The Impact of Diaspora-Based Psychiatrists' Participation in Clinical Teaching in a Lower Middle-Income Country on Interest in Psychiatry Among Medical Students and the Choice of Psychiatry as a Career.

OBJECTIVE: The authors assess the impact of Ghanaian diaspora-based psychiatrists' participation in clinical teaching in Ghana on the attitudes of medical students toward careers in psychiatry. METHODS: This quantitative cross-sectional study involved fifth- and sixth-year medical students of the four public medical schools in Ghana. Data were analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics. RESULTS: About half (49.7%) of clinical year medical students in Ghana reported that diaspora-based Ghanaian psychiatrists participated in their teaching during their clinical psychiatry rotation. A significantly higher proportion of medical students who had diaspora-based psychiatrists participate in their clinical training expressed that the depth of clinical teaching (54.4% vs. 45.6%, p = 0.003) and the extent of experience gained during their psychiatric rotations (54.7% vs. 45.3%, p = 0.001) were adequate or somewhat adequate when compared with medical students who did not have diaspora psychiatrists participate in their clinical training. Medical students who had diaspora-based Ghanaian psychiatrists participate in their teaching were significantly more likely to consider careers in psychiatry after their clinical rotation (42.2% versus 25.6%, χ2 = 16.2, p = 0.00). CONCLUSIONS: In a low-resource country with few psychiatrists, the involvement of diaspora-based psychiatrists in the teaching of clinical year medical students has the potential to improve the global experience and attitude of the medical students toward psychiatry.

Evaluating the Impact of an Innovative Public Speaking Competition to Promote Psychiatry as a Career Option for Ghanaian Medical Students.

OBJECTIVE: The psychiatrist workforce has been identified as an area in need of development, especially in low- to middle-income countries. The purpose of this project is to assess the perceptions of Ghanaian medical students of a novel mental health inter-medical school speaking competition on career interest in psychiatry and mental health education and advocacy. METHODS: The study employed quantitative and qualitative methods in a cross-sectional design. A paper-based survey was administered to medical students from four schools in Ghana, and focus groups were conducted. RESULTS: A 52% response rate (545/1041 fifth- and sixth-year medical students from the four public medical schools in Ghana) was achieved. The competition was successful in stimulating interest in psychiatry as a subject (25%) and as a career (14%) and was viewed as serving an important public health and mental health advocacy function (65% and 66% respectively). The competition stimulated interest in students who were undecided or had previously ruled out psychiatry specialization, in both those who had and had not already completed a psychiatry clerkship (23% and 13% before and after completing a clinical rotation in psychiatry, respectively). Overall, 29% of respondents who participated in at least one competition-related activity reported that the competition stimulated their interest in psychiatry, compared to 4% who did not participate in any competition-related activity (Ó¼2 = 80, p = 0.0). Analysis of focus group content echoed these themes and highlighted opportunities for improvement. CONCLUSION: The innovative public speaking competition was successful in stimulating interest in psychiatry and furthering mental health education and advocacy. Implications are discussed.

Depression and Anxiety among Undergraduate Health Science Students: A Scoping Review of the Literature.

Background: Health science students in post-secondary institutions experience high levels of depression and anxiety due to increased stress levels, workload, low socioeconomic status, and history of family mental illness, among other factors. Given the significant negative impact that depression and anxiety can have on undergraduate health science students, it is essential to understand the prevalence and correlation of these conditions in this population. In light of this, this scoping review aims to identify, document, and analyze the literature on the prevalence and determinants of anxiety and depression among undergraduate health sciences students and identify gaps in knowledge for future research. Methods: This scoping review was planned and executed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for the Scoping Reviews statement. A comprehensive and systematic search was carried out for five databases, namely MEDLINE, Scopus, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PubMed. Results: From the literature identified by our search strategy, the lowest prevalence for anxiety was 5.8%, and the highest was 82.6%, with a median of 44.25%. The prevalence of depression ranged from a high of 88.8% to a low of 2.1%, with a median value of 34.8%. Our analysis revealed that correlates of anxiety and depression among health science students include sociodemographic factors such as age, sex, gender, relationships, ethnicity, and family history, personal health conditions, and academic and socioeconomic issues. Conclusions: With the high incidence of anxiety and depression among health science students, there is an increasing need to find practical remedies to support these students. It is also essential for policymakers and university authorities to implement interventions such as supportive text messages and other strategies geared toward providing support and improving the psychological well-being of health science students.

Factors influencing medical students and psychiatry residents in Ghana to consider psychiatry as a career option - a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Currently, Ghana has 14 actively practicing psychiatrists and about 26 psychiatric residents for a population of over 28 million people. Previous research suggests a lack of interest by Ghanaian medical students and medical graduates in considering psychiatry as a career option. OBJECTIVES: To examine the perception of medical students and psychiatry residents in Ghana about the barriers which hinder Ghanaian medical graduates from choosing careers in psychiatry and how these barriers could be overcome. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional qualitative study with data gathered using focus group discussion. Twenty clinical year medical students were selected through block randomization from the four public medical schools in Ghana and invited to participate in one of two focus group discussions. Also, four psychiatric residents were invited to participate in the focus group discussions. RESULTS: The main barriers identified by participants could be grouped under four main themes, namely: (a) myths and stigma surrounding mental health and patients, (b) negative perceptions of psychiatrists, (c) infrastructure and funding issues, (d) lack of exposure and education. To address the barriers presented, participants discussed potential solutions that could be categorized into five main themes, namely: (a) stigma reduction, (b) educating professionals, (c) addressing deficient infrastructure, (d) risk management, and (e) incentivizing the pursuit of psychiatry among students. CONCLUSION: Health policy planners and medical training institutions could consider implementing proposed solutions to identify barriers as part of efforts to improve the psychiatrist to patient ratio in Ghana.