system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: What is the difference between a Psychologist, and a psychiatrist?
gpt
A psychiatrist is a board-certified medical doctor. They completed medical school, followed by a residency in psychiatry. They're MDs and simply chose a different path than say, surgeons. Since they are doctors, they can prescribe medications and also see more extreme cases.

A psychologist is not a medical doctor. They may be equally equipped to talk to you about your problems, but they cannot prescribe and manage medications for you. Generally speaking there are far more psychologists than psychiatrists, and can act as a "frontline" before referring you to a psychiatrist. For example if you see a psychologist and they're sure you need treatment for depression, they have to refer you to a medical doctor.