Psychiatry Career Overview
As a vital member of the interdisciplinary mental health team, the psychiatric technician is the “front line” of mental health care. More than any other staff member, the psychiatric technician interacts directly with mentally ill or developmentally disabled patients. A psychiatric technician’s duties may vary, but his or her main responsibility remains constant: assist, care for, and treat the mentally impaired and emotionally disturbed.
Under the direction of senior medical staff, psychiatric technicians assist in a variety of functions, coordinating services, monitoring patients' physical and emotional wellbeing, implementing treatment programs, and administering medications. This type of work is necessary to every location that requires mental health care, from hospitals and rehabilitation facilities, to prisons, and even schools. This article presents the specifics of the position, and directs both aspiring and current psychiatric technicians to relevant resources on training, scholarships, jobs, and more. (American Association of Psychiatric Technicians)
Quick Facts about the Job - Education and Training Requirements - Average Salary - Day-to-Day Activities - Top Schools for Psychiatric Technicians - Resources for Financial Aid - Job Boards for Psychiatric Technicians - Top 10 Cities to Work In - Related Careers - General Resources
Quick Facts about the Job
- The demand for entry-level health workers, including psychiatrist technicians, is anticipated to increase by 28% between 2006 and 2016. (Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Approximately 70,730 psychiatric technicians work in the United Sates today. (Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Only four states require psychiatric technicians to become licensed; in the remaining states technicians may choose to take a voluntary certification exam. (California Association of Psychiatric Technicians)
- Psychiatric technicians have the opportunity to wield a number of specialized medical tools, including lancets, stethoscopes, syringes, and pulse oximeter units. (O*Net)
Education and Training Requirements for Psychiatric Technicians
In all but four of the United States, a psychiatrist technician can enter the field with only a high school diploma or an Associate of Science (AS) in Mental Health Technology. The four remaining states––Arkansas, California, Colorado, and Kansas––require technicians to pass a state licensing exam.
Psychiatric technicians may also choose to take a voluntary certification test, offered though the American Association of Psychiatric Technicians (AAPT). Although certification along does not allow individuals to practice in the four states with licensure requirements, it can directly increase both earning ability and potential for career advancement. Upon successful completion of the exam, an individual may append the initials NCPT, standing for Nationally Certified Psychiatric Technician, to their name. (AAPT)
The AAPT offers four levels of certification, depending on education and experience. In addition successful completion of the exam, certification level 1 requires a high school diploma or equivalent. Level 2 requires one year of experience working in the mental health field, and the completion of thirty semester hours of related college courses. Level three requires two years of experience, and sixty semester hours, while level 4 requires three years on the job, and a bachelor's degree in a related field. The higher the level of certification obtained, the more likely an individual is to be a competitive candidate for employment. (DegreeFinders)
Average Salary of a Psychiatric Technician
On average, psychiatric technicians working in the United States earn between $25,400 and $33,100 annually, depending on experience, education level and location. The top 10% of psychiatric technicians can bring in more than $37,700 a year. In addition to a base salary, technicians usually enjoy a comprehensive benefits package, including social security, disability, health insurance, and retirement. When taken together, base pay and benefits can account for near $44,000 of total yearly compensation. (Salary.com)
Day-to-Day Activities of a Psychiatric Technician
Psychiatric technicians typically work a 40-hour week, and because of the unique needs of patients, sometimes work nights, weekends, and holidays.
Common work activities include:
- Administering medications
- Leading individual or group therapy sessions
- Completing initial admittance for new patients
- Monitoring patients in accordance with medical requirements
- Consulting and counseling with patients regarding treatment options
- Staying abreast of new medications, safety issues, and dosage requirements
- Maintaining medical records
- Assisting patients with personal hygiene, and keeping living areas tidy
- Implementing treatment plans developed by director of services (Job Profiles)
Top 10 Schools for Psychiatric Technicians
- ITT Technical Institute – ITT Technical Institute is a leading private college system focused on providing career-focused degree programs. ITT Tech offers an associate degree program in Health Information Technology through its School of Health Sciences. Classes may be taken entirely online, entirely in residence at one of over one hundred accredited college locations across the United States, or in combination.
