Shrinking away from psychiatry? A survey of Australianmedical students' interest in psychiatry

Malhi, Gin S; Parker, Gordon; Parker, Kay; Kirkby, Kenneth C.; Boyce, Philip; Yellowlees, Peter Mackinlay; Hornabrook, Charles; Jones, Ken

doi:10.1046/j.1440-1614.2001.00991.x

Cited by 60 publications

(72 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…However, the majority (47.16%) thought that psychiatric treatment had become more efficient in recent years. Two other studies by Melhiet al have reported similar results [25,26]. In part 2: The majority of students and intern had a 1366 neutral attitude toward psychiatric knowledge, 62.38%, and 83.28% showed a neutral to negative attitude toward the scientific knowledge of psychiatry, and that most facts in psychiatry are just vague speculations, respectively.…”

Section: Positive Attitudementioning

confidence: 52%

Medical Students Attitude Toward Psychiatry in Umm Al-Qura University: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Sarhan¹,

Alkhiri²,

Maqadmi³

et al. 2017

IJAR

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Background: Several studies worldwide reported negative attitude toward psychiatry from medical students and interns. Despite the increasing demand for psychiatry and mental health services, psychiatrists' numbers are still low, and the field of psychiatry is still attracting a lower number of medical students. Objective: This study aims to measure the attitude of medical students and interns toward psychiatry in Umm Al-Qura University medical college, Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Method: A Cross-sectional study. A web-based Attitude Toward Psychiatry (ATP-30) questionnaire was distributed among randomly chosen interns and 6th-year medical students, who had completed their psychiatry course and rotation, and to fourth and 5th-year medical students, who did not have any previous exposure to psychiatry. Results: A total of 335 participants completed the survey, of which 168 were males, and 167 were females. Among them, only 53 are considering psychiatry as a career, while 193 did not, and 89 are not sure. The participants showed an overall positive attitude with the mean scoring of 98.09 ±12.22 on the ATP-30 questionnaire, with male participants showing more positive attitude (99.65±11.48) than female participants (96.44±12.79). The most neutral responses were about how facts in psychiatry are just vague speculations, how their undergraduate training in psychiatry was valuable, and that psychiatry cannot be taughteffectively because it is so amorphous. Negative attitude was observed in the areas concerning the choice of psychiatry as a future career and viewing psychiatric hospitals as little more than prisons. Positive attitude toward areas on the validity of psychotherapy, viewing psychiatry as a respected branch of medicine, attention toward mental illness, and the humanity of the mentally ill. Significant differences based on gender were observed in the areas measuring attitude toward psychiatric patients, psychiatric illness, psychiatry, and psychiatrists. The prior exposure to psychiatry teaching and practice did not seem to affect the attitude. Conclusions: Interns and students overall showed neutral to positive ATP. Proper evaluation and subsequent modification to the current

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Section: Positive Attitudementioning

confidence: 52%

Medical Students Attitude Toward Psychiatry in Umm Al-Qura University: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Sarhan¹,

Alkhiri²,

Maqadmi³

et al. 2017

IJAR

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“…3,6,9,19,28,31 More than half of our student sample was put off a career in psychiatry by these perceptions. It was encouraging that students became less discouraged by a perceived lack of evidence base; possibly this relates in part to fourth-year Aberdeen students' participation in preparation and presentation of an evidence-based case study in psychiatry.…”

Section: Influences On Students' Career Choicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…3,8,27,28 These factors are, presumably, quite closely related to students' exposure to negative comments ('bad mouthing') about psychiatry and psychiatrists; such comments are not confined to psychiatry but have been reported as exerting a negative effect on perceptions of a career in bad-mouthed specialties. 29,30 However, only a small percentage of students endorsed the feeling that either the prestige of psychiatry or the prevalence of negative comments discouraged them 'a lot'.…”

Section: Influences On Students' Career Choicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors that discourage medical students from pursuing a career in psychiatry

