Abstract
Effective recruitment of psychiatric residents begins with understanding medical students’ motivations for entering psychiatry. The author reviews the recent literature on the personalities of medical students interested in psychiatry compared with those interested in other specialties, the positive and negative factors that medical students cite when deciding whether to enter psychiatry, and the variables that are important to medical students and residents when selecting psychiatry residency programs. The implications of these studies for enhancing recruitment into psychiatry are discussed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Kay J, Bienenfeld D: The role of the residency training director in psychiatric recruitment. Academic Psychiatry 1992; 16:127–133
American Psychiatric Association memorandum from JH Scully, M.D.: Results of the 1994 National Residents Matching Program. Washington, DC, American Psychiatric Association, April 5, 1994
Perry S, Cella DF, Klar H, et al: Medical students selecting psychiatric careers—a distinct breed. Journal of Psychiatric Education 1988; 12:170–181
Weissman SH, Bashook PG: Forty-year trends in selecting a psychiatric career. Psychiatr Q 1991; 62:81–93
Onady AA, Rodenhauser P, Markert RJ: Effects of stress and social phobia on medical students’ specialty choices. Journal of Medical Education 1988; 63:162–169
Bartnick LW, Kappelman MM, Berger JH, et al: The value of the California Psychological Inventory in predicting medical students’ career choice. Med Educ 1985; 19:143–147
Zeldow PB, Daugherty SR: Personality profiles and specialty choices of students from two medical school classes. Acad Med 1991; 66:283–287
Friedman CP, Slatt LM: New results relating the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and medical specialty choice. Journal of Medical Education 1988; 63:323–327
Lemkau JP, Purdy RR, Rafferty JP, et al: Correlates of burnout among family practice residents. Journal of Medical Education 1988; 63:682r–691
Babbott D, Baldwin DC, Killian CD, et al: Trends in evolution of specialty choice: comparison of US medical school graduates in 1983 and 1987. Jama 1989; 261:2367–2373
De Titta M, Robinowitz CB, More WW: The future of psychiatry: psychiatrists of the future. Am J Psychiatry 1991; 148:853–358
Zimny GH, Sata LS: Influence of factors before and during medical school on choice of psychiatry as a specialty. Am J Psychiatry 1986; 143:77–80
Creed F, Goldberg D: Students’ attitudes toward psychiatry. Med Educ 1987; 21:227–234
Frank D, Propst A, Goldhamer P: The effects of teaching medical students psychotherapy skills in the out-patient department. Can J Psychiatry 1987; 32:185–189
Moni PC, Lomax J, Tasman A, et al: Psychotherapy training for the psychiatrist of the future. Am J Psychiatry 1990; 147:7–13
Weissman SH, Bashook PG: A view of the prospective child psychiatrist. Am J Psychiatry 1986; 143:722–727
Herz LR: Aspects of teaching psychotherapy to medical students. Psychiatr Q 1984; 56:151–156
Duthrie EH, Donnelly MB, Kirsling RA: Fourth-year students’ preference for geriatrics as a career. Journal of Medical Education 1987; 62:511–514
Cameron P, Persad E: Recruitment into psychiatry: a study of the timing and process of choosing psychiatry as a career. Can J Psychiatry 1984; 29:676–680
Jarecky RK, Schwartz RW, Haley JV, et al: Stability of medical specialty selection at the University of Kentucky. Acad Med 1991; 66:756–761
Tardiff K, Cella D, Seiferth C, et al: Selection and change of specialties by medical school graduates. Journal of Medical Education 1986; 61:790–796
Simmonds AC, Robbins JM, Brinker MR, et al: Factors important to students in selecting a residency program. Acad Med 1990; 65:640–643
Santos AB, Roberts JM, Saunders BE: Variables influencing the choice of a psychiatry residency program. Journal of Psychiatric Education 1988; 12:129–133
Haupt DN, Farber NJ, Volkman EA, et al: Psychiatry/medicine: a comparison of factors in resident role satisfaction. Journal of Psychiatric Education 1987; 11:78–86
National Advisory Mental Health Council: Health care reform for Americans with severe mental illnesses: Report of the National Advisory Mental Health Council. Am J Psychiatry 1993; 150:1447–1465
Council on Long Range Planning and Development: The future of psychiatry. Jama 1990264:2542–2548
Katzelnick DJ, Gonzales JJ, Conley MC, et al: Teaching psychiatry residents to teach. Academic Psychiatry 1991; 15:153–159
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jurvetson, K.T. Characteristics of Medical Students and Residents Who Select Psychiatry. Acad Psychiatry 19, 125–131 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03341422
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03341422