Training residents for rural child psychiatry: defining the objectives.

OBJECTIVE

To discuss the contribution of consultative skills to the practice of child psychiatry and to develop curriculum which enhances the ability of residents to participate in community-based care.

METHOD

The development of a training site for residents and fourth year medical students in a weekly half-day travelling child psychiatry clinic to a rural children's aid society is described. A method of designing educational objectives for community-based training is reviewed and expanded to provide a template for constructing a comprehensive curriculum.

RESULTS

The educational objectives specific to the rural training site chosen are provided and their contribution as a subset of the curriculum is defined.

CONCLUSION

The authors suggest that a more fulsome discussion of curriculum design and content in the Canadian literature will aid in the development of emerging practice patterns in child psychiatry.