Abstract

At Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, Brenda Roman, M.D., an associate professor of psychiatry, directs a one-month elective that exposes fourth-year medical students to psychotherapy before they enter a psychiatry residency. The elective, now in its second year, introduces students to “basic techniques for two types of psychotherapy”—psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioral (CBT), Roman said. She noted that “students seem to be able to grasp the theory basics of CBT more easily than those of psychodynamic psychotherapy, though of course the basics of developing a therapeutic relationship and basic interview and history-gathering skills are the same for both types.” Psychotherapy topics in the didactic portion include history, biological basis, and research findings. “Senior faculty members show videotapes of their own work in these modalities,” and a one-hour discussion follows, she noted. Students also conduct diagnostic interviews, which are videotaped and reviewed with faculty. Patients give written informed consent for the videotapings and are not charged for these sessions. Patients are seen by the chief residents for the last 10 to 15 minutes of a session for managing medication and addressing concerns. The diagnostic session videotapes are reviewed by all of the elective participants, with Roman or the chief resident