Cinema and Psychiatry

movies for teaching Psychiatry

Abstract

New methodologies of teaching Psychiatry for medical students have been discussed nowadays. Motion pictures could be an interesting activity to achieve better results in this subject, considering the insight that some films can provoke in their audience. Based on this capability of insight, we created Cinepsychiatry, a new methodology of teaching Psychiatry, adopted at Fundação Faculdade Federal de Ciências Médicas de Porto Alegre since 1994. The objective of this paper is to report this new methodology of teaching Psychiatry. To develop this project, a group of volunteer students meet once per week to discuss topics on Psychiatry, in order to organize the event. This so-called commission chooses a main subject (e.g., violence), which will be illustrated in movies. After the projection of the movie, a teacher or invited professional specialized in the specific theme discusses and analyzes the movie with all participants. The potential insight induced by movies can be a useful and curious tool in teaching Psychiatry. This new methodology can also be useful in clinical practice as a support therapy, clarifying situations for many patients.