The value of a registrar psychotherapy post to psychiatry training

This paper describes the psychotherapy registrar position developed at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne in response to the Australian Government's Specialist Training Position initiative of 2009. This impressionistic piece outlines features of the registrar's clinical work, supervision and professional development. This paper will focus on: 1) the history of the position; 2) its developmental function embedded within the clinical responsibilities of the role; 3) how this position is different from the existing Royal and Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatry psychotherapy training requirements; and 4) infrastructure issues of the position.

This psychotherapy registrar position is a novel role that provides an opportunity to work in an intensive and sustained way with patients and within multidisciplinary teams whilst being supported by supervision and a rich teaching milieu. It offers experience of psychotherapeutic work not usually available in public mental health services. It thus assists the development of psychotherapeutic skills that are likely to enhance the future practice of those undertaking the role.