EDUCATING PSYCHIATRY RESIDENTS ABOUT DEATH AND DYING - A NATIONAL SURVEY

A national survey was conducted to assess the prevalence of teaching a bout death and dying issues in psychiatric training programs. Response s from 142 program directors indicated that 56% of responding programs offer specific lectures or didactics on this topic. Of residents surv eyed (N = 286), 25.8% reported such lectures. Residents' feelings and experiences regarding death and dying are also explored. Psychiatric r esidency training programs are challenged to enhance their educational efforts on this topic in view of the demand for this knowledge result ing from many factors, which include the AIDS epidemic, issues of assi sted suicide, and expectations from medical colleagues.