In an effort to acquire detailed overview regarding postgraduate training in psychiatry together with gaining opinions on the present and ideal postgraduate programm, our Young Psychiatrists Section in Czech Republic decided to undertake a survey.

The questionnaire was addressed to all current PhD students in the field of psychiatry and to those who finished the studies previously, maximum 10 years ago. We distributed the questionnaires via mail and e-mail to all 7 psychiatric clinics and put it also on our website. 32 participants from 5 institutions responded. The questionnaire encompasses questions related to the metodology of the project, tutor engagement, working schedule, financial situation and other funding oportunities. Second part contained requests on various aspects of ideal training programm.

The majority of the participants is satisfied with tutor involvement (92%) and the metodology of the project (85%) but less with the financial support of the project (69%) and time devoted to work on it (69%). The ideal organization of the PhD programm should be in blocks (81%), for a certain period of time for PhD project and the rest for clinical work.

The survey revealed some weak spots of our contemporary PhD studies programm in Czech Republic, e.g. lack of time for working on PhD project and poor funds for covering it. Beside various models for organizing postgraduate studies, PhD students are in sum mainly satisfied with it. Suggestions on ideal organisation of the programm are meant to serve as potential models for consideration.