Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Improving Recruitment and Funding in Psychiatry by Teaching College Undergraduates

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Academic Psychiatry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

To explore attitudes among leaders in psychiatric training about the usefulness of teaching college undergraduates about psychiatry and to assess benefits in recruitment and funding.

Method

A survey of current practices and beliefs was sent to most adult and child psychiatry residency training directors (RTDs) and Chairs of academic departments of psychiatry in the U.S.). A follow-up survey was then sent to RTDs at responding programs that teach undergraduates. Interviews were also conducted with education experts to learn about the potential financial benefits of teaching undergraduates.

Results

Of the 289 (64%) respondents to the first survey, 237 (82%) expressed that teaching undergraduates might or would lead to increased recruitment. All RTDs at responding programs that offered courses answered the second survey, and four reported that undergraduate teaching brings in revenue. Experts confirmed the financial feasibility of these courses.

Conclusion

Undergraduate psychiatry courses may increase overall recruitment and provide financial benefits for the departments that offer such courses.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Moran M: Pendulum swings back to specialty training. Psychiatr News, April 2003; 38: 24–25

    Google Scholar 

  2. http://www.nrmp.org/res_match/tables/table2_2003.pdf

  3. http://www.aacap.org/training/action_mc.pdf

  4. http://www.nrmp.org/fellow/match_name/child/stats.html

  5. http://www.aadprt.org/downloads/GME/GME_Financing_Summary.rtf

  6. http://www.aadprt.org/downloads/GME/GME_Update_11.rtf

  7. http://www.aacap.org/training/WFN.PDF

  8. Flaherty JA, Blumberg P: Clinical psychology: a potential pool for recruitment. J Med Educ 1984; 59: 135–141

    Google Scholar 

  9. http://nces.Ed.gov/programs/digest/d03/tables/dt293.asp

  10. Karno M, Lehman A: Teaching psychiatry to university undergraduate students. J Med Educ 1981; 56: 64–66

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Nielsen AC, Eaton JS: Medical students’ attitudes about psychiatry: implications for psychiatric recruitment. Am J Psychiatry 1981; 138: 1144–1154

    Google Scholar 

  12. Zimny GH, Lindbergh SS: Influence of factors before and during medical school on choice of psychiatry as a specialty. Am J Psychiatry 1986; 143: 77–80

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Taintor Z, Robinowitz C: Report to the National Institute of Mental Health. J Psychiatry Educ 1981; 5: 157–178

    Google Scholar 

  14. Beresin EV: Child and adolescent psychiatry residency training: current issues and controversies. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 1997; 36: 1339–1348

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Acad Psychiatry 2003; Volume 27, number 4

  16. Feifel D, Moutier C, Swerdlow NR: Attitudes toward psychiatry as a prospective career among students entering medical school. Am J Psychiatry 1999; 156: 1397–1402

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Sierles F, Yager J, Weissman S: Recruitment of US medical graduates into psychiatry. Acad Psychiatry 2003; 27: 252–259

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Children’s Center at Langley Porter, University of California at San Francisco, 401 Parnassus Ave., Rm. LP 140, San Francisco, California, 94143-0984, USA

    Kenneth J. Braslow M.D. (Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellow) &  Glen R. Elliott Ph.D., M.D.

  2. Department of Psychiatry, Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas, USA

    Daniel J. Feeney M.D. &  Anneke C. Bush ScD, MHS

  3. Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA

    Kenneth L. Matthews M.D.

Authors
  1. Kenneth J. Braslow M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Daniel J. Feeney M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Glen R. Elliott Ph.D., M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Kenneth L. Matthews M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Anneke C. Bush ScD, MHS
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kenneth J. Braslow M.D..

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Braslow, K.J., Feeney, D.J., Elliott, G.R. et al. Improving Recruitment and Funding in Psychiatry by Teaching College Undergraduates. Acad Psychiatry 29, 459–463 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ap.29.5.459

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ap.29.5.459

Keywords

Search

Navigation