Teaching Psychosomatic Gynecology to Medical Students

Psychosomatic gynaecology may be defined broadly as concern with body/mind interactions and the role of psychological and social factors in the predisposition, inception and maintenance of gynaecological disorders. A special multidisciplinary liaison clinic was established at the University Department of Psychiatry, Royal Melbourne Hospital in 1979. The aims of the clinic were threefold: patient care, student teaching and research. Prior to establishment of the clinic many psychosomatic research studies had been carried out by Departmental members who had developed close liaison with University and hospital gynaecological units.