Predictors of Medical Students’ Perceptions of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy for Use in Medical Practice

Abstract

BackgroundPsilocybin use, along with other psychedelics, has seen an increased interest among professionals in the medical community due to its potential therapeutic benefits for psychiatric disorders, substance use disorders (SUD), and palliative care. While it is certain that more research is necessary as psychedelicassisted therapy becomes more prevalent, it will most likely be future physicians at the forefront of this neoteric care. Currently, physicians receive minimal training because of psilocybin's contextual information and its current enlistment as a Schedule 1 drug per the United States Drug Enforcement Administration. Schedule 1 drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. As a rule, formal education on psilocybin is not included in medical school curricula, and very little is known about how medical students perceive it. The aim of this study was thus to assess current medical students' perceptions of their knowledge, concern for possible negative effects, and perceptions about medical psilocybin to provide a deeper understanding of which factors may predict their overall perceptions of its future therapeutic use. MethodsMedical students' knowledge, concern for potential adverse effects, and perceptions of medical psilocybin were investigated using a cross-sectional survey study design. Data were collected in January 2023 from a convenience sample of United States medical students in years one to four of their program using a 41-item anonymous quantitative online survey. Multivariate linear regression modeling was performed to determine if perceived knowledge and beliefs about legalization would predict medical students' attitudes about psilocybin use for therapeutic purposes. ResultsTwo hundred and thirteen medical students completed the survey. Seventy-three percent (n=155) were osteopathic medical students (OMS), and 27% (n=58) were allopathic medical students (MDS). Regression modeling produced a statistically significant equation: (F(3, 13) = 78.858, p < .001), with an R 2 = 0.573 (adjusted R 2 = 0.567), indicating that greater (perceived) knowledge about medical psilocybin, less concern for its possible adverse effects, and greater belief in the legalization of psilocybin for recreational use significantly contributed to positive perceptions of psilocybin use in medical practice. ConclusionsIn this sample, medical students with greater self-assessment of their knowledge about medical psilocybin, less concern for its potential adverse effects, and more positive views about recreational psilocybin legalization predicted positive attitudes about its medical use. Interestingly, although some participants had positive perceptions about the legalization of psilocybin for medical use, endorsing its legalization for recreation was related to greater positive attitudes toward medical psilocybin in general, a finding that appears to be somewhat counterintuitive. More research is warranted to further explore medical trainees' ...

Predictors of Pharmacy Students' Attitudes About the Therapeutic Use of Psilocybin

“…The researchers then adapted the medical cannabis instrument to assess the attitudes about psilocybin among medical students [25]. The results of this study showed that medical students with a greater selfassessment of their knowledge about medical psilocybin, less concern for its potential adverse effects, and the opinion that psilocybin should be federally legalized for recreational purposes have more positive attitudes about its medical use.…”

“…To our knowledge, there are few published reports of the perceptions, knowledge, and attitudes of healthcare professionals in general and pharmacists and/or trainees regarding psilocybin-assisted therapy [25][26][27]. Mental health professionals tend to have unfavorable attitudes and minimal self-rated expertise in psilocybin [28].…”

“…The researchers of the current study have published reports about the perceptions of both medical cannabis and psilocybin-assisted therapy among medical students [25,[32][33][34]. However, little is known about pharmacy students' attitudes toward psilocybin, including their personal experiences with it.…”

“…Mental health professionals tend to have unfavorable attitudes and minimal self-rated expertise in psilocybin [28]. Findings from a study assessing medical students' perceptions of psilocybin-assisted therapy indicated that medical trainees who hold more favorable attitudes toward psilocybin-assisted therapy tend to have less concern for adverse events, greater knowledge about psilocybin, and greater belief in psilocybin legalization for recreational (not therapeutic) use [25].…”

“…The PSPP was developed by the researchers and contained 41 items that investigated medical students' attitudes toward psilocybin. The items for this instrument were adapted from the authors' previous study about medical students' attitudes toward cannabis [32][33][34] and a follow-up study on their attitudes toward psilocybin [25]. The researchers developed the instruments after reviewing recent and relevant studies published in peer-reviewed journals as well as anecdotal reports from health professions educators.…”