People with PCS need to understand the different specialties.

Psychologists are usually Ph.D. or Psych.D trained. They are not medical school trained. They usually try to put a psychological cause to every diagnosis. Their treatments are limited to psycho-therapy. They may refer to an MD who will prescribe drugs at their recommendation.

Neuro-psychologists are still just Ph.D or Psych.D trained with a residency in Neuro-Psychology. This allows them to administer full battery neuro-psych assessments and interpret the data. Remember that they are interpreting the data, not scoring it. There is a serious need to read between the lines when sinterpreting neuro-psych assessment scores. They also have a bias toward psychological causation and treatment. They cannot prescribe medication. Their treatments are limited to psycho-therapy. They may refer to an MD who will prescribe drugs at their recommendation.

The above are often members of the APA, the American Psychological Association which has much lower standards for specialization that medical boards.

Psychiatrists are MD trained with a residency in Psychiatry. They can order blood and other lab work, prescribe drugs and also provide psycho-therapy. Their training in the chemistry of pharmacology provides a much better opportunity for proper medication therapies. Some are more prone to drug therapies with minimal or no psycho-therapy. Some are more prone to psycho-therapies with drug adjuncts. Their neurology training does not necessarily go beyond the basics. The Board that certifies psychiatrists is the same Board that certifies neurologists. Each certification is different.

Neuro-psychiatrists are MD trained with a residency in Psychiatry with further study and residency in neuro-psychiatry. They can order blood and other lab work, prescribe drugs and also provide psycho-therapy. Their training in the chemistry of pharmacology provides a much better opportunity for proper medication therapies. They usually have a more scientific approach to how the brain functions. They may be dual certified by the Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

GP or PCP M.D's do not usually have much training in psychiatry beyond basic med school. They get their drug information from the drug companies and the drug representatives who try to get them to prescribe drugs. Their experience with anti-depressants is usually limited to what the drug companies told them and a bit of anecdotal information from their patients. They do not see psychiatric drug patients on a regular basis with their focus being a medicine review. Their medication review will often be limited to a general "How are you feeling" without any specific questions into the various side effects or other issues that come with psychotropic drugs.

Even run of the mill Neurologists do not usually have a broad understanding of psychotropic drugs. They may be good with anti-epileptics and movement disorder drugs or drugs for stroke victims but their knowledge of psychotropics can be haphazard. Their in-depth expertise is usually limited to those disorders that can be imaged with CT, MRI, PET, EMG, EEG, etc. The invisible injuries such as concussion leave them taking shots in the dark.

The most important issue to consider is the Continuing Medical Education (CME) that keep the physician up to date with current research. Some pursue improving their skill and knowledge set with CME. Others are content to go to Hawaii to play golf and get their CME hours credited.

The doctors who have established good multi-disciplinary approaches by combining the other specialties through good and open communication with the other specialties are often the best. Beware of those who try to keep you in their care only. They usually are less helpful. Their egos are usually much bigger than their skill and knowledge sets.

So, when it comes to Doctors, whether M.D., Ph.D. or Psych.D., it is always caveat emptor, Let the buyer beware.

Just because there are lots of letters after a name does not mean they are any better. I have seen M.D.'s with Ph.D's that were in Public Administration or Public Health. These extra degrees are worthless to a patient.

Don't let the white lab coats and extra diplomas blind you to your true needs.