Abstract
Objective
Traditional teaching in psychiatry does little to address recovery concepts. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incorporation of a recovery-focused teaching program for medical students in psychiatry.
Methods
Recovery, as understood by medical students who had participated in a recovery-focused teaching program, was assessed by thematic analysis of recovery-focused assessment reflections.
Results
Six major themes emerged from the recovery reflections from final year medical students are as follows: (1) recovery as a person-centered approach, (2) the need for social integration, (3) non-diagnostic framing of mental illness, (4) tensions between the medical model and personal recovery, (5) a patient’s willingness to engage with mental health services, and (6) the development of a positive sense of self.
Conclusions
A recovery teaching program was associated with students expressing knowledge of recovery principles and positive attitudes towards people with experience of mental illness. Psychiatric placements for medical students may benefit from a recovery focus.
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Funding
Funding for Georgia Beverley was provided by a University of Otago Summer Scholarship. All other authors are paid employees of the University of Otago Wellington.
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This work was approved by the ethic committee, University of Otago, number 16/30.
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On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.
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Newton-Howes, G., Beverley, G., Ellis, P.M. et al. What Do Final Year Medical Students Understand by the Concept of Recovery? A Descriptive Qualitative Study. Acad Psychiatry 42, 382–385 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40596-017-0823-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40596-017-0823-0