Undergraduate child psychiatry teaching in Melbourne, Australia

Abstract

Objective: The teaching of child psychiatry in Australian medical schools is under review: the content, the placement of the field within medical curricula, and the appropriate teaching and learning methods are all contested. The authors developed a 1-day program in the 9-week child and adolescent health course conducted in the final two semesters of the medical degree at the University of Melbourne and conducted a systematic evaluation of learning outcomes. The program facilitates a group process that draws students to reflect on the role of the doctor and his or her relationship with the patient - child, adolescent, family, and peers. Methods: Questionnaires were administered before and af..