ASSESSMENT OF TRAINING IN PSYCHOSEXUAL MEDICINE

The Institute of Psychosexual Medicine offers training in the treatmen t of psychosexual problems to medically qualified doctors. Training ta kes place in fortnightly seminars in which trainees present and discus s real cases. Assessment of cases presented at the beginning and end o f the six term basic training showed appreciable improvement in doctor s' abilities. The proportion of doctors meeting each of the 14 predete rmined clinical objectives rose. Factors which affected the amount of improvement were the initial score, the number of cases presented at t he seminars, the occupation of the leader, and the duration of trainin g. Accreditation by the Institute of Psychosexual Medicine was shown t o be an appropriate outcome measure for the achievement of the require d standards for practising psychosexual medicine.