Outcomes of psychiatric residency training during the past decade

An assumption has existed that training in a psychoanalytically or psychodynamically oriented residency program would narrow the range of the trainees' interests and limit career pathways with a predominance of private practice. In order to test this assumption, a survey was undertaken of graduates of a psychoanalytically oriented program over a ten-year period with a view to determining the nature of their present professional activities. Results of the survey were compared to available national statistics for patterns of psychiatric professional practice and prove the assumptions to be invalid. We discuss some implications of this study and possible alternate explanations for the professional practice patterns that have emerged.