El perfil del médico psiquiatra colombiano

Objectives: To determine the profile of the Colombian psychiatrist based on three fundamental aspects: life standards, academia development and work performance. Design: Cross-section observational, descriptive survey, completed from December 2002 - March 2003. Sample: 234 randomized psychiatrists, including a representative simple for each region. Results: 130 men and 46 women. The average age of the surveyed psychiatrists was 48.6 years, married (72,73%), with an average of 2 children. 77,27% of those surveyed belong to the Colombian Psychiatry Association. 51,7% of the psychiatrists have completed other studies conferring a title. The average number of participations in continued education events in the past 12 months was of 1.12 for National Conferences. The preferred means of continued education include national conferences and seminars, and the preferred topic is psychotherapy. 74,43% agree with the recertification of the trade. The entity preferred by the psychiatrists to fulfil this recertification is the Colombian Psychiatry Association, with recertification every 4.9 years (average). 92,05% of the psychiatrists are currently working; on average they work 5.23 days a week, and most work between 9 and 12 hours daily. For most psychiatrists, their practice is oriented to pharmacotherapy and other biological therapies. 77,84% of the surveyed psychiatrists have an income below expected, although 71% of them are satisfied with their current work.