S04-03 - Training Young Psychiatrists in Belgium

Abstract

Introduction

For the last dozen years, there has been a reduction of candidates for specialization in Psychiatry. Furthermore, we receive complaints from the units where they work as young psychiatrists after training. Although, five years ago the examination-selection to this specialisation became a federal contest which prioritises grades obtained during their medical studies, this does not alone account for this development.

Method

The authors teach in the Faculty of Medicine, but are also involved in the selection process, and in the process of accompanying candidates as they master Psychiatry. Based on their experiences and meetings with colleagues in other universities, they formulate hypotheses to explain this phenomenon.

Results

In addition to the reduction of numbers of candidates for specialisation, the complaints regard their competences in three domains: Pharmacotherapies, Psychoterapies, and their leadership style which is qualified as authoritarian.

We believe DSM II and subsequent versions had important effects on how psychiatry is taught. While trying to free the DSM from the influence of Psychoanalysis and not wanting to reduce training to merely learning statistical diagnostics and pharmacotherapeutic guidelines, training in Psychiatry has become «a little of everything and nothing precise». The result of this lack of content is young psychiatrists, lacking in self confidence and not sure enough of their references to establish a leadership style other than authoritarian.

Conclusion

During medical studies, we need to reinforce the courses of physio-pharmaco-therapy, Psychotherapy, and comparative psychopathologie and add training in team management.