A psychiatrist is a medical doctor, an psychologist is not so they can't write prescriptions.

Psychiatrists do a 1 year residency in internal medicine and the remaining in psychiatry. They receive very little training in actual therapy practice and most don't practice intense therapy. It is a slipping profession, now that there are more Psychiatric nurses. They are nurse practitioners and can prescribe meds, but also recieve training (and more insurance reimbursement) for therapy. Psychiatrists get reimbursed LESS for longer sessions than they do 20 minute med checks. I think that element has taken some of the career satisfaction away from psychiatrists...at least in the US, it is the least profitable and least respected, medical specialty.