A Preclinical Medical Student Program: Student Reactions to Interviewing Psychiatric Inpatients

This article describes a preclinical training program for medical students conducted in a state psychiatric hospital for more than 3 decades. Small groups of students and instructors interviewed patients about their experience with mental illness and participated in follow-up discussions. The students' post-training feedback demonstrates how empathy can evolve within the context of an emotionally powerful firsthand experience. This raises the question of whether direct contact with psychiatric inpatients with serious mental illness in the early years of medical school can reduce stigmatization and improve empathy. More research in this area is needed.

Prim Care Companion CNS Disord 2025;27(4):25m03923.

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