Teaching Psychiatry to First Year Medical Students in Small Groups: Specification and Evaluation of Goals

Abstract

A questionnaire was designed to measure the process of education in teaching psychiatry to first year medical students in small groups. A set of goals was delineated by the course instructors and evaluated by student raters from each small group on a week by week basis. A pattern of linear increase in the ratings indicated that the course was definitely helping the students forge a professional identity in dealing with patients but was falling short in teaching students about establishing an alliance with patients and methods of communicating with patients. This assessment technique was not able to answer the larger question about the overall worth of the small group experience in teaching about the doctor-patient relationship, but it did yield information on areas where the course was succeeding and areas where more or different efforts were required.