Medical student and psychiatrist perceptions towards a psychiatric career
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate perceptions towards a career in psychiatry among medical students and psychiatrists and identify how recruitment into the specialty may be improved.
Design/methodology/approach
This study locally compares medical student and psychiatric doctor responses to a structured online survey and structured interviews with key managerial figures in the Humber NHS Foundation Trust.
Findings
Comparison across two main areas (pre-decision exposure to psychiatry and reasons for considering a psychiatric career) found that both students and doctors were influenced to make a choice about a career in psychiatry during medical school. Medical students found compatibility with family life to be more important when considering psychiatry, whereas doctors cited content-based reasons as significant pull factors. Stigma and fear of being harmed deterred some students from choosing a career in psychiatry. Structured interview responses reiterated the importance of pre-medical school and undergraduate mentorship in bolstering future recruitment to psychiatry.
Practical implications
Medical students perceive certain career issues differently to their postgraduate counterparts. Widening the content-based appeal of psychiatry and optimising the medical school experience of the specialty via varied and high-quality placements may be a key step towards tackling the national shortfall in qualified psychiatrists.
Originality/value
This is the first published study comparing medical student and psychiatric doctor perceptions of a career in psychiatry.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Dr D. Lawley and Dr S. Jones for their support and advice throughout this project, as well as those involved in the distribution and completion of the online surveys.
Citation
Flamini, T., Matthews, N.R., Castle, G.S. and Jones-Williams, E.M. (2017), "Medical student and psychiatrist perceptions towards a psychiatric career", Mental Health Review Journal, Vol. 22 No. 4, pp. 315-323. https://doi.org/10.1108/MHRJ-03-2017-0015
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited