Recruitment into psychiatry

Abstract

To improve recruitment, the College should focus on influences before and after undergraduate training - the kind of student entering medical school and the factors favouring sustained psychiatric practice after graduation.

A career in child and adolescent psychiatry? Survey of trainees' views

“…Although historically psychiatry has responded to recruitment problems by focusing on the undergraduate curriculum, improvements in attitudes towards psychiatry are generally not maintained (Brockington et al, 2002). This is despite the increasing share of curriculum time, introduction of modern teaching methods and the establishment of chairs in psychiatry at almost all medical schools.…”

Who wants to do psychiatry?

“…There has been increasing concern about the recruitment crisis into psychiatry in the UK (Brockington & Mumford, 2002;Storer, 2002) and in other countries, including North America (Sierles & Taylor, 1995;Weintraub et al, 1999). Studies examining the career preferences of newly-qualified doctors in the UK indicate that only about 4% specify psychiatry as their first preference (Lambert et al, 1996), although the number entering psychiatric training (about 8%) is greater than expected from the career aims of graduands (Brockington & Mumford, 2002).…”

“…Studies examining the career preferences of newly-qualified doctors in the UK indicate that only about 4% specify psychiatry as their first preference (Lambert et al, 1996), although the number entering psychiatric training (about 8%) is greater than expected from the career aims of graduands (Brockington & Mumford, 2002). Many studies have investigated factors influencing medical students in their choice of psychiatry as a career, including personality, perceived lifestyle, family background and the effect of the undergraduate medical curriculum (Eagle & Marcos, 1981;Zimney & Lindbergh, 1986;Mobray et al, 1990;Ney et al, 1990;Lee et al, 1995).…”

“…For psychiatry, these include personality factors, gender, perceived status of psychiatry, financial considerations, curiosity and learning style (Mobray et al, 1990;Ney et al, 1990). The importance of the medical school curriculum itself in influencing the choice of specialty has been debated by researchers (Brockington & Mumford, 2002), but many studies have emphasised the importance of clinical influences at medical school, in particular the psychiatric clerkship or 'firm'. Factors cited most frequently in positively influencing the choice of psychiatry include the psychiatrist-patient relationship, emphasis on treating the 'whole person', amount of patient interaction, and positive experiences with members of the psychiatric faculty or department (Zimney & Lindbergh, 1986;Ney et al, 1990;Lee et al, 1995;Kirchner & Owen, 1996).…”

“…These are all experiences that are promoted by participation in the SPS; indeed, one of the main original aims was to enable students to learn in more depth about the doctor-patient relationship. Studies have suggested that giving medical students clinical responsibility promotes interest in psychiatry (Brockington & Mumford, 2002). The scheme represents for the students their only long-term continuous contact with a patient, as well as a teacher, during their medical training.…”