HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS British Journal of Psychiatry Advances in Psychiatric Treatment All RCPsych Journals		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit an eLetter Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Related articles in PB Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Dein, K. Articles by Bench, C. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Dein, K. Articles by Bench, C.

‘Why did I become a psychiatrist?’: survey of consultant psychiatrists

North London Forensic Services, Chase Farm Hospital, The Ridgeway, Enfield EN2 8JL, email: kalthomas{at}yahoo.co.uk

Gill Livingston, Professor of Psychiatry of Older People

Department of Mental Health Sciences, University College London

Christopher Bench, Consultant Psychiatrist

West London Mental Health NHS Trust, The Claybrook Centre, London W6 8LN

Declaration of interest

None.

AIMS AND METHOD

To find out why consultant psychiatrists chose psychiatry as a career. A questionnaire was developed and posted to 87 consultant psychiatrists in substantive posts within a London psychiatric training scheme.

RESULTS

The survey had a response rate of 83% (72 out of 87).The majority of consultants (n=40) chose psychiatry as a career after leaving medical school. The most important reasons cited were empathy with the patient group (36.1%), the interface of psychiatry with the neurosciences (25%), the better working conditions expected in psychiatry (20.8%) and medical school teaching of the subject (19.4%).

CONCLUSIONS

The study highlights the need for recruitment efforts after medical school. The findings also reflect the lasting influence of medical school exposure to psychiatry. Interventions for improving recruitment in psychiatry are suggested. The under-recruitment of British medical graduates is masked by overseas recruitment into the specialty.

Related articles in PB:

Enticing GP trainees

Anthony S. Hale
PB 2007 31: 435. [Full Text]