Is a forensic psychiatrist the same thing as a forensic psychologist?
No. Psychiatrists are physicians with specialty training in the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of mental disorders. This includes biological evaluations and treatments (such as laboratory tests and medications), psychotherapy, and family & social issues. Doctoral-level (such as Ph.D., Psy.D., or Ed.D.) psychologists do not go to medical school, but are professionals in their own right, and may have special expertise in topics not usually studied in detail by psychiatrists (such as psychological testing).
Please read above answer to question about how psychiatrists and psychologists are different. Similar answer applies when acting as forensic experts. They can each provide expert witness testimony, and diagnosis/treatment of forensic patients in accordance to their scope of practice. For instance, a psychiatrist can provide an expert opinion about the use of psychotropic medications, standard of care of psychiatric patients, and provide an opinion to a reasonable degree of medical certainty. Psychiatrists are physicians with specialty training in the prevention, understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of mental disorders. These includes biological evaluations and treatments (such as interpreting laboratory tests, need for consultation with other medical disciplines, and prescribing medications), psychotherapy, and family & social issues. Doctoral-level (e.g., Ph.D., PSY.D.) psychologists are professionals who are competent as (non-medical) expert witnesses and clinicians in their own r
