Psychodynamic Cultural Psychiatry: A New Approach to Teaching Residents

Abstract

This article describes a course, Psychodynamic Cultural Psychiatry, taught to PGY-3 residents at the New York Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical Center that uses psychodynamic theory to help deepen cultural understanding. We (Sandra Park, the instructor for the course, and Elizabeth Auchincloss, the residency training director) developed the class in 2006 in an effort to raise cultural awareness in the residency curriculum. We believe that despite an inherent Western bias, psychodynamic theory can be an effective way to teach cultural psychiatry. Additionally, cultural understanding can enhance understanding of psychodynamic principles. In this article, we argue that our course in psychodynamic cultural psychiatry helps residents to integrate these two points of view.