8 Psychology Books for Medical Students Interested in Psychiatry

Psychiatry is an integral part of medicine that is considered as a unique medical specialty due to its interesting diagnostic and therapeutic complexities. Many medical students find psychiatry an interesting subject and want to pursue a career in this specialty because research in this field is advancing at a rapid rate. Imaging studies, the conceptualization of mental disorders, and the development of an integrative theory have made psychiatry an exciting field of medicine.

If you are interested in pursuing a career in psychiatry and want to learn about the integrative relation between mind and brain, mental healthcare research, and neuroscientific concepts, reading psychology books is a great idea. Here I have listed some best psychology books for medical students that can help them develop a deeper understanding of this interesting subject.

  1.       Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones

Atomic Habits is one of the best psychology books that offer practical strategies for habit formation. It is an audible audiobook that is written by James Clear. The author did his best in describing how to form good habits, break the bad ones, and make positive changes in your behavior to get astonishing results. He beautifully explained how you could change your bad behavior and revealed a proven system that can help you take new heights of success. The book uses ideas from biology, psychology, and neurosciences to create a better understanding for readers and how they can transform their habits and achieve their goals.

  1.       The Comprehensive Clinician’s Guide to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

If you want to strengthen your concepts of cognitive behavioral therapy, it is one of the best psychology books that bring you’re the most advanced and comprehensive information on this interesting subject. The book is a great choice for medical students, residents, mental health professionals, trainers, clinicians, and teachers. You will find practical and easy-to-understand tools that will help you put theory into practice.

The book includes coping cards, worksheets, interesting activities, and a step-by-step guide that will allow you how to treat your patients, build their confidence, and eliminate their self-doubt. By reading this book, you will know how to create treatment plans for patients with depression, bipolar disorder, psychosis, personality disorders, and so on.

  1.       Encyclopedia of Counseling

The author of this amazing book is Howard Rosenthal in which he tried to provide all the important information you need to pass counseling exams. The book includes a number of questions and answers and written in a user-friendly and interactive style that will help you learn how to counsel. You will find a number of topics, including career counseling, social media, addictions, neurocounseling, the latest research trends and much more.

  1.       101 Trauma-Informed Interventions

This is one of the best psychology books that can help you begin a successful career in this rewarding field. The book beautifully explains how to deal with trauma and provides a number of treatment options for trauma. For example, energy psychology, gestalt therapy, art therapy, EFT, DBT, CBT, mindfulness, psychodrama, movement therapies and much more.

  1.       Insider’s Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology

This guide is written by Michael A. Sayette, John C. Norcross, which is considered as an excellent choice for those students planning to pursue graduate education. This book serves as a how-to guide for students who are searching for grad schools or looking to apply to a medical school. This guide mainly focuses on the application process by providing reference documents, timelines and worksheets. You will also find warnings and advice in a user-friendly and easy-to-digest format that make it easier for students to take the right decision.

  1.       5 Steps to a 5: AP Psychology 

This book is exclusively written to prepare you for AP psychology exams. This test guide includes an easy-to-follow study plan for students that will help them build the skills and knowledge required to succeed in the exams. By practicing hundreds of practice exercises present in this book, your test-taking confidence will definitely increase. In addition, you will know how to answer multiple-choice questions and score impressive marks in this difficult exam. The study guide also includes powerful analytics to check your test readiness.

  1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Made Simple

The book beautifully highlights the strategies you should follow to treat anxiety, depression, anger, panic and worries. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Made Simple provides all the essential aspects of cognitive behavioral therapy and help you learn how to apply the basic principles to cope with these mental conditions. You will find easy-to-follow steps, such as writing down your goals, controlling your negative thoughts and a number of other options required for the healing process. It is the best choice to learn how to overcome challenges and boost your overall wellbeing.

  1. 8. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

It is the most comprehensive resource for students doing their clinical clerkships, researchers and mental health clinicians, physicians, counselors, nurses, and other health professionals.  The book clearly defines and classifies mental disorders that will help you diagnose and create treatment plans. You will find information on neurodevelopmental disorders as well as neurocognitive disorders.