The impact of medical school on future psychiatrists

Although psychiatry and clinical medicine share ideals about what distinguishes a good practitioner, medical schools do not select students on the basis of these qualities. Moreover, they seem to discourage many interested students from choosing psychiatry. Part of the problem is that psychiatry is poorly taught. Research suggests that psychiatry can be better taught and that medical students will be receptive. However, the clash between the values of technological medicine and psychiatry has created discouragement, with the ironic result that medical students rate psychiatrists poorly because they embody the very qualities that distinguish the good clinician.