An interdisciplinary course for trainee psychiatrists: feedback and implications

Abstract

Objective: To describe a course for trainee psychiatrists, designed to encourage critical thinking within an interdisciplinary framework. Trainees’ responses to the course, and the implications of these for teaching, learning and clinical practice, are considered. Method: Trainees were interviewed, and their responses subjected to content analysis. Results: To some extent, the course appears to have met its objectives. However, some trainees found parts of the course content threatening, and reported negative perceptions of teaching staff and the process of critical appraisal. Conclusions: Challenging taken for granted beliefs in psychiatry is a fundamental skill, which should be fostered in trainee psychiatrists if the profession is to move forwards as an intellectual and clinical discipline. The lessons learned from the course we describe may be useful to others who wish to pursue integrated, interdisciplinary teaching methods.