psychiatrist
n. a physician who specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and study of mental, behavioral, and personality disorders. In the United States, education for this profession consists of 4 years of premedical training in college; a 4-year course in medical school, the final 2 years of which are spent in clerkships studying with physicians in at least five specialty areas; and a 4-year residency in a hospital or agency approved by the American Medical Association. The 1st year of the residency is spent as a hospital intern, and the final 3 in psychiatric residency, learning diagnosis and the use of psychiatric medications and other treatment modes. After completing residency, most psychiatrists take a voluntary examination for certification by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.