Accentuate the positives, but don’t necessarily eliminate the negatives: A cross-sectional survey of junior doctor psychiatry terms

Results: Seventy-seven junior doctors (39% response rate) participated. The psychiatry term was rated as a positive experience by 82% (n=63), with several key influences identified. The proportion of respondents interested in a psychiatry career increased by 19%, pre-term to post-term (p=0.004). Qualitative data point to improved perceptions of psychiatry post-term due to improved mental health literacy, applicability of skills across vocations, and psychiatrist role models. Challenging clinical situations were considered positive influences if managed effectively by senior staff. Poorer perceptions of psychiatry post-term were rare.