Psychiatric trainees in the Wessex Region gave their own lectures on an MRCPsych course and received feedback on their performance from their peers. The form and content of the lectures were given high ratings and the presentations were considered at least as good as those given by more experienced lecturers. The experiment can serve as a model to supplement existing courses for trainees and as a ‘do-it-yourself form of education for areas and countries that have inadequate access to centres for postgraduate education.