Doctor of Medicine (MD) Psychiatry: Admission, Fees, Medical Colleges, Eligibility Criteria details here

The course is a full-time course pursued at various recognized medical colleges across the country. Some of the top medical colleges offering this course include Andhra Medical College (Visakhapatnam), Patna Medical College(PMC, Patna), Maulana Azad Medical College(New Delhi), and Ranchi Instt. Of Neuro-Psychiatry and Allied Sciences, (Ranchi) and more.

Admission to this course is done through the NEET PG Entrance exam conducted by the National Board of Examinations, followed by counseling based on the scores of the exam that is conducted by DGHS/MCC/State Authorities.

The fee for pursuing an MD (Psychiatry) varies from college to college. The average course fee is Rs. 25000 to Rs. 20 Lakh per annum.

After completion of their respective course, doctors can either join the job market or pursue a super-specialization course where MD Psychiatry is a feeder qualification. Candidates can take reputed jobs as Senior residents, Junior Consultants, etc. with an approximate salary range of Rs. 2 Lakh – Rs. 30 Lakh per annum.

What is MD in Psychiatry?

Doctor of Medicine in Psychiatry, also known as MD (Psychiatry) is a three-year postgraduate programme that candidates can pursue after completing MBBS.

Psychiatry is the branch of medical science dealing with the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders.

National Medical Commission (NMC), the apex medical regulator, has released a Guidelines for Competency-Based Postgraduate Training Programme for MD in Psychiatry.

The Competency-Based Postgraduate Training Programme governs the education and training of MDs in Psychiatry.

The PG education intends to create specialists who can contribute to high-quality health care and advances in science through research and training.

The required training done by a postgraduate specialist in the field of Psychiatry would help the specialist recognize the community's health needs. The student should be competent to handle medical problems effectively and should be aware of the recent advances in their specialty.

The candidate should be a highly competent doctor possessing a broad range of skills that will enable her/him to practice Psychiatry independently. The PG candidate should also acquire the basic skills in teaching medical/para-medical students.

The candidate is also expected to know the principles of research methodology and modes of the consulting library. The candidate should regularly attend conferences, workshops, and CMEs to upgrade her/ his knowledge.

Course Highlights

Here are some of the course highlights of MD in Psychiatry: 

Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria for MD in Psychiatry are defined as the set of rules or minimum prerequisites that aspirants must meet to be eligible for admission, which include:

• Candidates must have an undergraduate MBBS degree from any college/university recognized by the Medical Council of India (MCI).

• Candidates should have done a compulsory rotating internship of one year in a teaching institution or other institution which is recognized by the Medical Council of India (MCI).

• The candidate must have obtained permanent registration of any State Medical Council to be eligible for admission.

• The medical college's recognition cut-off dates for the MBBS Degree courses and compulsory rotatory Internship shall be as prescribed by the Medical Council of India (now NMC).

Admission Process

The admission process contains a few steps to be followed in order by the candidates for admission to MD in Psychiatry. Candidates can view the complete admission process for MD in Psychiatry mentioned below:

• The NEET PG or National Eligibility Entrance Test for Post Graduate is a national-level master's level examination conducted by the NBE for admission to MD/MS/PG Diploma Courses.

• The requirement of eligibility criteria for participation in counseling towards PG seat allotment conducted by the concerned counseling authority shall be instead of the Post Graduate Medical Education Regulations (as per the latest amendment) notified by the MCI (now NMC) with prior approval of MoHFW.

Colleges offering MD in Psychiatry

There are various medical colleges across India that offer courses for pursuing MD (Psychiatry).

As per National Medical Commission (NMC) website, the following medical colleges are offering MD (Psychiatry) courses for the academic year 2022-23.

The stipend offered by various medical colleges in India for MD Psychiatry for the year 2022 is as follows:

An MD in Psychiatry is a three years specialization course that provides training in the stream of Psychiatry.

No limit can be fixed and no fixed number of topics can be prescribed as course contents. He is expected to know the subject in depth; however, emphasis should be on the diseases/health problems most prevalent in that area. Knowledge of recent advances and basic sciences as applicable to his/her specialty should get high priority. Competence in managing behavioural problems commensurate with the specialty must be ensured.

The student must acquire knowledge in the following:

Theoretical concepts:

1. Functional and behavioural neuroanatomy

2. Neurophysiology and Neuro-chemistry

3. Neuro-imaging

4. Electrophysiology (including chronobiology, electroencephalogram, etc

5. Psychoneuroendocrinology

6. Neurogenetic disorder

7. Classification In Psychiatry

8. Theory of personality and personality disorders

9. Abuse (Physical / Sexual) or Neglect Of Child /Adult

10. Adjustment Disorder

11. Anxiety Disorders (including Panic Disorder, Agoraphobia, Phobias, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Acute Stress Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, etc).

12. Case-Presentations (including History Taking, Neurological Examination, Mental Status Examination etc.).

13. Child Psychiatry (including Learning Disorders, Motor Skills Disorder, Communication Disorders, Pervasive Developmental Disorders (Autistic Disorder, Rett's Disorder, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, Asperger's Disorder), Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Conduct Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Pica, Tic Disorders, Elimination Disorders, Separation Anxiety Disorder, Selective Mutism, Reactive Attachment Disorder of Infancy or Early Childhood, Stereotypic Movement Disorder, etc.)

14. Community psychiatry

15. Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry

16. Culture Bound Syndromes

17. Dissociative Disorders (including Dissociative Amnesia, Dissociative Fugue, Dissociative Identity Disorder, Depersonalization Disorder, etc.

