What should psychiatry residents be taught about neurology?: A survey of psychiatry residency directors.

Objectives: To improve our ability to teach psychiatry residents during their required 2 months on neurology rotations, we investigated the perceived needs of psychiatry program training directors.

Methods: We contacted the program directors organization of the American Psychiatric Association and disseminated a web-based survey to all program directors. The survey asked questions about the format and content of neurology training desired for psychiatry residents. The survey was sent a second time to increase response rate.

Results: Sixty (32%) training directors responded. Overall satisfaction with neurologic education was rated at 3.6 out of 5 (standard deviation +/- 0.96). The specific content areas which elicited the most interest for focused training modules were differential diagnosis and biologic substrates of dementia, evaluation and treatment of drug-related and spontaneous movement disorders, evaluation and management of sleep disorders, cognitive and mood effects of stroke, and inherited disorders. Many program directors commented on perceived weaknesses of inpatient-based exposure to neurology; 78% of responders favored outpatient and consultation settings.

Conclusions: In an era of deliberation about neurobehavioral integration and cross-training of neurologists and psychiatrists, neurologists should strive to provide the best possible multidisciplinary education to psychiatry trainees.