[Survey among academic teachers about psychiatric training in France]

Abstract

Introduction: Given the results of resident psychiatrists' surveys conducted in France over the past 3 years, it has become essential to also examine the opinion of the academic psychiatrists in charge of psychiatry education.

Goals: To study the teachers point of view on psychiatric training in France, the weaknesses and strengths of the training, recent improvements and problems, and to compare their opinion with that of the residents.

Methodology: A survey was conducted in April 2012 among 125 academic teachers professors hospital practitioners (PU-PH), in child & adolescent psychiatry and adult psychiatry. An anonymous online questionnaire including seven parts and three open questions was sent to the PU-PH.

Results: The questionnaire was answered by 79/125 psychiatric PU-PH (63%). Results show that a majority of PU-PH (78%) were willing to maintain a single training pathway including adult psychiatry and child psychiatry with a single diploma, with the addition of a DESC (specific and additional Diploma) in forensic psychiatry (72%) and old age psychiatry (62%). Almost all respondents suggested the implementation of an assessment of teaching and a formal mentorship program. Some aspects of training included more controversial issues: such as the length of the training, the opening of training to private practice physicians, or the European harmonization.

Conclusion: The survey stressed some areas of improvement: such training in psychotherapy and research, access to supervision as well as barriers to improved training including an insufficient number of academic practitioners. Compared with other surveys, it emphasized that in addition to the need of diversifying the theoretical (thematic, interactive media and teaching, teachers, etc.) and the practical aspect (training sites), it is essential according to trainees and PU-PH, to implement an efficient supervision during residency.

Keywords: Assessment; Enseignement; Formation; Internes; Psychiatrie; Psychiatry; Psychotherapy; Psychothérapies; Recherche; Research; Residents; Supervision; Teaching; Training; Évaluation.