D. C. van Strien: Ideology in psychiatry.
Several articles concerning 'residency in psychiatry' have been published in this journal this last year. The author, himself a resident, reviews these articles. At the same time, he contrasts them with his own preconception and ideas about the field and profession of psychiatry as these evolved, and changed in the course of his residency. His personal exposition of this training and development makes him realize that psychiatry, not being a mature empirical science, leaves room for a large amount of suppositions and ideology, that is, tenets which are not subject to empirical verification. The author describes his struggle to cope with the numerous pre-scientific ideas in his field. He pleads a more open and critical approach of teaching and practice during the training years.