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Attitudes to psychiatry in doctors at the end of their first post-graduate year: two-year follow-up of a cohort of medical students

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

K. Sivakumar ,
Greg Wilkinson ,
Brian K. Toone  and
Steven Greer
K. Sivakumar
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College Hospital Medical School, and the General Practice Research Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, London
Greg Wilkinson*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College Hospital Medical School, and the General Practice Research Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, London
Brian K. Toone
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College Hospital Medical School, and the General Practice Research Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, London
Steven Greer
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College Hospital Medical School, and the General Practice Research Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, London
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr Greg wilkinson, General Practice Research Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, Dc Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF.
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Synopsis

The significantly favourable changes in medical students' general attitudes to psychiatry which we found after their 8-week clerkship in psychiatry and at the end of their clinical curriculum were not maintained at the end of their first post-graduate year. Three of their specific attitudes to psychiatry changed significantly in an unfavourable direction over this 2-year period. Our findings suggest that, while favourable changes in students' specific attitudes to psychiatry can be found following a clerkship, these attitudes do not seem to endure and, in some cases, they later become less favourable. The results are discussed with reference to the relationships between undergraduate medical training in psychiatry, attitudes to psychiatry, and subsequent career choice, particularly general practice.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 16 , Issue 2 , May 1986 , pp. 457 - 460
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1986

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