The American Medical Association is opposing efforts in Virginia to grant psychologists the authority to prescribe medication — a power already permitted in seven states.
Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, New Mexico and Utah allow some psychologists to prescribe medications, according to a Sept. 25 report from the AMA. A June report published in Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice identified 226 prescribing psychologists nationwide.
In Virginia, lawmakers have directed a work group to study the issue and report findings by Nov. 1, according to the report. The AMA submitted comments to the state’s medical and psychology boards opposing the move, citing concerns about patient safety and inadequate training.
The organization argues that psychologists are not medically trained to evaluate or manage complex health conditions that may appear as psychiatric symptoms. It pointed to differences in clinical training, noting psychiatrists receive 12,000 to 16,000 hours of patient care during residency, while the psychopharmacology curriculum endorsed by the American Psychological Association includes 400 didactic hours.
AMA council members, including Rebecca Weintraub Brendel, MD, chair of the AMA Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs, and VijayaLakshmi Appareddy, MD, vice chair of the AMA Council on Legislation, expressed concern over risks posed by nonphysician prescribers.
In a statement, Dr. Brendel said psychiatric medications can affect multiple organ systems and require careful monitoring — a responsibility she said demands broad medical knowledge.
“Being attuned to the entire realm of diagnostic possibility and then narrowing it down based on knowledge, experience and skill is really what distinguishes a psychiatrist from any other kind of mental health professional,” Dr. Brendel said.
The AMA supports alternative strategies to expand access to mental healthcare, including telehealth, collaborative care models and increasing residency slots in psychiatry. In 2025, 70% of the new residency slots funded by CMS will be in primary care and psychiatry.
