Core Adult Internal Medicine Disciplines

Psychiatry

Topics

• Assessment of delirious and confused states, and delineation of psychoses and similar treatable psychiatric conditions from other causes of altered mental states. Clear idea of initial treatment.
• The assessment of mood disorders, particularly depression, in medically ill patients, and the awareness of the way mood disorders may present with some awareness of initial treatment and management. The assessment of deliberate self-harm, overdose and suicide risk, as well as the management of violent or disturbed behaviour.
• The differential diagnosis of anxiety disorders and awareness of their classification.
• Medical complications of alcohol and drug abuse and dependence, and concepts of addiction. Awareness of current methods of assessment of drug and alcohol consumption.
• Psychiatric emergencies in general, relating to violent, suicidal and self-harming behaviour, as well as drug overdose.
• Use of the Mental Health Act in general medical settings.
• Bereavement and atypical grief reactions.
• The concepts of somatisation and abnormal illness behaviour.
• Psychiatric manifestations of medical conditions, including neurological, endocrine, geriatric, oncological and gastroenterological diseases.
• A general knowledge of psychiatric treatments, such as drugs, electroconvulsive therapy and psychotherapy.
• Medical complications of drugs used in psychiatric practice.

Practical Skills for all Trainees

Nil.

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