18. Eating Disorders (including Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, etc.)

19. Electro-Convulsive Therapy

20. Emergencies In Psychiatry

21. Emotional Intelligence

22. Ethics In Psychiatry

23. Factitious Disorders

24. Forensic and Legal Psychiatry (including Indian Lunacy Act, Mental Health Act, Persons with Disability Act, Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance Act)

25. Impulse-Control Disorders (including Intermittent Explosive Disorder, Kleptomania, Pyromania, Pathological Gambling, Trichotillomania, etc

26. Learning – Theories

27. Memory

28. Mental Retardation

29. Miscellaneous: Non-compliance, Malingering, Antisocial Behaviour, Borderline Intellectual Functioning, Age-Related Cognitive Decline, Bereavement [including Death], Academic Problems, Occupational Problems, Identity Problems, Religious or Spiritual Problems, Acculturation Problems, Phase of Life Problems, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, etc.)

30. Mood Disorders (including Depressive Disorders, Bipolar Disorders, Cyclothymic Disorder, etc.)

31. Movement Disorders (including Medication-Induced Movement Disorders, etc)

32. Organic Psychiatry (including Amnestic Disorders, Catatonic Disorder, Cerebrovascular Disorders, Delirium, Dementia, Endocrine Epilepsy, Head Injury, Headache, HIV – AIDS, Infections, etc.

33. Neuropsychology (including Psychological Features of Cerebral Disorders, Clinical Assessment etc.)

34. Pre-Menstrual Dysphoric Disorder

35. Post-Partum Psychiatric Disorders

36. Psychodynamics

37. Psychology (Clinical)

38. Psychometry/ Psychodiagnostics

39. Psychopharmacology

40. Psychosis (including Schizophrenia, Schizophreniform Disorder, Schizoaffective Disorder, Delusional Disorder, Brief Psychotic Disorder, Shared Psychotic Disorder, etc).

41. Psychosomatic Disorders

42. Psychotherapy

43. Sexual And Gender Identity Disorders (including Sexual Desire Disorders, Sexual arousal Disorders, Orgasmic Disorders, Sexual Pain Disorders, Vaginismus, Paraphilias, etc)

44. Sleep Disorders (including Insomnia, Narcolepsy, Breathing-Related Sleep

Disorders, Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders, Parasomnias, Nightmare Disorder, Sleep Terror Disorder, Sleepwalking Disorder, etc.)

45. Somatoform Disorders (including Somatization Disorder, Undifferentiated Somatoform Disorder, Conversion Disorder, Pain Disorder, Hypochondriasis, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, etc.)

46. Statistics/Research Methodology

47. Stress and related disorders

48. Stupor

49. Substance Related Disorders (including Alcohol-Related Disorders, Amphetamine-Related Disorders, Caffeine-Related Disorders, Cannabis- Related Disorders, Cocaine-Related Disorders, Hallucinogen-Related Disorders, Inhalant-Related Disorders, Nicotine-Related Disorders, Opioid- Related Disorders, Phencyclidine-Related Disorders, Sedative-, Hypnotic-, or Anxiolytic-Related Disorders, etc.)

50. Suicidemanagement and medico-legal aspect

51. Transcultural Psychiatry

52. Rehabilitation of psychiatric patients

53. Geriatric Psychiatry

The student may know the following:

1. Psychiatry rating scales

2. Epidemiology

3. History of Psychiatry

4. Mental Health Issues in Women

5. Mind – the evolving concepts

6. Placebo Effect

7. Psychosurgery

Career Options

After completing an MD in Psychiatry, candidates will get employment opportunities in Government as well as in the Private sector.

In the Government sector, candidates have various options to choose from which include Registrar, Senior Resident, Demonstrator, Tutor, Medical Advisor, Regional Medical Advisor, medical monitoring, etc.

While in the Private sector the options include Resident Doctor, Consultant, Visiting Consultant (Psychiatry), Junior Consultant, Senior Consultant (Psychiatry), Consultant Psychiatry Specialist, etc.

Courses after MD in Psychiatry Course

MD in Psychiatry is a specialization course that can be pursued after finishing MBBS. After pursuing a specialization in MD (Psychiatry), a candidate could also pursue super specialization courses recognized by NMC, MD (Psychiatry) is a feeder qualification.

DM Geriatric Mental Health is a course that requires MD (Psychiatry) as a feeder qualification.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – MD in Psychiatry Course

Question: What is an MD in Psychiatry?

Answer: MD Psychiatry, also known as MD in Psychiatry, is a Postgraduate level course for doctors in India that they do after completion of their MBBS.

Question: What is the duration of an MD in Psychiatry?

Answer: MD in Psychiatry is a postgraduate programme of three years.

Question: What is the eligibility of an MD in Psychiatry?

Answer: Candidates must have an undergraduate MBBS degree from any college/university recognized by the Medical Council of India.

Question: What is the scope of an MD in Psychiatry?

Answer: MD in Psychiatry offers candidates various employment opportunities and career prospects.

Question: What is the average salary for an MD in Psychiatry postgraduate candidate?

Answer: The MD in Psychiatry candidate's average salary is ₹ 2 lakh to ₹ 30 lakh per annum, depending on their experience. 

Question: Can MD Psychiatry practice?

Answer: Individuals with an MD in Psychiatry can practice as psychiatrists in India after obtaining a medical license and registration with the Medical Council of India or the respective State Medical Councils.

Question: What is MD in clinical Psychiatry?

Answer: An MD in Clinical Psychiatry is a medical degree specializing in psychiatry. It signifies that the individual has completed medical school and received further training and education in diagnosing, treating, and managing mental health and psychiatric disorders. This qualification allows them to work as a psychiatrist, providing medical and therapeutic care for individuals with mental health conditions.