Is Dr Drew a Psychiatrist or a Different Type of Doctor
Dr Drew Pinsky is not a psychiatrist. He is a board certified internist and addiction medicine specialist who completed residency in internal medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. His medical degree is from the University of Southern California School of Medicine, and he holds an unrestricted California medical license. He is widely known for hosting radio and television shows about addiction, relationships, and mental health, but his clinical training and board certification are in internal medicine and addiction medicine, not psychiatry.
Dr Drew has publicly described his role as an internist with a subspecialty focus on addiction medicine. He has treated patients in outpatient and residential settings, and he has served as medical director for addiction treatment programs. His work has appeared on networks including MTV, VH1, and Discovery Health, where he provided medical commentary on behavioral health topics. He is not licensed to practice psychiatry, and he does not identify as a psychiatrist in his professional biography or public statements.
Dr Drew Medical Training, Licenses, and Board Certifications
Medical Degree and Residency
Dr Drew earned his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Southern California School of Medicine, which is now part of the Keck School of Medicine. He completed his residency in internal medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, a large academic medical center in Los Angeles. His training focused on general internal medicine, with an emphasis on the management of substance use disorders and co occurring mental health conditions. He is board certified in internal medicine and addiction medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine.
State Medical License and Professional Affiliations
Dr Drew holds an active, unrestricted medical license in the state of California, issued by the Medical Board of California. He has been associated with several treatment organizations and has served as medical director for programs focused on addiction recovery. He has also been involved in media projects that discuss mental health, including shows on MTV, VH1, and Discovery Health, where he provided medical oversight and commentary. He is not affiliated with a psychiatry residency program and has not completed fellowship training in psychiatry.
Why Dr Drew Is Often Confused With a Psychiatrist
Many people assume Dr Drew is a psychiatrist because he frequently discusses mental health, addiction, and emotional issues on television and radio. His shows often feature guests who are psychiatrists, psychologists, and therapists, which can create the impression that he holds the same credentials. In reality, his expertise is rooted in internal medicine and addiction medicine, and he has focused his career on the medical management of substance use disorders rather than psychiatric diagnosis and pharmacotherapy.
Dr Drew has addressed these misconceptions in interviews and on his programs, clarifying that he is an internist and addiction medicine specialist. He has collaborated with psychiatrists and other mental health professionals in clinical and media settings, but he does not prescribe psychiatric medications or practice psychotherapy as a psychiatrist would. His public role has been to educate audiences about addiction and behavioral health, often referencing guidelines from organizations such as the American Society of Addiction Medicine and the National Institute on Drug Abuse. For more details on his career and media work, you can visit his page on IMDb and the Addiction Medicine section on the American Society of Addiction Medicine website.