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Psychiatric training in medicine residencies: current needs, practices, and satisfaction
M D Sullivan1, S A Cole, G E Gordon
1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle 98195, USA.
General Hospital Psychiatry
|March 1, 1996
Summary
Internal medicine residencies need more psychiatric training. Most program directors are unsatisfied with current psychiatric education, highlighting deficiencies in key areas like depression and somatoform disorders.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Psychiatry
- Internal Medicine
Background:
- Primary care physicians manage most outpatient psychiatric disorders.
- Internal medicine residencies are crucial for training future primary care physicians.
- Current psychiatric training levels in internal medicine may be inadequate.
Purpose of the Study:
- Assess psychiatric training in internal medicine residencies.
- Evaluate satisfaction with existing psychiatric training.
- Identify perceived needs for enhanced psychiatric education.
Main Methods:
- Surveys distributed to training directors of accredited primary care and categorical internal medicine residencies in the U.S.
- Response rates: 62% for primary care (110/178) and 58% for categorical (238/410).
- Data analysis of returned survey responses regarding training content and satisfaction.
Main Results:
- A significant majority (75% categorical, 66% primary care) believe more time should be dedicated to psychiatric disorders.
- Primary care programs offered more intensive psychiatric training with higher satisfaction, yet less than half of directors were satisfied overall.
- Deficiencies were most noted in training for somatoform disorders, psychotropic drugs, and office psychotherapy.
Conclusions:
- Internal medicine residency directors perceive current psychiatric training as insufficient.
- Enhanced psychiatric training is needed, particularly in somatoform disorders, psychotropic medications, and psychotherapy.
- Collaborations between medicine and psychiatry departments are essential to improve psychiatric care in primary settings.