Making the most of your psychiatry placement

About 50% of doctors will complete a placement in psychiatry during their foundation training.

If you are one of these doctors, there are a number of things you can do to make sure you have the best experience possible.

Before you start, plan: think about what you hope to gain from the placement. Even if you’re not planning a career in psychiatry, your placement can teach you transferable skills, help you gain experience and fulfil curriculum requirements.

NHSE's eLearning for Healthcare provides a catalogue of mental health resources for foundation doctors, which may be useful ahead of or during your placement. 

While you are on your placement

• Keep records – when you come to apply for specialty training, it will be much easier to complete a good, clear application if you have records of what you’ve achieved and learnt
• Know what to expect – find out who you will be working with and what you will be doing
• Do the basics – introduce yourself to your colleagues so that they know who you are
• Attend any teaching that’s required and offered
• Talk to your colleagues – specialty trainees can tell you their experiences and may help you identify opportunities or give you a different perspective

What to expect on your placement