Dr. Coon

Here’s a comprehensive summary of my path toward becoming a prescribing psychiatric medical professional after earning my master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling:

🧭 My Goal:

Become a doctor who can prescribe psychiatric medicine—ideally pursuing psychiatric medicine in a blue state near a major city, beginning school by September 2025, with relocation by July 2025.

🩺💊 Career Paths That Allow Psychiatric Prescribing:

1️⃣

1. Psychiatrist (MD or DO)

• Requires: Medical degree (MD or DO) + Psychiatry Residency

• Prescribes: All psychiatric medications

• Highest autonomy

• Next Steps:

  • Complete a Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Med Program to fulfill med school prerequisites

  • Take the MCAT

  • Apply to medical school (MD or DO)

  • 
    

2️⃣

2. Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)

• Requires: BSN → MSN or DNP in Psychiatric Mental Health

• Prescribes: Psychiatric meds (varies by state—full practice in many blue states)

• Shorter path than MD/DO

• You’d need:

  • Accelerated BSN (since you don’t have a nursing background)

  • Then MSN or DNP with PMHNP specialization

3️⃣

3. Physician Assistant (PA) – Psychiatry Specialization

• Requires: PA program + Psych clinical experience

• Prescribes: Psychiatric meds (under supervision, level depends on state)

• More flexibility but less autonomy than MD/DO or PMHNP
  
  

4️⃣

4. Clinical Pharmacist in Psychiatry

• Requires: PharmD + psychiatric residency

• Prescribes: Sometimes involved in med management, usually in team settings

• More indirect clinical involvement

5️⃣ 

🧪 What’s a Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Med Program?

If you're aiming for MD/DO:

• Designed for students without a science background

• Takes ~1 year full-time (or more part-time)

• Covers: Biology, Chemistry, Organic Chem, Physics, Math

• Often includes MCAT prep

• Some are career-changer focused and offer strong med school advising & linkage programs

📚 What is the MCAT?

• Required exam for all U.S. MD/DO programs

• Tests:

  • Bio/Biochem

  • Chem/Phys

  • Psych/Soc (you’d likely excel here!)

  • Critical Reading (CARS)

• Scored 472–528 (competitive score: 510+)

• Needs 6–12 months of study, 300–500 hours total

• Best taken after post-bacc program or science prep
  
  

🏫 My Ideal Next Step (Based on Your Goals):

If you want to become a prescribing doctor (MD or DO):

1. Apply to a post-bacc pre-med program now (for Summer/Fall 2025 start)

2. Relocate to a blue state near a city (e.g., Philly, NJ, Ann Arbor, Boston)

3. Use 2025–2026 to finish science prereqs + take the MCAT

4. Apply to med schools for a Fall 2027 start

📍States I'm Considering (All Blue + Good Options):

• Michigan: U-Mich (Ann Arbor), MSU, Wayne State

• Pennsylvania: Penn, Pitt, Drexel, Temple

• New Jersey: Rutgers, Rowan

• Other East Coast: Boston area (Harvard Extension, Tufts), NYC (Columbia, Fordham post-baccs), D.C.

4/24/2025 2004