ArticleThe South African journal of psychiatry : SAJP : the journal of the Society of Psychiatrists of South Africa2026
Attitudes of final-year medical students towards psychiatry as a specialisation at a university in South Africa.
Article in The South African journal of psychiatry : SAJP : the journal of the Society of Psychiatrists of South Africa, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
Background: Despite mental illness being a major burden in South Africa, there is a shortage of psychiatrists compared to global rates. By understanding final-year medical students' attitudes towards psychiatry, new recruitment strategies can be implemented to overcome this hurdle. Aim: This study aimed to assess final-year medical students' attitudes toward psychiatry and to identify demographic and experiential factors that influence the intention to specialise in psychiatry. Setting: The University of the Witwatersrand. Methods: A cross-sectional, quantitative survey was conducted among final-year medical students between July 2024 and October 2024 using the Mental Illness: Clinicians' Attitudes (MICA-2) Scale. Results: Among 171 students, the overall mean MICA-2 score was 40.43 (standard deviation = 8.16), indicating moderately positive attitudes. Females demonstrated significantly more favourable attitudes (mean = 39.35) than males (mean = 43.08, Conclusion: There is no significant stigmatisation towards psychiatry across all cohorts. The study instead reflects differing levels of positive attitudes towards psychiatry. However, this did not translate to students pursuing psychiatry as a specialty, as they feel it does not offer personal fulfilment and work-life balance. Contribution: Future strategies must focus on work-life balance and personal fulfilment when attempting to increase the recruitment rate into psychiatry.
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