- Devry University – Devry University's Associate of Applied Science in Health Information Technology degree provides preparation for a career in a number of positions within the medical field, including as a psychiatrist assistant. For over 75 years, Devry University has been providing associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees with an emphasis on real-world skills. The university offers classes in more than ninety locations across the United States and Canada, as well as online.
- Everest College - With a number of accelerated career training programs, Everest College offers diplomas in Medical Assisting, Medical Administration, and Medical Technology. With accredited locations all across the country, and flexible scheduling that allows for day, night and even weekend classes, Everest provides a convenient solution for psychiatrist technician training.
- Brown Mackie College - Brown Mackie College provides associate and bachelor's degrees, diplomas, and certificates in a number of areas of study, including, Nursing, Healthcare & Wellness, and Technology. The Medical Assisting degree program prepares students to work under the direction of physicians and psychiatrists in any type of medical setting.
- Indiana State University – At its College of Nursing, Health, and Human Services, Indiana State University offers bachelor's and master's degrees in a variety of fields relevant to psychiatric technology. The school's core curriculum ensures that students obtain both broad knowledge and fundamental skills, while pursuing their specific field of study.
- Pennsylvania Institute of Health and Technology – With training in the clinical, administrative, and technical elements of health, Pennsylvania Institute of Health and Technology prepares students for a range of careers in medicine. From its campus in Uniontown, PA, PIHT hands-on training, modern classrooms and laboratories, and personalized assistance with job-placement following graduation.
- Yuba College – Yuba College offers a five-semester Psychiatric Technology program at its campus in Marysville, CA. An integral part of the program is real world clinical experience in agencies that work with mentally, physically, and developmentally disabled individuals.
- Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts – The mission of California-based Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts is “to offer quality medical programs that integrate professional skills, career-focused education and hands-on practical experience.” The Academy's 14-month Psychiatric Technician program includes an internship, didactic lab training sessions, and clinical education.
- Allegany College of Maryland - Allegany College of Maryland, also known as ACM, is a mid-sized public college known for its programs in medicine. In recent years the college has developed a highly specialized curriculum focusing on technological and professional training particularly suited to a position as a psychiatrist technician.
- Mission College – Located in the heart of California's Silicon Valley, Mission College offers over seventy academic degrees up to and including associate degrees. The college offers a three-semester Psychiatric Technician Program meant to prepare students for work in inpatient and outpatient facilities, community mental health agencies, therapeutic settings, care homes, and more.
Resources for Scholarships and Financial Aid
- California Association of Psychiatric Technicians – The annual CAPT Scholarship awards up to ten scholarships of $750 each to students currently enrolled in a Psych Tech education program.
- Allied Health Scholarship – Currently enrolled healthcare students are eligible to receive up to $4,500 per year, so long as they pledge one hundred hours of volunteer service in a medically underserved are.
- Health Occupation Students of America Scholarship – Health Occupations Students of America, or HOSA, is a national student organization built to provide career opportunities in the medial industry, and to enhance the quality of medical care for all people. Every year HOSA awards a number of $250 scholarships to member students pursuing studies in fields such as psychiatric technology.
- Indian Health Services Health Professions Scholarship Program – Indian Health Services (HIS) offers students of American Indian/Alaska Native descent the opportunity to apply for three different funding options. The Health Professions Preparatory Scholarship Program provides up to two years of funding to students taking preparatory courses leading into the medical field. The Health Professions Pre-Graduate Scholarship covers up to four years of tuition for students pursuing bachelor's degree in health. Finally, the Health Professions Scholarship also covers up to four years of tuition, but only for students who are federally recognized tribe members, and who commit one year of service per one year of financial support received.
- Phillip R. Lee Scholarship – The Phillip R. Lee Scholarship awards up to $2,800 per year to American Indian students pursuing healthcare careers.
- Scholarship of Excellence Award – This scholarship aims to recognize and reward outstanding students in health professions. Students who demonstrate both academic excellence and leadership potential are eligible to receive a $1,000 scholarship.
- Tylenol Scholarships – Currently in its eighteenth year, Tylenol's Scholarship program awards $250,000 annually to forty students pursuing healthcare-related education. Ten students receive $10,000 grants, and thirty students receive $5,000 grants.
