Mancenido, Maranan, Ontangco, Yap August 6, 2018

Practical Research I Mr. Dela Paz

Research Title: The Reasons That Influence Medical Students’ Specialization Concerning Mental Health
Research Questions: This study aims to determine the perceptions of medical students on the field of psychiatry, how these perceptions influence
their choices in terms of desired specialization, and to confirm as to whether there is a bias against the field of psychiatry among medical students.
Introduction
Sentences (Include in-Text Citations) References (CSE)
Theoretical Context Marcus M, Yasamy M, van Ommeren M, Chisholm D, Saxena S. 2012
Mental disorders are known to inflict pain and human Oct 10. Depression: a global public health concern. Depression:
misery. Studies show that it is a rampant problem a global crisis [Internet]. [cited: 2018 Jul 29]; 6-8. Available
worldwide, affecting at least 10 percent of the world’s from:
population. (Patel and Saxena 2014) As a matter of fact, http://www.who.int/mental_health/management/depression
30% of non-fatal disease burden globally is attributed to /wfmh_paper_depression_wmhd_2012.pdf. URL doi:
mental disorders. (Mnookin et al. 2016) There is an https://doi.org/10.1037/E517532013-004.
increasing number of people diagnosed with mental
Mnookin S, World Bank Group, World Health Organization. 2016.
disorders world-wide, especially in lower-income
Out of the shadows: making mental health a global
countries, due to the growing population rate and the higher development priority report. [Internet]. Washington, DC:
number of individuals with ages in which anxiety and World Bank Group, World Health Organization; [cited: 2018 Jul
depression are more prominent. (WHO 2017) As indicated 29]. Available from:
by a World Health Organization (WHO) 2012 declaration, http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/270131468187
Background the main cause of disability worldwide with regards to the 759113/pdf/105052-WP-PUBLIC-wb-background-paper.pdf.
total years lost is mental illness. This drove the WHO to
formulate a comprehensive mental health action plan for Patel V, Saxena S. 2014. Transforming lives, enhancing communities
the following decade. (Marcus et al. 2012; Saxena et al. — innovations in global mental health. New England Journal of
2013) Medicine. 370(6):498–501.

Saxena S, Funk M, Chisholm D. 2013. World Health Assembly adopts

comprehensive mental health action plan 2013-2020. Lancet.
381(9882):1970-1971.

World Health Organization. 2017. Depression and other common

mental disorders: global health estimates. [Internet]. World
Health Organization (WHO); [cited 2018 Jul 29]. Available
from: http://www.who.int/iris/handle/10665/254610.

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Practical Research I
Literature Al-Ansari A, lsadadi A. 2002. Attitude of Arab Gulf University medical
This concern has been long-standing and it poses several
difficulties regarding its treatment such as the declining
recruitment into the field of psychiatry. (Katschnig 2010)
This factor was included by The World Psychiatric
Association (WPA) as a major part of its 2008–2011
Action Plan. (Maj 2008) Previous studies displayed low
rates of medical students planning to choose psychiatry as
career, ranging from 2% to 5%. (Al-Ansari et al. 2002;
Malhi et al. 2002; Malhi et al. 2003; Finucane and
O’Dowd 2004; Goldacre et al. 2005; Baboolal et al.
2007; Halder et al. 2013; Farooq et al. 2014)
Additionally, a study suggests that psychiatrists,
psychiatric nurses, medical doctors not specialized
psychiatry, psychologists, social workers, and
occupational therapists have a ratio of only 0.40, 0.40,
0.17, 0.14, 0.08, and 0.08 respectively per 100,000 general
population in the Philippines. (Jacob et al. 2007; WHO
2006) The increased number of mental health professionals
going overseas worsens our country’s conditions with
regards to the treatment of mental illness as well. (WHO
2006).
August 6, 2018
Mr. Dela Paz
students towards psychiatry. Educ Health. 15(2):180–188.
Baboolal NS, Hutchinson GA. 2007. Factors affecting future choice of
specialty among first-year medical students of the University of
the West Indies, Trinidad. Med Educ. 41(1):50–56.
Farooq K, Lydall G, Malik A, Ndetei DM, Bhugra D, ISOSCCIP Group.
2014. Why medical students choose psychiatry - a 20 country
cross-sectional survey. BMC Med Educ. 14(1):12.
Finucane P, O’Dowd T. 2004. The career plans of Irish interns:
results of a national survey. Ir Med J. 97:149.
Goldacre MJ, Turner G, Fazel S, Lambert T. 2005. Career choices for
psychiatry: national surveys of graduates of 1974-2000 from
UK medical school. Br J Psychiatry. 186:158–164.
Halder N, Hadjidemetriou C, Pearson R, Farooq K, Lydall G, Malik A,
Bhugra D. 2013. Student career choice in psychiatry: findings
from 18 UK medical schools. Int Rev Psychiatry. 25(4):438–
444.
Jacob KS, Sharan P, Mirza I, Garrido-Cumbrera M, Seedat S, Mari JJ,
Sreenivas V, Saxena S. 2007. Mental health systems in
countries: where are we now? The Lancet. 370(9592):1061-
1077.
Katschnig H. 2010. Are psychiatrists an endangered species?
Observations on internal and external challenges to the
profession. World Psychiatry. 9(1): 21–28.
Maj M. 2008. The WPA action plan 2008-2011. World Psychiatry.
7(3):129–130.
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Mancenido, Maranan, Ontangco, Yap August 6, 2018
Practical Research I Mr. Dela Paz
Malhi GS, Parker GB, Parker K, Carr VJ, Kirkby KC, Yellowlees P,
Boyce P, Tonge B. 2003. Attitudes toward psychiatry among
students entering medical school. Acta Psychiatry Scand.
107(6):424–429.

