S Everington over the medicolegal problems resulting from their study but were sorry to note their observation on the "comparative unpopularity" of psychiatry.' We recently published a study of predictors of shortlisting and appointments for training posts in psychiatry.2 Not having an English name was associated with not being shortlisted at senior registrar level (4/18 v 8/14; p < 0 05). In our "real life" study, however, having an English name was significantly associated with having

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... a British undergraduate education (p < 0-001). This in turn was associated with achieving a publication containing data (p<0005), which emerged as the strongest predictor (p<0-001) of shortlisting for a senior registrar post. Our results show the artificiality of comparing curricula vitae identical in all but name and the promotional value (for better or worse) of achieving publication. Our paper nevertheless echoes Esmail and Everington's in concluding that "members of appointments committees should . . become still more aware of their commitment to equal opportunities and their vulnerability to prejudice."