A CENTRAL ISSUE IN THE MENTAL HEALTH FIELD IS THE QUESTION OF THE RELEVANCE OF MEDICAL EDUCATION TO PROFESSIONAL FUNCTIONING IN THE FIELD. INTERPROFESSIONAL RIVALRIES HAVE HAMPERED DISCUSSION OF THIS PROBLEM, WHICH INVOLVES PSYCHIATRISTS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, SOCIAL WORKERS, AND LAY ANALYSTS. ONLY 3 PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES IN THE FIELD ARE FIRMLY OPERATIONALLY CONNECTED WITH MEDICAL TRAINING: PERFORMING PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS, PRESCRIBING DRUGS, AND GIVING ELECTROSHOCK TREATMENT; OF THESE, ONLY THE PRESCRIBING OF DRUGS IS COMMONLY DONE BY LARGE NUMBERS OF PSYCHIATRISTS. THE CONNECTION BETWEEN MEDICAL EDUCATION AND MENTAL HEALTH PRACTICE IS THUS ALMOST ENTIRELY AN INSTITUTIONAL CONNECTION, NOT AN OPERATIONAL ONE. THE MENTAL HEALTH PRACTITIONER, WHETHER HE BE PSYCHIATRIST, PSYCHOLOGIST, PSYCHIATRIC SOCIAL WORKER, OR LAY ANALYST, IS BASICALLY PRACTICING APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY. A TRULY RELEVANT CURRICULUM LEADING TO A DOCTORATE IN MENTAL HEALTH MUST BE DEVELOPED FROM THE CURRICULUM IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY, NOT THE MEDICAL CURRICULUM. (24 REF.)
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