Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Soon Chun Hyang University, Seoul.
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to explore the differentiation of common personality profiles and defense mechanisms between medicine and surgery resident groups. The authors evaluated the defense mechanisms of the residents by using Ewha Defense Mechanisms Test. The authors compared the defense mechanisms between two groups (medicine and surgery resident groups) who were training at SoonChunHyang University hospital in 1999.
First, There were significant differences in mean scores of the defense mechanisms ratings. For the surgery group, identification and show-off were significantly higher than in the medicine group. Secondly, the differences of defense mechanism ratings, which were divided by maturity level between the two groups, were significantly higher using neurotic defense of the surgery group. Thirdly, the authors compared the frequency of major defense mechanisms of the two groups. The surgery group used identification, show-off and sublimation as major defense mechanisms in higher frequency than the medicine group.
This result reflects on the fact that the surgery group has exact an apprentice discipline and dramatical therapeutic approach. The results seem to be useful in understanding the resident's optimal character for specific specialties that were selected by evaluating the differences of the common characteristics and coping mechanisms of each specialty group.
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