<p>If you like psychology it is a perfectly fine major for premedical study. It also provides a backup pathway if medical school does not work out-clinical psychology. This could be at the doctoral level to become a fully independent practitioner akin to a physician, or a masters level such as a social worker.</p>
<p>You should know that psychiatrists, as medical doctors, do not spend all that much of their time on psychology. They know much more about psychology than do other doctors, but it is not the main thing they work on. It sounds strange, but they deal increasingly with those conditions that have known biological causes, and that can be treated with medication. If you want to do more classic psychology-based talk therapy, you probably want to be a psychologist rather than a psychiatrist. </p>
<p>You should also know that academic psychology, of the type you might study in college, has relatively little to do with clinical psychology or psychiatry. It is interesting, but most of it is not directed towards diagnosis and treating human psychological problems.</p>