A preventative approach to emotional illness in psychiatric residents.

Emotional illness in psychiatric residents and its relationship to psychiatric postgraduate training is examined. First, the pertinent literature is reviewed. Psychological and social factors which predispose, precipitate, and perpetuate these emotional disturbances are discussed. The significance of emotional illness in psychiatric residents to the teaching and learning of psychiatry and to the psychiatric profession is clarified. Second, the currently unresolved dilemma of the psychiatric resident "Teach or Treat?" is presented. It is the author's contention that by redefining "treatment" in terms of the goals and philosophy of public health this dilemma can be resolved to the satisfaction of resident, faculty, and the psychiatric profession.