Hagley Community College
Psychiatrist Rata Mate Hinengaro
Psychiatrists diagnose and treat mental illness and emotional and behavioural disorders by providing psychotherapeutic treatment and psychiatric medication.
Psychiatrists need to be registered with the Medical Council of New Zealand.
Psychiatrists may do some or all of the following:
- study patients' medical and psychiatric histories
- consult with patients and carry out tests to determine treatment
- provide personalised treatments such as psychological therapy
- prescribe and monitor medication
- help patients manage long-term mental health conditions
- work with patients and their families/whānau to understand patients' likely response to treatment
- work with other medical staff, such as nurses and psychologists, to co-ordinate and provide assessments, rehabilitation and recovery programmes
- admit patients to hospital if required
- mentor trainee psychiatrists
- prepare psychiatric reports and give evidence in court.
Useful Experience
Useful experience for psychiatrists includes:
- work in hospitals or other health-related work, such as in a clinic
- work involving psychology or counselling
- work in support and advice services such as Lifeline or Citizens Advice Bureau.
Personal Qualities
Psychiatrists need to be:
- compassionate
- good at observing, listening and communicating
- understanding of other cultures' attitudes to medical treatment
- able to communicate with people from various cultures
- able to manage their time and work well under pressure
- skilled at analysing and interpreting information
- good decision makers and problem solvers.
Skills
Psychiatrists need to have knowledge of:
- how to diagnose psychiatric disorders
- how the brain and the human body work
- different diseases and illnesses, both mental and physical
- medicines and treatments, and the effects these have on patients
- medical ethics and law
- new research, treatments and practices in their field.
Conditions
Psychiatrists:
- usually work regular business hours, but may also be on call in evenings or weekends
- usually work in hospitals or clinics
- may work in emotionally draining and stressful circumstances
- may travel to attend conferences.
Subject Recommendations
NCEA Level 3 is required to enter tertiary training. Useful subjects include maths, chemistry, physics, biology and English.
Psychiatrists can earn around $64K-$205K per year.
Chances of getting a job as a Psychiatrist are good due to a shortage of people interested in this type of work.
Pay varies for psychiatrists depending on experience, hours, location and frequency of on-call or emergency cover.
Psychiatrists who work for Te Whatu Ora Health NZ (previous DHBs)
- House officers (supervised junior doctors) can earn $64,000 to $145,000 a year.
- Registrars (trainee psychiatrists) can earn $80,000 to $205,000.
- Qualified psychiatrists can earn $170,000 to $251,000.
Psychiatrists working in the private sector can earn more than this.
Sources: Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, 'New Zealand District Health Boards – Senior Medical and Dental Officers Collective Agreement, 1 April 2022 - 31 March 2023'; and Resident Doctors' Association, 'RDA and 20 District Health Boards Multi Employer Collective Agreement 17 March 2021 to 31 March 2024'.
Experienced psychiatrists may become clinical leaders, work as university lecturers, or focus on an area of psychiatry such as:
- child and adolescent psychiatry
- psychiatry of older people
- forensic psychiatry (helping those who have a criminal record and a mental illness)
- consultation-liaison psychiatry (helping patients with multiple medical conditions, usually working with doctors in general hospitals).
Years Of Training
12 years of training required.To become a psychiatrist you need to:
- complete the Health Sciences First Year programme at the University of Otago, or the first year of either the Bachelor of Health Sciences or Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Science at Auckland University
- complete a five-year Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) degree at Otago or Auckland
- work for one to two years as a house officer (supervised junior doctor) in a hospital
- complete another five years of training through the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists Fellowship programme. This includes on-the-job training in different specialisations, and passing examinations to become a Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists.
You also need to be registered with the Medical Council of New Zealand.
- University of Otago website - Health Sciences First Year programme
- University of Otago website - Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery
- University of Auckland website - Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery
- The Vulnerable Children Act 2014 means that if you have certain serious convictions, you can’t be employed in a role where you are responsible for, or work alone with, children.
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