Teaching residents mental health care.

Objective: We tested the hypothesis that trained medical faculty can train residents effectively in a mental health care model.

Methods: After the authors trained medical faculty intensively for 15 months in primary care mental health, the newly trained faculty taught medical residents intensively. Residents were evaluated pre- and post-residency and compared to non-equivalent control residents in another city. Using ANOVA, the primary endpoint was residents' use of a mental health care model with simulated patients. Secondary endpoints were residents' skills using models for patient-centered interviewing and for informing and motivating patients.

Results: For the mental health care model, there was a significant interaction between study site and time (F = 33.51, p < .001, Eta = .34); mean pre-test and post-test control group scores were 8.15 and 8.79, respectively, compared to 7.44 and 15.0 for the intervention group. Findings were similarly positive for models of patient-centered interviewing and informing and motivating.

Conclusions: Training medical faculty to teach residents a mental health care model offers a new educational approach to the widespread problem of poor mental health care.

Practice Implications: While the models tested here can provide guidance in conducting mental health care, further evaluation of the train-the-trainer program for preparing residents is needed.