Department of Psychiatry

In their final year, residents are directly involved in consultation-liaison psychiatry during their rotations on medical-surgical units at the Regional Medical Center and the Veterans Administration Hospital. Trainees gain an increased understanding of techniques of consultation, not only to individual patients but to the health care system in which the patient is treated. Residents receive two months of training in child and adolescent psychiatry and one month in a community mental health center. Experience in forensic and legal aspects of psychiatry is obtained through working within the state legal system and performing court evaluations. Additional experiences are provided with Geriatric psychiatry patients in medical inpatient and long term care facilities and in ECT. During the five months reserved for electives, residents are encouraged to pursue their professional and academic interests in clinical and research settings.

Basic issues of civil and criminal forensic psychiatry are presented, including child custody, competency, the insanity defense, and the legal regulation of psychiatric practice. Case histories are used in discussions of issues such as confidentiality and the right to refuse treatment.

The classification, etiology, and treatment of sexual dysfunction are discussed. Specific sexual problems related to chronic illness and ethical and legal issues in sexual therapy are reviewed.

An overview of normal and abnormal aging, with detailed consideration of depression, paranoid syndromes, and organic mental disorders; community resources in comprehensive mental health care of the aged are emphasized.

After an historical survey of the development and applications of hypnosis, there is a discussion of the uses, procedures and limitations of hypnosis. Residents observe the instructor inducing hypnotic states, and then they themselves work with a patient using hypnosis.

The course presents an overview of the history of the field from ancient times through the present, looking at the progression of both biological and psychological understanding of human behavior.

Basic issues in the administration of systems of psychiatric care are discussed, including the role of the medical director, behavioral health networks, medical staff issues, behavioral health outcomes measurement, and health information and confidentiality.