Abstract

have highlighted some of theimportant positive aspects of foundationyear placements in influencing careerchoice into psychiatry.The jubilant articlecarries an optimistic account from trainersand trainees who share the champagne ofsuccessful mentoring. Unfortunately, thedarker side of wider experience whileseeking foundation placements inpsychiatry has been overlooked.The number of places available for FY1and FY2 placements in psychiatry are verylimited, and as of now not representa-tional of subsequent requirements thespecialty has during core training.There isan urgent need for such ‘potentialdemand’ v. supply statistics to be madeclear and compared across variousspecialties.The perennial recruitment issuecould be seen in correct perspective whenlevel playing fields are ensured followingthe implementation of ModernisingMedical Careers.Despite being a trainee with significantinterest in exploring psychiatry as a careerchoice, the placements in my current FY2rotation were ready-made with noelement of choice. On the wake of Boyleet al’s account, it is important to solicitand analyse national data on foundationplacements in psychiatry and rate ofconversion into core psychiatric training.Creating such foundation maps ofpotential psychiatry placements acrossdeaneries may help interested trainees toplan their careers. One could argue thatpsychiatry must be given more foundationslots than some relatively oversubscribedspecialties.If one is allowed to make a deductionfrom personal experience, mostspecialties look at foundation doctors asinconsequential cogs in the churningwheel of hospital machinery.Very fewminutes in the 120 days of a foundationplacement are spent in motivating thetrainee to consider a specific specialtycareer. In addition, the educationalmeetings and professional activities inmost hospital units tend to concentrateeither on core trainees or making a ‘safedoctor’out of foundation trainees.Thereis an immense hidden potential forpsychiatry to convert a substantialnumber of hesitant doctors into promisingand passionate specialists for the future, ifsome collective and timely effort is takento recognise the prospect here.Bearing in mind that at least a quarterof all psychiatrists explore other special-ties before choosing psychiatry as theircareer,

Highlights

  • The key contention in Bracken & Thomas’s article is that organised psychiatry’s recent attempts to form an alliance with service users and carers are inauthentic

  • Guidelines issued from the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence on the assessment of suspected dementia suggested that all patients being referred to an old age service should receive blood tests

  • An audit by our old age psychiatry service reviewed the laboratory and radiological results of 120 consecutively referred individuals with suspected dementia, all of whom received the blood tests suggested by the Royal College of Psychiatrists guidelines

Read more

Summary

Introduction

The key contention in Bracken & Thomas’s article is that organised psychiatry’s recent attempts to form an alliance with service users and carers are inauthentic. Recent government reports and strategies have placed the diagnosis and treatment of dementia as a major priority within the NHS.[1] Guidelines issued from the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence on the assessment of suspected dementia suggested that all patients being referred to an old age service should receive blood tests.

Results
Conclusion

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 call

Disclaimer: 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.