OBJECTIVE: The aim of this paper was to determine the teaching activities most valued by medical students in the psychiatry rotation and to examine whether this varies with age, gender or stage of training. METHOD: Medical students at Sydney Medical School were surveyed following an 8-week clinical attachment in psychiatry. Differences in ratings between activities were examined by means of ANOVA and post hoc contrasts. RESULTS: The learning activities involving face-to-face teaching received the highest ratings. The most valued tutorial was that given weekly by a dedicated academic clinician. No differences were seen with respect to age and gender. Inconsistent differences were seen between stages of training for skills sessions, but no other learning activities. CONCLUSIONS: Face-to-face clinical teaching should be a priority in clinical attachments in psychiatry as it is highly valued by students and contributes to positive attitudes towards psychiatry.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this paper was to determine the teaching activities most valued by medical students in the psychiatry rotation and to examine whether this varies with age, gender or stage of training. METHOD: Medical students at Sydney Medical School were surveyed following an 8-week clinical attachment in psychiatry. Differences in ratings between activities were examined by means of ANOVA and post hoc contrasts. RESULTS: The learning activities involving face-to-face teaching received the highest ratings. The most valued tutorial was that given weekly by a dedicated academic clinician. No differences were seen with respect to age and gender. Inconsistent differences were seen between stages of training for skills sessions, but no other learning activities. CONCLUSIONS: Face-to-face clinical teaching should be a priority in clinical attachments in psychiatry as it is highly valued by students and contributes to positive attitudes towards psychiatry.