About the school

Welcome to the Wessex School of Psychiatry

Psychiatry training in Wessex is rewarding and fulfilling thanks to carefully managed programmes designed to meet trainees own needs. The School is friendly, with trainees having opportunities and they are encouraged to meet their peers regularly through education programmes along with regular access to educational supervisors and training programme directors. The programmes are supported by an excellent postgraduate team who ensure good communication with  trainees.

The scheme has a good reputation with higher than average pass rates for exam especially Clinical Assessment of Skills and Competencies (CASC). Higher trainees have access to a local professionals programme supporting them to develop the skills required to become consultants. There is good access to psychotherapy training for core trainees supported by an enthusiastic psychotherapy tutor who is extending the opportunities for higher trainees.

Services in six local Trusts presently provide the training posts. The social context of these services vary from the inner city areas to more rural settings and the units vary from locked secure inpatient provision to innovative community based services.

There are opportunities for trainees to experience all aspects of general and old age psychiatry as well as liaison psychiatry, peri-natal psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, intellectual disability psychiatry, forensic psychiatry, rehabilitation, substance misuse and eating disorders.

Trainees also have access to excellent research opportunities and academic clinical fellowships are available at the Department of Psychiatry in the University of Southampton in general adult psychiatry, old age psychiatry and Children’s and adolescent psychiatry.