What Are the Reasons for Choosing Psychiatry as a Profession? A Survey of 277 Iranian Residents and Psychiatrists

Abstract

Background: Lack of interest to undertake psychiatry as a specialization is well documented. This study was an endeavor to reveal the underlying factors encouraged a group of medical graduates in Iran to peruse their higher education in psychiatry. Methods: The study sample, 277 psychiatrists and residents randomly selected, filled up a paper-pencil questionnaire with 65 items pertaining to factors prior to medicine, during medical course, and after completion of medicine. Data were analyzed using SPSS.16 and running couple of analytical and descriptive tests. Findings: The mean age of studied samples was 39.3 ± 7.0 years and more than half of them were men (57%). Majority of the participants were full-fledged psychiatrists. Over all, the participants claimed that their encounters and experiences during medical course motivated them to turn into psychiatry. For majority of psychiatrists, “the need for treatment of psychiatric patients” and for residents “personality and manner of psychiatric teachers” left more influence on them. Among factors after graduation, “sense of responsibility towards psychiatric patients” and “personality and attitude of mental health personnel toward psychiatric patients” turned out as important factors for psychiatrists and residents, respectively. At the time of appearing for specialization exam, “interest” and “low stress during training” were equally important for both. Conclusion: Full-fledged psychiatrists and residents shared common interest in persuading psychiatry as a specialization. Their differences came from their personal experiences during their training course.

Keywords

• Psychiatry
• Residency in psychiatry
• Psychiatry course
• Factors in choosing psychiatry
• Iran