Rediscovering general psychiatry: creation of an academic division.

OBJECTIVE To describe the rationale, origins, and goals of a newly created academic division of general psychiatry within a university setting. METHOD Literature review, observation, and description. RESULTS Within 2 years of its inception, the General Psychiatry Division of the University of Toronto has begun to realize some of its goals and further elucidate specific objectives. CONCLUSIONS In an era of increasing academic subspecialization, the preservation of core skills in psychiatry and the recognition of the continuing public need for psychiatric generalists must be enshrined within academic training programs.