Psychiatry curriculum: How does it affect medical students' attitude toward psychiatry?

The purpose of this study was to identify the attitude of South Korean medical school students towards psychiatry and to analyze how lectures and clinical clerkship in psychiatry effect changes in students' attitudes. A total of 100 medical school students were recruited as subjects in the study, 86 of whom completed psychiatry lectures and underwent psychiatry clerkship from March 2015 to August 2018. The participating students completed a survey, which included demographic data, specialty choice, and attitude towards psychiatry. Subjects who completed lectures and clinical clerkship in psychiatry showed positive changes in attitude towards psychiatry in the following items: "Among mental health professionals, psychiatrists have the most authority and influence" (p = 0.002), "Psychiatrists frequently abuse their legal power to hospitalize patients against their will" (p < 0.001), and "Many people who could not obtain a residency position in other specialties eventually enter psychiatry" (p = 0.028). However, negative changes in attitude towards psychiatry were shown in the following item: "On average, psychiatrists make as much money as most other doctors" (p = 0.008). Also, specific medical school factors scored positively overall. Although it was not statistically significant, the questionnaire item "During my psychiatry rotation, psychiatry residents were good role models" was more positively observed by students after completion of psychiatry lectures and clerkship. After each curriculum, certain attitudes toward psychiatry were positively changed, but others either remained unchanged or were negatively changed. By using these study results to revise the current curriculum, medical school students' attitude towards psychiatry can be improved.