A modernised psychotherapy curriculum for a modernised profession

Abstract

This paper outlines recent revisions to the psychotherapy elements of the core psychiatric training curriculum of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. The reasons why psychotherapy training is important as part of psychiatry training are developed and objections to the inclusion of this element are countered. The paper sets out the reasoning that led to the revisions in the training required and discusses the obstacles to the implementation of good-quality training in this area and suggests ways in which they can be overcome.