How to become a Psychiatrist

Also called: Consultant Psychiatrist

Diagnoses, assesses, treats and prevents mental, emotional and behavioural conditions.

Main tasks

• Conducts psychiatric assessments and diagnoses mental, emotional and behavioural conditions
• Prescribes and monitors medication, and develops treatment plans for patients, including therapies and rehabilitation programs
• Collaborates with other Health Professionals to provide comprehensive patient care
• Determines the need for involuntary treatment, and handles emergency crisis intervention and hospital admissions
• Assists in managing patients in legal and forensic settings by providing expert opinion to the community, government and courts
• May provide psychotherapy and counselling to individuals or in group sessions

Ways in

• University: Medicine & Dentistry degrees, Offered by 34 universities in Australia
• Licence or registration: Registration or licensing is required.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• About 6,400 people work in this job group now, and about 8,500 are projected by 2035. (+32.3%)
• AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Psychiatrist?

Ways in include: Medicine & Dentistry degrees.

Is a Psychiatrist a growing career in Australia?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 32% by 2035, from about 6,400 to about 8,500 people (Jobs and Skills Australia).

Do you need a degree to become a Psychiatrist?

Usually. 98% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Psychiatrist?

AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.

Sources

• Jobs and Skills Australia: Occupation data (ANZSCO), from ABS Labour Force and Census (February 2026), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Jobs and Skills Australia: Generative AI Capacity Study, interactive table data (September 2025), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Jobs and Skills Australia: Employment Projections (Victoria University) (May 2025 to May 2035), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Australian Taxation Office: Taxation Statistics, Individuals Table 15A (2023-24), CC BY 2.5 AU, retrieved 2026-10-04

Updated 2026-10-04