Abstract
Aims and methodSummer schools are advocated as part of the national recruitment initiative despite little evidence of their impact. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a 3-day non-clinical initiative. Change in attitudes and career intention were measured by administering a questionnaire, which included the 30-item Attitudes Toward Psychiatry (ATP-30) survey, at the start and end of the event.ResultsMean ATP-30 scores increased from 119 to 128, which represented a highly statistically significant change (t = 5.40, d.f. = 18, P < 0.001). A positive shift in intention to pursue psychiatry as a career was demonstrated.Clinical implicationsThese results suggest well-planned summer schools can have a significant impact on students' attitudes. Despite high initial ATP-30 scores a positive shift in attitudes and career intentions was still seen. Further evaluation of the longitudinal impact is needed. Events such as this are important and likely produce a cumulative effect alongside other recruitment strategies.
Highlights
The summer school was attended by 19 students from various medical schools across the country (Table 1)
The ATP-30 scores showed that our summer school students already had relatively high baseline scores demonstrating positive attitudes towards psychiatry
There was a notable increase in mean ATP-30 score after the summer school, by 9 points, to a total of 128 (s.d. = 10.6, Fig. 1)
Summary
A positive shift in intention to pursue psychiatry as a career was demonstrated Clinical implications These results suggest well-planned summer schools can have a significant impact on students’ attitudes. Similar concerns have been noted in the USA and Canada Such issues led to the development of a summer school in Toronto that was replicated in other regions in Canada.[6] This Canadian enterprise began in 1994 and data from its evaluation suggest a positive influence on career intentions, less than half the students attending were matched into psychiatric residency programmes. The success rate was higher when only students who attended the parent event were considered Confounding factors such as difference in summer school programmes and the impact of other recruitment strategies may have contributed to this effect. Aware that our programme did not involve actual patient contact, there was a focus on bringing clinical material to life without the need to attend the clinical environment
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
