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Results of a Southwestern Survey

Donald H. Naftulin, MD; John E. Ware, Jr., MA; Vincent H. Myers, MA

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1971;24(3):260-264.

Abstract
This paper describes the results of two surveys of Southwestern psychiatrists' interests in continuing education course content, format, scheduling, and fees. Of 55 specific subject choices offered respondents, interest was greatest in (1) preparation for board examination, (2) adolescent psychiatry, (3) psychiatry and law, (4) community psychiatry, and (5) psychosomatic medicine. The survey results may serve as a tentative guide for course offerings and the survey form as a model for repeated surveying of psychiatrists' continuing education interests in other parts of the country. The paper briefly discusses current concerns about the adequacy with which board examination passage reflects clinical competence, the difficulty in defining clinical competence, and the trend toward mandatory continuing education for physicians. The high interest of board-eligible psychiatrists in board preparation courses suggests that intensive review courses in psychiatry might serve as effective incentives for continuing education.

Author Affiliations
Los Angeles

From the departments of psychiatry (Dr. Naftulin and Mr. Ware) and community medicine and public health (Mr. Myers), University of Southern California School of Medicine, Los Angeles.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication April 22, 1970.

Read before the 9th western divisional meeting of the American Psychiatric Association, Seattle, Aug 24, 1969.

Reprint requests to Department of Psychiatry, University of Southern California School of Medicine, Los Angeles 90033 (Dr. Naftulin).