Malhi GS, Parker GB, Parker K, Kirkby KC, Boyce P, Yellowlees P,

Hornabrook C, Jones K. 2002. Shrinking away from psychiatry?
A survey of Australian medical students’ interest in psychiatry.
Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 36:416–423.

World Health Organization. 2006. WHO-AIMS report on mental

health system in the Philippines. [Internet]. Manila: World
Health Organization (WHO); [cited 2018 Jul 29]. Available
from:
http://www.who.int/mental_health/evidence/philippines_wh
o_aims_report.pdf
Case or phenomenon Cutler JL, Harding KJ, Mozian SA, Wright LL, Pica AG, Masters SR,
At present, reasons behind the low recruitment rate in Graham MJ. 2009. Discrediting the notion "working with
psychiatry are still being assessed. Previous studies state 'crazies' will make you 'crazy'": addressing stigma and
that the most significant aspect to consider when entering enhancing empathy in medical student education. Advances in
the field of medicine is the enthusiasm and interest of the Health Sciences Education. 14(4):487-502.
student. (Hyppölä et al. 1998; Heikkilä 2015) In essence,
the content of the field is the most integral factor when Heikkilä TJ, Hyppölä H, Vänskä J, Aine T, Halila H, Kujala S, Virjo I,
Sumanen M, Mattila K. 2015. Factors important in the choice of
taking up medical studies. It has been observed that
a medical career: a Finnish national study. BMC Med Educ.
psychiatry is often viewed negatively and surrounded by
15:169.
stereotypes, even in the medical school level. (Lau et al.
2015) Psychiatry is frequently regarded by medical Hyppölä H, Kumpusalo E, Neittaanmäki L, Mattila K, Virjo I, Kujala S,
students as an intellectually interesting field; however, it is Luhtala R, Halila H, Isokoski M. 1998. Becoming a doctor – was
also viewed negatively and belittled by many (Rajagopal it the wrong career choice? Soc Sci Med. 47(9):1383–1387.
et al. 2004) because of its involvement with psychiatric
patients, making it lose its appeal. (Cutler et al. 2009) Lau T, Zamani D, Lee EK, Asli KD, Gill J, Brager N, Hawa R, Song WY,
Gill E, Fitzpatrick R, et al. 2015. Factors affecting recruitment

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Practical Research I Mr. Dela Paz
into psychiatry: a Canadian experience. Acad Psychiatry.
39(3):246-252.