- Vocational Nurse Scholarship – Any student enrolled in an accredited California Vocational Nursing Program, which can lead to a position as a psychiatric technician, may receive up to $4,000 in scholarship funds in exchange for committing two years to a medically undeserved region of the state.
- Washington Hospital Healthcare System Scholarships – Every year, the Washington State Hospital Healthcare System awards to scholarships to two college students or graduating high school seniors pursuing study in a medical field. Each recipient enjoys a $1,000 grant, renewable for all four years of their undergraduate education.
The Best Job Boards for Psychiatric Technicians
- Allied Health Staffing Solutions – Use this site to access a searchable database of healthcare jobs, which can be further refined by industry, location, and keyword.
- American Association of Psychiatric Technicians Job Board – This site lists job openings for psychiatric technicians in California state service, as well opportunities to work with other organizations.
- California Department of Mental Health – The CDMH is a civil service employer offering opportunities in various California hospitals, and the Department of Mental Health headquarters in Sacramento.
- Health Career Connection - Health Career Connection connects students and professionals to jobs, internships, career information, resources, mentor information.
- Health Jobs Start Here – In addition to detailed information on psychiatric technicians' salary range, training requirements, work environment, and scholarship options, Health Jobs Start Here lists training programs and job openings.
- Hire Health – Hire Health, a feature of BioSpace, is an online community for medical industry news and careers. The online job board, daily news feeds, and community features connect recruiters, job seekers, and life science professionals.
- Indeed – A quick search of Indeed.com, one of the web's most comprehensive job boards, yields an up to date registry of the latest psychiatric technician jobs across the country.
- MedHunters – Devoted to all jobs medical-related, MedHunters posts current jobs, and also encourages users to create a profile that can be viewed by potential employers.
- MedSearch – MedSearch harnesses the job-finding power of Monster.com to search the Monster database for healthcare jobs, including that of psychiatric technician.
- PublicHealthJobs.net - PublicHealthJobs.net is a service of the Association of Schools of Public Health Employment Council, and provides a vast searchable listing of jobs appropriate for medical field students or recent graduates.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the government's principal agency for protecting the health of Americans. HHS offers a number of programs designed specifically to provide individuals who have graduated from an undergraduate or graduate program with an opportunity to integrate their medical education and experience into full-time employment with the federal government.
- Washington Post – The Washington Post 's online classified ads represent the largest job database in the New England area. Typing in “psychiatric technician” brings up a comprehensive list of openings.
Top 10 Cities to Work In
Based on average salary in 2008, and relative popularity of the job for the city's population, the top ten cities for psychiatric technicians work are listed below. A relative popularity score of 1 indicates that a city has an average number of technicians, for its population, compared to the rest of the country. A higher number means a proportionally higher number of jobs. (CTI Career Search)
Albuquerque, NM
Psychiatrist technician jobs: 410
Average salary: $30,120
Relative popularity: 4.9
Allentown, PA
Psychiatrist technician jobs: 270
Average salary: $43,490
Relative popularity: 3.7
Bridgeport, CO
Psychiatrist technician jobs: 260
Average salary: $46,610
Relative popularity: 2.8
Chicago, IL
Psychiatrist technician jobs: 2,160
Average salary: $33,930
Relative popularity: 2.6
Gainseville, FL
Psychiatrist technician jobs: 340
Average salary: $25,470
Relative popularity: 14.6
Oxnard, CA
Psychiatrist technician jobs: 190
Average salary: $42,120
Relative popularity: 3
Richmond, VA
Psychiatrist technician jobs: 890
Average salary: $25,980
Relative popularity: 6.9
Sacramento, CA
Psychiatrist technician jobs: 400
Average salary: $49,290
Relative popularity: 2.1
San Francisco, CA
Psychiatrist technician jobs: 320
Average salary: $58,500
Relative popularity: 1.5
Washington D.C.
Psychiatrist technician jobs: 1,110
Average salary: $36,460
Relative popularity: 2.2
Related Careers
The skills that make a psychiatric technician effective translate well into a number of other related professions, both in medical care and mental health. With a solid base of education and hands-on experience, a psychiatric technician may need relatively little additional training to step into a position as any of the following:
- Clinical Laboratory Technologist or Technician – Personnel at clinical laboratories use sophisticated equipment to examine samples, often testing for or evaluating the results.
