These programs are geared toward students interested in working with people at the less abnormal end of the abnormal spectrum. Because they are Ph.D. programs they require students to complete independent empirical work. They are less competitive than Clinical Ph.D. programs. It is also possible to become a therapist by pursuing a Master's degree in Social Work and doing additional post-graduate training in therapy. Differences between Psychiatry and Cinical Psychology.
Psychiatrists are medical doctors who acquire specialized training in the field of psyciatry.
The main difference between what psychiatrists and psychologists can do is that psychiatrists can prescribe drugs. The majority of psychiatric residencies emphasize the biological basis of mental illness and psychiatrists tend to focus on drug-related treatments of mental illness. Psychologists engage in a variety of kinds of talk therapy. Often psychiatrists and psychologists work together to treat people with a mental illness. Most Clinical Ph.D. programs take 5 to 6 years to complete.