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The Effect of Clinical Clerkship on Students’ Attitudes Toward Psychiatry in Karachi, Pakistan

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Abstract

Objective

Attitudes of medical students toward a specialty is strongly related to their future choice of specialty. In developing countries like Pakistan, where there is a shortage of psychiatrists, there is a need to assess the effect of exposure to psychiatry on medical students.

Methods

The authors conducted a survey of fourth-year medical students at Aga Khan University in Karachi, Pakistan.

Results

Psychiatry clerkship had an overall positive attitude toward psychiatric illness, patients, and psychiatrists, but no effect on students’ choice of psychiatry as a career.

Conclusion

Psychiatry teaching needs to be made more relevant to the rest of the medical curricula. This may improve students’ interest and their future choice of psychiatry as an area of specialization.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Aga Khan University, Stadium Rd., PO Box 3500, Karachi, 74800, Pakistan

    Ayesha Sajid M.B.B.S.,  Murad M. Khan M.R.C.Psych.,  Murtaza Shakir M.B.B.S. &  Riffat Moazam-Zaman Ph.D.

  2. Shifa Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan

    Asad Ali M.B.B.S.

Authors
  1. Ayesha Sajid M.B.B.S.
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  2. Murad M. Khan M.R.C.Psych.
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  3. Murtaza Shakir M.B.B.S.
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  4. Riffat Moazam-Zaman Ph.D.
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  5. Asad Ali M.B.B.S.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Murad M. Khan M.R.C.Psych..

Additional information

At the time of submission, the authors declared no competing interests.

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Sajid, A., Khan, M.M., Shakir, M. et al. The Effect of Clinical Clerkship on Students’ Attitudes Toward Psychiatry in Karachi, Pakistan. Acad Psychiatry 33, 212–214 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ap.33.3.212

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ap.33.3.212

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