Psychiatry

Stuart Carney
Clinical Lecturer in Psychiatry and Honorary SpR in Psychiatry
Oxford

At the beginning of my final year at medical school, I was unsure whether I wanted to become am obstetrician, cardiologist, general surgeon, or whether I should leave medicine altogether. By the end of the year, I had found my niche in psychiatry.

Why psychiatry?

A number of factors attracted me to psychiatry and continue to sustain my interest: my increasing awareness of the profound impact of mental illness on patients’ and their families’ lives; the effectiveness of a combined biological, psychological and social approach to patient care; the great investment in personal training and development (weekly educational supervision in addition to clinical supervision); and multidisciplinary team working.

Training:

At present basic specialist training (BST) in psychiatry takes a minimum of three years. Training in general practice, accident and emergency medicine and general medicine is encouraged and typically counts towards BST. After passing the Membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrist exams, higher specialist training (HST) lasts three years in general adult psychiatry with options for dual accreditation. I spent four years at the SHO stage with a year in research. After taking a further year out of clinical training to study for a Masters degree in Public Health, I returned to Oxford and was appointed a Clinical Lecturer. I am currently a psychiatric SpR.

For further information about training in psychiatry, visit The Royal College of Psychiatrists’ website:
www.rcpsych.ac.uk