Training in Psychiatry

Although you will be training for the duration of your two-year foundation program, you will also be working, which means you will be paid.

You will complete a number of training positions, each of which will last a few months. Throughout the programme, you will gain experience in a variety of medical specialties, such as general practise, psychiatry, and surgery.

During core psychiatry training, you will work and train in a variety of psychiatric sub-specialties. You will gain a broad understanding of the specialty this way.

Core training lasts three years and is denoted by the letters CT1, CT2, and CT3. You must have passed your MRCPsych exam by the end of CT3 in order to apply to the next stage of training.

Higher Psychiatry Training, also known as ST4, ST5, and ST6, typically lasts three years. During those three years, your training will be tailored to your chosen subspecialty. You will receive training in child and adolescent psychiatry, forensic psychiatry, general adult psychiatry, old age psychiatry, psychotherapy, and learning disabilities psychiatry.

There will also be opportunities to work in other sub-specialties such as addictions, eating disorders, neuropsychiatry, perinatal psychiatry, and social and rehabilitation psychiatry. When you complete your training, you will be issued a CCT (Certificate of Completion of Training) and added to the GMC's specialist register. This means you are eligible to apply for consultant positions.

You can work independently as a consultant psychiatrist. You may also be in charge of managing the care of patients with the help of a team of other professionals.