ABSTRACT
In 1974, the Institute of Psychosexual Medicine (IPM) was founded and has continued to train interested health professionals to acquire the necessary skills to, first and foremost, benefit their patients. The IPM is the only training organisation with the ability to provide the unique ‘body-mind’ medicine training that is needed, as stated by the South West Expert Advisory Group. Psychosexual medicine employs ‘experiential learning’ to foster an approach to the patient that simultaneously acknowledges the physical, psychological and social. Clinicians in training and beyond are encouraged to read the journal of the IPM, published twice annually and to attend the clinical and scientific meetings held in March and November, respectively. Sexual dysfunction can have devastating and wide-reaching effects on individuals’ well-being and ability to function in other areas of life, especially in forming relationships. Training in psychosexual problems is part of the obstetrics and gynaecology, community sexual and reproductive health and genitourinary medicine curriculum, to varying degrees.
