A Psychiatrist’s Perspective

Watch Dr. Barkin’s video

Jeffery Barkin, MD, a Portland-based psychiatrist, shares his perspective on the importance of having physician-led care. Physicians have more than a decade of education and training, and through that process, they learn not just about medicine and science, but also gain broader knowledge that make them uniquely qualified to lead patient care teams, particularly if a patient has complicated medical conditions.

In his video, he also helps to clarify the difference between a psychiatrist and psychologist, which are very different.

”A very common source of confusion is the difference between a psychiatrist and a psychologist. They're both doctors, but they're not at all alike. A medical doctor or a doctor of [osteopathic medicine] goes to medical school. A doctor of psychology, a PhD, or a PsyD goes to graduate school. Psychologists learn about psychology. They learn about psychologic testing. They learn about the psychologic and counseling care of patients. They don't learn about anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, microbiology. They don't learn the skills that a medical doctor learns in medical school. They're different skillsets. And even though a psychologist and a psychiatrist are both called doctor, their roles are vastly different. Psychologists bring a unique set of skills in particular with certain types of psychologic testing, which they're uniquely poised to do. Some psychologists are [also] very good with counseling, but that's very different than being a medical doctor. The role of a medical doctor is to coordinate the overall care of the patients,” says Dr. Barkin.

Dr. Barkin also recognizes that the system has become complex, which makes it even more important for patients to ask questions and be actively involved in their care. “The most important thing for a patient or family member to do is to understand who’s treating them. And you have to ask.”

Jeffrey Barkin, MD, is a psychiatrist based in Portland, Maine. After receiving his medical degree from the Yale University School of Medicine, he pursued an internship at University Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, followed by a residency in psychiatry at Yale University. He has been in private practice treating individuals with a variety of mood disorders, anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders, and neuropsychiatry patients since 1991.

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A Physician’s Perspective on Quality