Academic Psychiatry 

Abstract: Human beings are described by many spiritual traditions as ‘blind’ or ‘asleep’ or ‘in a dream.’ These terms refers to the limited attenuated state of consciousness of most human beings caught up in patterns of conditioned thought, feeling and perception, which prevent the development of our latent, higher spiritual possibilities. In the words of Idries Shah: “Man, like a sleepwalker who suddenly ‘comes to’ on some lonely road has in general no correct idea as to his origins or his destiny.” In some religious traditions, such as Christianity and Islam, the myth of the ‘Fall from the Garden of Eden’ symbolizes the loss of the primordial state through the veiling of higher consciousness. Other traditions use similar metaphors to describe the spiritual condition of humanity:

Abstract: This article proposes and illustrates a conceptual model of medical student well-being. The authors reviewed the literature on medical student stress, coping, and well-beingand developed a model of medical student coping termed the “coping reservoir.” The reservoir can be replenished or drained by various aspects of medical students’ experiences. The reservoir itself has an internal structure, conceptualized as consisting of the individual’s personal traits temperament and coping style. The coping reservoir metaphor is used to highlight the dynamic nature of students’ experiences, with potential outcomes including enhanced resilience and mental health versus distress and burnout. Medical student well-being is affected by multiple stressors as well as positive aspects of medical training. Attention to individual students’ coping reservoirs can help promote well-being and minimize burnout; formal and informal offerings within medical schools can help fill the reservoir. Helping students cultivate the skills to sustain their well-being throughout their careers has important payoffs for the overall medical education enterprise, for promotion of physician resilience and personal fulfillment, and for enhancement of professionalism and patient care. This and other models of coping should be empirically validated.

Abstract: Attending college can be a stressful time for many students. In addition to coping with academic pressure, some students have to deal with the stressful tasks of separation and individuation from their family of origin while some may have to attend to numerous work and family responsibilities. In this context, many college students experience the first onset of mental health and substance use problems or an exacerbation of their symptoms. Given the uniqueness of college students, there is a need to outline critical issues to consider when working with this population. In this commentary, first, the prevalence of psychiatric and substance use problems in college students and the significance of assessing age of onset of current psychopathology are described. Then, the concerning persistent nature of mental health problems among college students and its implications are summarized. Finally, important aspects of treatment to consider when treating college students with mental health problems are outlined, such as the importance of including parents in the treatment, communicating with other providers, and employing of technology to increase adherence. It is concluded that, by becoming familiar with the unique problems characteristic of the developmental stage and environment college students are in, practitioners will be able to better serve them.

Abstract: Objective: To investigate resident burnout in relation to work and home-related factors. Method: Maslach Burnout Inventory was mailed to residents in eight different medical specialties, with a response rate of 35%. Results: Overall, 50% of residents met burnout criteria, ranging from 75% (obstetrics/gynecology) to 27% (family medicine). The first year of residency, being single, personal stress, and dissatisfaction with faculty were independently associated with burnout. Conclusions: Efforts to reduce resident burnout nationally would benefit from expanding beyond the work-hours regulation.

Abstract: This article describes family stigma, which is defined as the prejudice and discrimination experienced by individuals through associations with their relatives. The authors describe family stigma and present current research related to mental illness stigma experienced by family members. Research indicates this type of stigma negatively impacts family members and relatives with mental illness. The authors also present strategies to eliminate stigma and discuss implications for the training goals of psychiatrists throughout the text. The authors end this article with recommendations for psychiatry training goals.