Baptism by conference: an effective Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists recruitment tool?

OBJECTIVE

To explore common barriers medical students perceive to choosing psychiatry as a medical specialty as reflected in existing literature and the authors' own experiences and whether funding student attendance of a Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists Congress serves to overcome some of these perceptions.

CONCLUSIONS

Common barriers to selecting psychiatry as a career include stigma due primarily to lack of information about this specialty; concerns about personal safety; concerns about losing clinical skills and fear of burn-out. Bursaries funding student attendance to the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2013 Congress were an excellent initiative that gave students a panoramic view of the variety of fields within the specialty and exposure to current debates and research, as well as the chance to discuss various subspecialties with keynote speakers and other professionals working in these areas. Undertaking more outreach activities and on-campus information sessions targeting final year students may help to further combat misperceptions and improve recruitment.