Rajagopal S, Rehill KS, Godfrey E. 2004. Psychiatry as a career choice

compared with other specialties. Psychiatric Bulletin. 28:444–
446.
Critique or Gap Mnookin S, World Bank Group, World Health Organization. 2016. Out
This study was conceptualized to assess the factors that of the shadows: making mental health a global development
attribute to the decline in the enrolment of medical students priority report. [Internet]. Washington, DC: World Bank Group,
into the field of psychiatry. Because mental disorders pose World Health Organization; [cited: 2018 Jul 29]. Available
a great threat to our society (Mnookin et al. 2016), the from:
people affected by it and the treatments given to them must http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/270131468187
be addressed accordingly. Rather than focusing on the 759113/pdf/105052-WP-PUBLIC-wb-background-paper.pdf.
patients themselves, students studying to enter the field of
medicine and their career choices are the center of this
study. Figuring out an effective and working solution to
mental health issues would be a good starting point to
improving the country’s state in it. In relation with this,
Statement based on the United States Department of Health and
of the Human Services’ criteria, the Philippines lacks mental
Problem health professionals. According to the criteria, there should
be a minimum of (a) 16.67 core mental health professional
to a population of 100,000 and 5 psychiatrists to a
population of 100,000, or (b) 11.11 core mental health
professionals to a population 100,000, or (c) 3.33
psychiatrists to a population 100,000 in an area. The lack
of psychiatrists is one of the contributing factors to the
worsening state of mental health illness, hence, the
research will explore the very reasons that lead to this
problem.
We ask the questions:
1. What are medical students’ perceptions on the field
of psychiatry?

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Mancenido, Maranan, Ontangco, Yap August 6, 2018
Practical Research I Mr. Dela Paz
2. How would these perceptions affect in choosing their
field of specialization?
3. Is there a bias against the field of psychiatry among
medical students?
Method to be used for the study
Therefore, we propose to conduct a survey through the use
of questionnaires. Through this, the researchers will gather
information regarding the reasons behind medical
students’ preferring other specializations over psychiatry.
The research sample would include 130 students coming
from Ateneo de Manila University School of Public Health
and Medicine. It will be conducted in Pasig, Metro Manila
within the first semester of S.Y. 2018-2019.
Questionnaires containing queries regarding the
respondents’ basic information such as their names, age,
course, and their reasons for taking up their specific course;
their interest in psychiatry and eagerness in treating mental
patients; and their perceptions towards the field of
psychiatry will be given for them to answer and the results
will be analyzed based on the data that will be yielded from
these.
Other studies examine the stigma against mental health as
the reason why medical students do not take psychiatry.
Meanwhile, our study aims to examine this merely as one
out of the many potential reasons that influence medical
students in their choice for a specialization. This will be
Research
accomplished by identifying the perceptions of medical
Objectives
students on the field of psychiatry and how these
perceptions shape the way medical students decide on
which specialization to take. Of course, with the choice of
specialization of medical students as the main focus, other
factors such as personal interests, income, and many more
will also be discussed. This study also aims to confirm as to

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Practical Research I Mr. Dela Paz
whether there truly is a bias against the field of psychiatry
amongst the medical students in the Philippines.
Educators in the field of psychiatry in medicine will benefit
from this research because this research will explore the
possible factors that affect medical students’ career
decisions, thus enabling them to evaluate certain parts of their
curriculum on whether it is effective or not. Future medical
students may use this research as a basis or source of
information for choosing their future career in medicine by
helping them further discern as to potential specializations
to choose from. Researchers who plan on studying a similar
topic will be able to benefit from and use this research as a
Significance
reference for future studies. Similar to the medical
of the study
students, the general public will also benefit from this study
because more information on various factors that affect the
choice of psychiatry as a career can directly target false or
exaggerated negative perceptions of it from society. Most
importantly, people who are suffering from various mental
illnesses will be able to benefit from this study as a more
positive attitude towards psychiatry may increase the
development and quality of its treatment in the future as
more and more medical students are encouraged to take up
the field of psychiatry.
The general intent of this study will focus on identifying
the factors that attribute to the decline in the recruitment of
medical students entering the field of psychiatry. The
Scope and researchers will gather information regarding the reasons
Delimitatio behind medical students’ preferring other specializations
n over psychiatry. The research sample would include 130
students coming from Ateneo de Manila University School
of Public Health and Medicine. It will be conducted in
Pasig, Metro Manila within the first semester of S.Y. 2018-

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Mancenido, Maranan, Ontangco, Yap August 6, 2018
Practical Research I Mr. Dela Paz
2019. Questionnaires containing queries regarding the
respondents’ basic information such as their names, age,
course, and their reasons for taking up their specific course;
their interest in psychiatry and eagerness in treating mental
patients; and their perceptions towards the field of
psychiatry will be given for them to answer and the results
will be analyzed based on the data that will be yielded from
these.