E K Lee1, N Kaltreider, J Crouch. 1. Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco 94143, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This is a time of major shifts in the perception of medical specialties. The authors have attempted to assess current attitudes of potential applicants for a residency in psychiatry. METHOD: Pilot interviews with fourth-year medical students at the University of California, San Francisco, led to the development of a questionnaire on factors influencing the choice of psychiatry as a specialty. The questionnaire was then sent to 113 fourth-year students with an identified psychiatric interest at nine schools. RESULTS: There was a response rate of 50.4%. The 54 students with a clear career decision had 22 of 38 item responses that significantly distinguished between those who matched in psychiatry and those who chose other specialties. CONCLUSIONS: Focused recruitment strategies are suggested based on answers to the questionnaire items.
OBJECTIVE: This is a time of major shifts in the perception of medical specialties. The authors have attempted to assess current attitudes of potential applicants for a residency in psychiatry. METHOD: Pilot interviews with fourth-year medical students at the University of California, San Francisco, led to the development of a questionnaire on factors influencing the choice of psychiatry as a specialty. The questionnaire was then sent to 113 fourth-year students with an identified psychiatric interest at nine schools. RESULTS: There was a response rate of 50.4%. The 54 students with a clear career decision had 22 of 38 item responses that significantly distinguished between those who matched in psychiatry and those who chose other specialties. CONCLUSIONS: Focused recruitment strategies are suggested based on answers to the questionnaire items.
Authors: Norman Sartorius; Wolfgang Gaebel; Helen-Rose Cleveland; Heather Stuart; Tsuyoshi Akiyama; Julio Arboleda-Flórez; Anja E Baumann; Oye Gureje; Miguel R Jorge; Marianne Kastrup; Yuriko Suzuki; Allan Tasman Journal: World Psychiatry Date: 2010-10 Impact factor: 49.548