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 View responses 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 Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Rajagopal, S. Articles by Godfrey, E. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Rajagopal, S. Articles by Godfrey, E.

Psychiatry as a career choice compared with other specialties: a survey of medical students

Consultant Psychiatrist, South London and Maudsley NHS Trust, St Thomas’ Hospital, London SE1 7EH

Kamaljit Singh Rehill

Medical Student, Guy’s, King’s and St Thomas’ School of Medicine, London

Emma Godfrey

Lecturer, Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Psychology, Guy’s Hospital, London

Declaration of interest

None.

AIMS AND METHOD

The aim of this study was to determine the attitudes of medical students in the UK towards different specialties as career options and to ascertain the position of psychiatry among these specialties. Students belonging to a London medical school completed a questionnaire.

RESULTS

Among the 301 students who completed the survey, psychiatry was the least popular clinical specialty. The study revealed that the students had a number of misconceptions about psychiatry. A family history of mental illness was significantly associated with choosing psychiatry as a career.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Considering the unpopularity of the specialty, it is likely that recruitment of psychiatrists will continue to be a major problem for the foreseeable future. Measures need to be taken to dispel the misconceptions about psychiatry.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				N. Craddock, D. Antebi, M.-J. Attenburrow, A. Bailey, A. Carson, P. Cowen, B. Craddock, J. Eagles, K. Ebmeier, A. Farmer, et al. Wake-up call for British psychiatry The British Journal of Psychiatry, July 1, 2008; 193(1): 6 - 9. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. M. Ndetei, L. Khasakhala, F. Ongecha-Owuor, M. Kuria, V. Mutiso, J. Syanda, and D. Kokonya Attitudes Toward Psychiatry: A Survey of Medical Students at the University of Nairobi, Kenya Acad Psychiatry, April 1, 2008; 32(2): 154 - 159. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Dein, G. Livingston, and C. Bench 'Why did I become a psychiatrist?': survey of consultant psychiatrists Psychiatr. Bull., June 1, 2007; 31(6): 227 - 230. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. M. Eagles, S. Wilson, J. M. Murdoch, and T. Brown What impact do undergraduate experiences have upon recruitment into psychiatry? Psychiatr. Bull., February 1, 2007; 31(2): 70 - 72. [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. G. El-Sayeh, S. Budd, R. Waller, and J. Holmes How to win the hearts and minds of students in psychiatry Advan. Psychiatr. Treat., May 1, 2006; 12(3): 182 - 192. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Minerva BMJ, March 19, 2005; 330(7492): E343 - E343. [Full Text] [PDF]

				Minerva BMJ, January 8, 2005; 330(7482): 102 - 102. [Full Text] [PDF]

eLetters: