Teaching the principles of combat psychiatry to army psychiatry residents

Army psychiatry residency programs have an important responsibility to prepare their graduates for duty as CMHA psychiatrists or division psychiatrists. Psychiatrists who have an understanding of the principles of combat psychiatry have proved their effectiveness in garrison, field or combat settings. Unfortunately, training directors have been unable to place appropriate emphasis upon teaching combat psychiatry principles to their residents, because of other educational requirements, the physical separation of medical centers form field units, and an academic orientation that sometimes conflicts with combat psychiatry teaching. In spite of these problems, Army programs can improve their residents' ability to practice in the military environment, through additional emphasis in three subject areas closely related to combat psychiatry: military medical training, general psychiatry, and consultation/liaison psychiatry. The skills and knowledge that residents will acquire in these areas should prove beneficial in their subsequent careers as Army psychiatrists.