The physician's knowledge of psychotropic drugs: preliminary results.

A questionnaire about three commonly prescribed psychotropic drugs was administered to physicians and trainees in two specialties and to medical students. Psychiatrists and psychiatric residents had very low levels of knowledge about the physiology, pharmacology, and side effects of diazepam; their scores did not exceed those of medical residents or students. Trainees in internal medicine scored poorly regarding the diagnosis of depressive syndromes and the physiology and pharmacology of imipramine and amitriptyline, whereas psychiatrists performed well. The results of this preliminary study can provide guidelines for improving the teaching of psychopharmacology in general and the psychopharmacological treatment of the medically ill in particular.