Promoting psychiatry among medical students is an integral part of World Psychiatric Association (WPA) Action Plan. WPA Working Group on Medical Students (2020-2023) completed a number of important projects around the world including:

• 2 videos on “Why Psychiatry” and “Stigma and Mental Health”,

• 3 modules,

• 2 global essay competitions for WPA 22nd and 23rd World Congresses,

• numerous publications,

• presentations and medical students’ events.

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A complete summary of activities and accomplishments can be viewed here.

 

This led to creation of WPA Special Interest Group for Medical Students which was approved at 23rd World Congress of Psychiatry (WCP) 2023 in Vienna, Austria.

 

Our objectives are:

1. To identify areas of promoting psychiatry as a career among medical students and develop recommendations for WPA’s involvement in research, education and service development relevant to medical students.

2. To identify organisations, centers and individuals interested and willing to participate in promoting psychiatry among medical students.

3. To liaise with WPA Sections and societies in promoting psychiatry among medical students.

4. To support medical students around the world.

 

Our proposed activities include:

1. Collaborations with psychiatry and undergraduate medical education organisations and WPA Component Societies around the world.

2. Social media campaigns to promote psychiatry among medical students and foster collaboration among medical student educators.

3. Curate free, peer-reviewed open access undergraduate medical education curricula in psychiatry to disseminate via the WPA.

4. Explore and advise on the role of technology in undergraduate medical education such as artificial intelligence, social media, virtual teaching, simulated patients, etc.

5. Develop a list of master educators willing to facilitate wellness, burnout, leadership and teaching workshops for medical students, resident physicians and teaching faculty in WPA zones and countries.

6. Serve as a trusted resource for the WPA in policy issues relevant to medical students and medical student education.

7. Disseminate WPA resources to medical students and medical educators through social media, partnership with psychiatry and educational organisations, etc.

8. Essay Competitions for Medical Students at WPA World Congresses and WPA Thematic Conferences.

9. Presentations on issues related with medical students at WPA World Congresses and WPA Thematic Conferences.

10. Publications regarding various aspects of psychiatry undergraduate education, medical student’s well-being and promotion of psychiatry among medical students.