• home
  • Ask
  • Read
    • Books
    • Booklets
    • Articles
    • Advice Column
  • Listen/Watch
  • Blog
  • About
  • Mailing List
  • Media Kit
  • contact

Dora Calott Wang, M.D.

Author of The Kitchen Shrink

Follow Dr. Dora on FacebookFollow Dr. Dora on TwitterFollow Dr. Dora on Google+Follow Dr. Dora on Instagram

Archive

  • September 2015
  • April 2015

Thinking of Drugs

September 8, 2015 by

Dear Dr. Dora,

What are psychopharmacologists and what special training do they get?

Thinking of Drugs


Dear Thinking,

In New Yorker cartoons, psychiatrists are usually next to a couch, talking to a patient. All psychiatrists used to do talk therapy. But a recent study out of Columbia University showed that nowadays, only 11 percent of psychiatrists offer psychotherapy at all.

Today’s reality is that most psychiatrists are psychopharmacologists, only. In addition, nurse practitioners increasingly prescribe psych medications. In some states, psychologists can prescribe medications after several weeks of classes.

So there are a lot of psychopharmacologists out there. Most psychiatric medications, however, are prescribed by general practitioners.

No wonder psychiatric medications are the most prescribed class of medications—more than antibiotics, cholesterol lowering medications, or any other medications.

Sincerely,
Dr. Dora

Copyright © 2023 Dora Calott Wang, M.D.
DearDrDora.com is an advice column and informational site, which should not be considered medical care.