title: What is the experience of psychiatry residents learning to prescribe? A qualitative research inquiry.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Understanding how psychiatry residents learn to prescribe is important for the future of psychiatry. Prescribing is a complicated act that involves much more than signing a prescription. During residency, psychiatrists develop seminal attitudes and habits about prescribing. There have been no published studies focusing on psychiatry residents' experience when learning to prescribe.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Qualitative methodology lends itself to a deep exploration of the process of learning how to prescribe. We undertook a qualitative study questioning psychiatry residents about their prescribing.
  
  
  METHODS
  Psychiatry residents were recruited from three residency programs and focus groups were conducted at each program. The focus groups were audiotaped and transcribed by a professional service. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data and triangulation to increase the rigor of the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 12 residents participated. Three themes were identified concerning identity development as a psychiatrist, uncertainty and fear about prescribing, and the centrality of collaborating with the patient during the prescribing process.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Psychiatry residents struggle with significant anxiety and frustration in their experience of learning to prescribe, suggesting a place for mentors and supervisors to focus.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychiatry , University of Massachusetts Medical School , Worcester , MA , USA .|b Department of Psychiatry , Berkshire Medical Center , Pittsfield , MA , USA and.
authors.forename: Melinda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Randall
authors.affiliation: c Williams College , Williamstown , MA , USA.
authors.forename: Marissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lowe
authors.affiliation: b Department of Psychiatry , Berkshire Medical Center , Pittsfield , MA , USA and.
authors.forename: Lara
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Aillon-Sohl
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000193:education*; D036301:Qualitative Research
keywords: Graduate medical education; psychopharmacology; qualitative research