Reflective assignments by students completing an undergraduate psychiatry attachment

Abstract

Aims and method: Students at St George's, University of London, complete a long case with a reflective component as part of their psychiatry attachment. This consists of a case history and reflection about how meeting the patient has affected them and how it will change their practice. This study aimed to analyse the reflection content, to better understand the student psychiatry experience. A hundred consecutive assignments underwent content analysis to establish the main themes. Results: Six main themes were elicited: stigma, social and cultural aspects of psychiatry, fear of mental illness in the students themselves, fear of conducting the interview and criticism of the care the patient received. Clinical implications: Negative attitudes towards psychiatry are common among medical students, although many showed mature reflection. Anxiety about interviewing patients with mental illness should be acknowledged by educators. Declaration of interest: None.