- Clinical Medical Assistant – Common tasks include assisting during examinations, collecting laboratory specimens, and organizing patient medical records.
- Emergency Medical Technician or Paramedi c – EMT's and Paramedics are often the first to the scene of an accident, and administer care while transporting a patient to a medical facility.
- Home Health Aid – Care for the disabled, cognitively impaired, or chronically ills in a home setting or residential facility.
- Medical Records and Health Information Technician – Responsibilities include organizing and managing patients' medical history, results, and treatment methods.
- Pharmacy Technician or Aid – Major duties include working alongside pharmacists to fill prescriptions, provide customer service, and maintain patient profiles.
- Physician Assistant – Physician assistants provide diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventative health services under the supervision of doctors and surgeons.
- Psychologist – Assess, diagnose, treat and prevent mental illness and disorders.
- Registered Nurse - RN's treat and educate patients, help diagnose ailments, operate medical machinery, and provide emotional support to the families of those undergoing treatment.
- Social and Human Services Assistant – Work alongside social workers and healthcare professions to increase patients' quality of life––both physically and mentally. May work in hospitals, rehabilitation clinics, and or psychiatric treatment programs.
- Social Worker – A social worker's job involves helping people cope with issues in their everyday lives, such as difficult relationships, unemployment, disability, or substance abuse.
General Resources on Psychiatric Technicians
- AllNurses – From its homepage, AllNurses links to a broad range of relevant resources, including information on journals, schools, jobs, libraries, hospitals, associations, and healthcare blogs.
- American Association of People with Disabilities – For someone interested in or pursuing a position as a psychiatrist technician, becoming familiar with various mental disabilities can be incredibly useful. The AAPD provides all sorts of information, resources, and news.
- American Association of Psychiatric Technicians – The AAPT is a national non-profit that administers the psychiatric technician voluntary certification exam. In addition, the AAPT offers a number of study preparation guides, related web site links, and a detailed overview of the pros and cons of the voluntary certification process.
- American Psychiatric Association – The American Psychiatric Association, or APA, is a specialty medical society with over 35,000 members in the U.S. and overseas. The organization consists of medical professionals, and those in the process of becoming qualified. The APA aims to promote high quality mental care, and to this end provides its members with a number of avenues for education and career development.
- BehaveNet – BehaveNet provides a valuable online guide to behavioral health resources including government agencies, state certification agencies, treatment guidelines, academic programs, and professional associations.
- Board of Vocational Nursing & Psychiatric Technicians – The Board of Vocational Nursing & Psychiatric Technicians offers a useful list of all the accredited schools in California. This information can prove useful to any technician hoping to obtain licensure in the golden state.
- California Association of Psychiatric Technicians – CAPT's website offers a number of useful resources for psychiatric technicians in California, including those hoping to become licensed. Along with the latest news items, the site provides jobs, links, and the opportunity to join any of a number of chapters around the state.
- California Nurses Educational Institute – The goal of the California Nurses Educational Institute (CNEI) is to “provide a quality education to enable our graduated to find competitive jobs in the medical industry.” Even non-students may utilize CNEI's useful resources and services to locate job information and relevant programs.
- Glossary Online - As the name suggests, this Glossary Online is an online dictionary of terms frequently used in medicine and psychiatry. Such a glossary will likely prove indispensible to a psychiatric technician in training, or an individual just entering the field.
- Mental Health Info Links – Provided by Online Psychological Services, Mental Health Info Links contains over three hundred links to online resources for mental health professions.
- O*Net Online – O*Net Online offers detailed descriptions for use by job seeks, students, employers, and more. The summary report on psychiatric technicians can be customized to include tasks, skills, abilities, work activities, work context, wages, employment outlook, related careers, and more.
- Psychiatric Times – The Psychiatric Times is more than an online newspaper. In addition to articles on the latest psychiatric topics, it also features informative podcasts, career information, special reports, and a schedule of upcoming conferences.
- The Pulier Psychiatry Pages – This site features a vast collection of psychiatric and behavioral healthcare resources for mental health professionals, as well as a comprehensive calendar of industry events.