On the professional socialization of black residents in psychiatry

Abstract

Residents in psychiatry, in addition to acquiring technical knowledge and skills, undergo the process of professional socialization during which they assimilate the values, attitudes, and normative behavior of their professional group. The socialization of any group of trainees is fostered by the clarity and precision of a socialization structure and by the visibility and contribution of certain specific agents of socialization. The authors outline the areas of this process that create problems for black residents in psychiatry and suggest alternatives to the present experience encountered in most training programs.