The authors assessed two different inpatient models of clinical
clerkships in psychiatry on the basis of both an examination assessing
amount of learning and a survey of student attitudes. One clerkship model
placed the third-year medical student in the role of primary therapist; the
other model assigned each student to join a psychiatrist as a
participant/observer. No overall difference in objective assessment of
learning was found between the two groups of students, and student
attitudes generally favored the participant/observer model. These findings
suggest that the widespread bias favoring the primary therapist model may
not be justified.Abstract Teaser