A survey of the teaching and assessment of undergraduate psychiatry in the medical schools of the United Kingdom and Ireland

Abstract

Background: Individual medical schools currently decide on the content and delivery of their undergraduate psychiatry curriculum, so there is probably significant variation in the students’ experience of the speciality during the medical course and in the extent to which they develop the appropriate skills and knowledge base.

Aim: To ascertain how the teaching of undergraduate psychiatry differs across UK and Irish medical schools.

Methods: The educational lead for psychiatry at each medical school in the United Kingdom and Ireland completed a questionnaire providing factual information on the teaching structure, contents and assessment methods in their current psychiatry curriculum.

Results: Some aspects of the curriculum were consistent across the medical schools with other areas showing great variability. The course content was broadly similar but the assessment, length of experience and course structure differed.

Conclusion: There are significant differences in how psychiatry is taught to undergraduate students in the United Kingdom and Ireland and although all the curricula are evaluated by the General Medical Council, further study is required to see if this has any effect on the levels of competency achieved.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Khalid Karim

Khalid Karim, MB, ChB, MRCPsych, is a Senior lecturer and Honorary Consultant in child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of Leicester. Involved with the design, analysis and drafting of the article.

Ruth Edwards

Ruth Edwards, BSc, is a Research Associate at the University of Leicester. She was involved with designing of the project, carrying out the interviews, data analysis and reviewing the final version of the article.

Nisha Dogra

Nisha Dogra, BM, DCH, MRCPsych, MA PHD, is Senior lecturer and Honorary Consultant in child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of Leicester. She was involved with the design, supervision and drafting of the article.

Ian Anderson

Ian Anderson, MBBS, BA, MRCP(UK), FRCPsych, MD, Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant in Psychiatry at the University of Manchester. He was involved in revising the article and final approval of the article.

Teifion Davies

Teifion Davies, BSc, MBBS, PhD, DPMSA, MlBiol, CBiol, FRCPsych, Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist at the Institute of Psychiatry and South London and Maudsley Trust. He was involved in revising the article and final approval of the article.

James Lindsay

James Lindesay, DM, FRCPsych, Professor of Psychiatry for the Elderly at the University of Leicester. He was involved in revising the article and final approval of the article.

Howard Ring

Howard Ring, MBBS, MRCPsych, MD, Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant in Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge. He was involved in revising the article and final approval of the article.

Sue Cavendish

Sue Cavendish, PhD, Education Advisor to the Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland Postgraduate Deanery. She was involved in revising the article.