Expanding psychiatry training: Australian specialists' and trainees' perceived gaps in experiences and settings

Objective: The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) is working together with the Australian Federal Government to expand the range of training experiences and settings with the object of producing better equipped and better distributed psychiatrists to address the rising prevalence of mental disorder. To assist in this process, the College sought the views of its Fellows (psychiatrists) and trainees concerning important gaps in clinical experience and the settings best suited to filling them. Method: An electronic survey was sent to all Australian RANZCP psychiatrists and trainees in June 2008. Results: Only 15% of psychiatrists and 28% of trainees responded to the survey. There was striking concordance, however, that psychological therapies required much greater emphasis and that this experience would best be acquired in the private healthcare system. Conclusions: These findings support the recommendations of the Medical Specialist Training Steering Committee's report on expanded settings, suggesting that RANZCP members are likely to engage enthusiastically in the expanded specialist training program. It will be important to ensure that trainees are well supervised in their treatment of anxiety, affective and substance abuse disorders.