The teaching of psychosomatic medicine and liaison psychiatry at medical schools in the United Kingdom.

A systematic questionnaire survey was carried out of education in psychosomatic medicine and liaison psychiatry by the university departments of psychiatry in the United Kingdom. There was an excellent response rate. Taking first psychosomatic medicine, it is clear that it is rare to have a special course for the students. However the majority provided specific lectures or teaching sessions during the psychiatric attachment, also specific lectures outside this attachment, and the subject was usually brought in during the course of other undergraduate sessions such as topic teaching and clinico-pathological conferences. In liaison psychiatry again it was found that special courses were rarely favoured. However teaching in many places paralleled the methods found for psychosomatic medicine above, and in addition students were usually involved in consultation procedures or linked with medical and surgical firms for this purpose. In some departments research projects were carried out by the students. Possible improvements in teaching these subjects are suggested.