Some reflections on the role of the student in the mental hospital.

Considerable interest has been focused on the functions students can perform in the mental hospital. This paper presents a critique of the literature in which it is suggested that the student is often inducted into traditional hospital services or expected to work out a role which has little or no relevance for the larger hospital. A role model is put forth which it is hoped will make fuller use of the students' potential and make more meaningful his contributions to the total hospital.