Curtis-Barton

Eagles

2011

Psychiatrist

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Aims and methodThis cross-sectional study investigated the evolution of intentions among medical students to pursue a career in psychiatry and the factors that might discourage them from becoming a psychiatrist. A questionnaire survey was sent to medical students in years 1–5 at Aberdeen University.ResultsFrom 918 students, 467 (51%) returned useable responses. Proportions of students across the 5-year groups who definitely or probably intended to become psychiatrists remained fairly stable at 4–7%. In their final year, psychiatry remained a possible career option for a further 17% of students. The most potent discouraging factor was the perception of poor prognoses among psychiatric patients. Perceptions of a lack of scientific/evidence base reduced enthusiasm for becoming a psychiatrist. Issues relating to the prestige of the specialty were also important.ImplicationsIf recruitment to the specialty is to improve, these negative perceptions among students should be addressed by their teachers and more widely within psychiatry.

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“…A number of studies have found perceived prestige, or lack thereof, to be associated with specific career choices. 13,[24][25][26][27] Role models have been found to broadly influence medical career choice. [28][29][30] Given that only 2.3% of students had a close family member or friend practising emergency medicine, it is likely that role models had not yet exerted an influence on career decision-making for most of the study population.…”

Section: ; 11 (3) 201mentioning

confidence: 99%

Emergency medicine as a career choice: a descriptive study of Canadian medical students

Scott

Abu‐Laban

Gowans

et al. 2009

CJEM

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Background: Studies indicate that a student's career interest at medical school entry is related to his or her ultimate career. We sought to determine the level of interest in emergency medicine among students at the time of medical school entry, and to describe characteristics associated with students primarily interested in emergency medicine. Methods: We surveyed students in 18 medical school classes from 8 Canadian universities between 2001 and 2004 at the commencement of their studies. Participants listed their top career choice and the degree to which a series of variables influenced their choices. We also collected demographic data. Results: Of 2420 surveys distributed, 2168 (89.6%) were completed. A total of 6.1% (95% confidence interval 5.1%-7.1%) of respondents cited emergency medicine as their first career choice. When compared with students primarily interested in family medicine, those primarily interested in emergency medicine reported a greater influence of hospital orientation and a lesser influence of social orientation on their career choice. When compared with students primarily interested in the surgical specialties, those primarily interested in emergency medicine were more likely to report medical lifestyle and varied scope of practice as important influences. When compared with students primarily interested in the medical specialties, those who reported interest in emergency medicine were more likely to report that a hospital orientation and varied scope of practice were important influences, and less likely to report that social orientation was important. Conclusion: Students primarily interested in emergency medicine at medical school entry have attributes that differentiate them from students primarily interested in family medicine, the surgical specialties or the medical specialties. These findings may help guide future initiatives regarding emergency medicine education. RÉSUMÉContexte : Des études révèlent l'existence d'un lien entre le domaine professionnel qui intéresse l'étudiant au moment de son entrée à la faculté de médecine et la carrière qu'il choisit au final. Nous avons voulu déterminer le degré d'intérêt à l'endroit de la médecine d'urgence chez les étudiants au moment de leur entrée à la faculté de médecine et décrire les caractéristiques de ceux qui manifestaient un intérêt particulier pour ce domaine. Méthodes : Nous avons réalisé un sondage auprès d'étudi-ants inscrits à 18 cours de médecine de 8 universités canadiennes entre 2001 et 2004, au début de leurs études. Les participants ont dressé la liste de leurs préférences en matière de choix de carrière et indiqué à quel degré une série de variables influait sur leurs choix. Nous avons aussi recueilli des données démographiques. Résultats : Sur les 2420 questionnaires distribués, 2168 (89,6 %) ont été remplis. En tout, 6,1 % (intervalle de confiance à 95 % de 5,1 à 7,1 %) des répondants ont classé la médecine d'urgence au premier rang parmi leurs choix de carrière. Comparativement aux étudiants qui s'intéressaie...

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Shrinking away from psychiatry? A survey of Australianmedical students' interest in psychiatry

Cited by 60 publications

References 40 publications

Medical Students Attitude Toward Psychiatry in Umm Al-Qura University: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Medical Students Attitude Toward Psychiatry in Umm Al-Qura University: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Factors that discourage medical students from pursuing a career in psychiatry

Emergency medicine as a career choice: a descriptive study of Canadian medical students

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