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Medical students' attitudes to psychiatry at the end of the clinical curriculum

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

D. G. Wilkinson*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College Hospital, London
B. K. Toone
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College Hospital, London
S. Greer
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College Hospital, London
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr D. G. Wilkinson, General Practice Research Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF.

Synopsis

The significantly favourable changes in medical students' general attitude to psychiatry and intention to specialize in the subject, which we found after an 8-week psychiatric clerkship, were maintained one year later, at the time of the students' M.B., B.S. examinations. However, of 18 specific attitudes to psychiatry, only one changed significantly overall – fewer students agreed that ‘psychiatrists are held in poor regard by most other doctors’. Contrary to other reports, these preliminary findings suggest that a psychiatric clerkship may be followed by stable attitudes and intent towards the specialty.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1983

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References

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