The teaching of psychotherapy to medical students. An aspect of training in psychosomatic medicine.

Since so many patients have mingled with their illness psychological factors which require psychological help, the teaching of psychodynamic understanding of illness is very important. However, little (if any) systematic teaching of psychotherapeutic methods in the treatment of illness is given to medical students in most universities of Europe. This study is a joint ongoing project between the Psychosomatic Clinic of the University of Heidelberg and the Department of Psychological Medicine, University College Hospital, London. It looks at the establishment of psychotherapy supervision for medical students which has existed for several years at University College Hospital. However, many important local and national differences have become apparent, including the type of patient selected, the mode of selection, the way in which supervision groups are used by supervisors and students, and the status of such a scheme within the general curriculum of medical education. Many of the problems which have emerged during the course of this project, and some ways of solving them, are discussed. It is hoped that this project will be of use to other Centres which may be considering such a scheme as part of their own medical curriculum.