Increasingly, all illnesses have a biopsychosocial element. There will be an important coming together of results to enhance knowledge and treatment in the mental health field. In today's society, however, facts and figures often do not stand out enough to attract the attention of decision makers, so active advocacy is required. As times change, issues take on different complexions, and so it is valuable and timely that matters concerning the training and retention of researchers in Canada become a focus for discussion. The articles by Doctors Nady el-Guebaly and Mark Atkinson in this issue are important for many reasons, if for no other reason than that they point out the need for the general psychiatric community to become involved, concerned, and interested in this topic.
Science tends to pride itself on themes of universality.
Thus, it comes as no surprise that the Canadian research activity scene would, in most ways, reflect the general scientific climate. This active comparison allows us to benefit from the experience of others in identifying and solving problems. The authors discuss a very important area of education in general, and that is the role of mentoring, or to use other terms, role modelling or identification. This was pointed out as necessary to stimulate and maintain the curiosity and interest of young students who enter medicine with a high degree of enthusiasm and energy, and with still relatively unformed directions and outlook. Enhancing opportunities for undergraduate students to become involved in psychiatric research projects or endeavours would ensure that those students interested in exploring research would do so in a psychiatric field.