Family-oriented patient care through the residency training cycle.

Objective: Because family oriented patient care improves patient outcome and reduces family burden, clinical family skills of communication, assessment, alliance, and support are part of core competencies required of all residents. Teaching residents to "think family" as part of core competencies and to reach out to families requires change in the teaching environment.

Methods: This article advocates teaching residents family skills throughout the training years as an integrated part of routine patient care rather than in isolated family clinics or a course in "family therapy.

On wisdom.

This article explores some of the features involved in making wise decisions in couples and family therapy. Delineating what qualities are involved in making wise decisions in life--so as to live the "good life" in the polis, and the necessary contributions of life experiences in this task--was first discussed by Aristotle. A major problem that therapists face today is that our society offers many different ways of living well--or for that matter, badly--and our theories do the same.

Family skills for general psychiatry residents: meeting ACGME core competency requirements.

Objective: The authors discuss the knowledge, attitudes, and skills needed for a resident to be competent in supporting and working with families, as mandated by the residency review committee (RRC) core competencies.

Methods: The RRC core competencies, as they relate to patients and their families, are reviewed. The Group for Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP) presents an operational version of these core competencies.