The teaching of formulation. Facts and deficiencies

Reasons are presented for believing that the skill of formulation is inadequately covered in textbooks. A survey was made of 57 psychiatric training centres in Canada, the U.S.A. and the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (in which 1324 doctors are trained). Of North American respondents only a minority give written guidelines about how a formulation should be undertaken. In the United Kingdom and Ireland 55% issue written guidelines. Only 31% of all centres polled give references on the topic. The results are discussed and a brief schema to help trainees formulate cases is proposed.