Fourteen more graduates from American medical schools matched for a psychiatry residency this year than last, but the numbers still fell short of filling the spots. Last year, 656 students were placed, this year 670 for the 1,075 available spots.
Psychiatric News writes that psychiatry is one of the less competitive residencies, but some are hoping the publication of the DSM-V will bring attention on the discipline. According to a letter circulated by Sidney Weissman, M.D., a past president of the American Association of Directors of Psychiatric Residency Training,
"The publication of DSM-5 in 2013 means that psychiatry as a discipline will be in the spotlight. We must use it effectively to showcase our field."I believe we must alter some of our language. We speak of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy. The former impacts on the brain, but people are left to wonder where psychotherapy works. I would propose, since all therapy impacts on the brain and all therapy alters psychological functioning, we might describe psychotherapy as has having two functions--somatic and psychological. The publication of the new DSM gives us an opportunity to address our use of language."
