A survey of the interactions between psychiatry residency programs and the pharmaceutical industry.
OBJECTIVE
The authors report a survey of the American Association of Directors of Psychiatry Residency Training (AADPRT) on interactions between the pharmaceutical industry and psychiatry residency programs.


METHODS
American Association of Directors of Psychiatry Residency Training membership was anonymously surveyed by e-mail and by paper distribution at the 2002 annual meeting.


RESULTS
Twenty-seven percent of AADPRT members participated. Lunches for residents were the most common interaction, reported by 93% of programs, nearly all of which permitted literature and gifts to be distributed. Only 4% required faculty to be present. Retreats (27%) and travel funds (34%) were sponsored less frequently. One third of programs had written policies governing these interactions, but half of respondents did not know if their parent institutions had such policies. A minority of programs (40%) had formal didactic instruction for residents on this topic. Support for more information, direction, and teaching was widespread.


CONCLUSIONS
The authors recommend more structured teaching and the establishment of formal program and institutional policies to govern these interactions.
Varley
Christopher K
CK
Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Box 359300/CL-08, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. cvarley@u.washington.edu
Jibson
Michael D
MD
McCarthy
Mary
M
Benjamin
Sheldon
S
D000296:Adolescent Psychiatry / Q000193:education*; D002665:Child Psychiatry / Q000193:education*; D004345:Drug Industry; D004493:Education; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors