental health problems and to also employ [[psychoactive drug|psychotropic medications]] as a method of addressing mental health problems.<ref>{{cite journal|author1=Graybar, S.|author2=Leonard, L.|year=2005|title=In Defense of Listening|journal=American Journal of Psychotherapy|volume=59|issue=1|pages=1–19|doi=10.1176/appi.psychotherapy.2005.59.1.1|pmid=15895765}}</ref>

Psychologists generally do not prescribe medication, although in some jurisdictions they do have prescription privileges. In five U.S. states (New Mexico, Louisiana, Illinois, Iowa, Idaho, and Colorado), psychologists with clinical psychopharmacology training have been granted [[RxP|prescriptive authority]] for mental health disorders.<ref>{{cite web|title=APA Applauds Landmark Illinois Law Allowing Psychologists to Prescribe Medications|url=http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2014/06/prescribe-medications.aspx|access-date=15 August 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=5 May 2004|title=Louisiana grants psychologists prescriptive authority|url=http://www.apa.org/monitor/louisianarx.html|access-date=16 July 2009}}</ref>

Psychologists receive extensive training in psychological test administration, scoring, interpretation, and reporting, while psychiatrists are not trained in psychological testing. In addition, psychologists (particularly those from PhD programs) spend several years in graduate school being trained to conduct behavioral research; their training includes research design and advanced statistical analysis. While this training is available for physicians via dual MD/PhD programs, it is not typically included in standard medical education, although psychiatrists may develop research skills during their residency or a psychiatry fellowship (post-residency).

Psychiatrists, as licensed physicians, have been trained more intensively in other areas, such as internal medicine and neurology, and may bring this knowledge to bear in identifying and treating medical or neurological conditions that present with primarily psychological symptoms such as depression, anxiety, or paranoia (e.g., [[hypothyroidism]] presenting with depressive symptoms, or [[pulmonary embolism]] with significant apprehension and anxiety).<ref>{{cite web|last=Dorsey|first=Steven T.|date=22 September 2002|title=Medical Conditions that Mimic Psychiatric Disease: A Systematic Approach for Evaluation of Patients Who Present with Psychiatric Symptomatology|url=https://www.ahcmedia.com/articles/109640-medical-conditions-that-mimic-psychiatric-disease-a-systematic-approach-for-evaluation-of-patients-who-present-with-psychiatric-symptomatology|access-date=23 May 2018|website=www.ahcmedia.com|series=Emergency Medicine Reports|publisher=AHC Media / Relias / [[Bertelsmann#Bertelsmann Education Group|Bertelsmann Education Group]]|language=en|issn=0746-2506|lccn=83008791|oclc=09881608}}</ref>