Psychiatry Boot Camp

Dr. Caitlin Adams, a psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital, specializes in functional neurological disorders (FND). She breaks down the complexities of FND and debunks misconceptions about voluntary control over symptoms like functional weakness. Dr. Adams emphasizes the importance of effective communication and reducing stigma in treatment. The discussion includes key diagnostic signs, the biopsychosocial model, and therapeutic strategies such as cognitive behavioral therapy and specialized physical therapy, all aimed at enhancing patient engagement and recovery.

Dr. Christina Wichman, a Professor of Psychiatry and Obstetrics & Gynecology, shares her expertise in reproductive psychiatry. She discusses the unique challenges of treating mental health during pregnancy and postpartum, emphasizing the need for compassion and validated screening tools. The conversation explores various perinatal mood disorders, medication management, and the innovative Periscope Project aimed at improving access to care. Dr. Wichman also highlights the importance of preconception planning and navigating the balance between maternal and child health.

In this insightful discussion, Dr. Anne O'Melia, Chief Clinical Officer at ERC Pathlight, and Dr. Patricia Westmoreland, forensic psychiatry expert, explore the complexities of eating disorders. They address how to identify when disordered eating requires clinical attention, detailing anorexia, bulimia, and ARFID. The conversation covers prevalence rates, high-risk populations, and emphasizes the urgent need for compassionate care and empathy in treatment. Listeners gain valuable insights into navigating levels of care and the critical role of building therapeutic alliances.

Dr. Mira Zein, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at Stanford University, walks us through decisional capacity determinations.This is a great episode for learners rotating through a consultation-liaison psychiatry service, and will really help you shine on rounds when you quote the Appelbaum-Grisso criteria (seriously, do it)! We also invite psychiatry residents and CL psychiatrists to share this episode with their favorite primary team to help non-psychiatrists make capacity determinations on their own... They are often best suited to do so!Dr. Zein walks us through the Appelbaum-Grisso criteria and discusses each criterion (communication, appreciation, understanding, rationality) in detail. This discussion goes beyond a textbook understanding of the topic, delving into several difficult cases of determining decisional capacity. We discuss common reasons for psychiatric consultation regarding capacity, and how to navigate difficult conversations when fielding consults. You will also learn about common illnesses that can cause diminished capacity, and how to proceed if a patient is found to lack decisional capacity (for a certain decision, at a certain time 😉).Key resources:1) APA Resource Document on Decisional Capacity Determinations in Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry: A Guide for the General Psychiatrist (2019)2) Seminal Article on Appelbaum-Grisso Criteria (Appelbaum 1988)3) Evaluating Capacity: Appelbaum’s Framework Interpreted Diagrammatically (Bari 2023)SUPPORT OUR PARTNERS:⁠SimplePractice.com/bootcamp⁠ (Now with AI documentation! Exclusive 7 day free trial and 70% off four months)⁠Oasis Psychiatry Conferences ⁠(enter code BOOTCAMP at checkout for additional 10% savings)⁠Beat the Boards⁠ (enter code BOOTCAMP at checkout for addition 10% savings)⁠CME to Go⁠ (enter code BOOTCAMP at checkout for addition 10% savings)

Dr. Paula Zimbrean, Professor of Psychiatry and Yale School of Medicine and Director of Transplant Psychiatry Services at Yale New Haven Hospital, introduces us to the field of transplant psychiatry. We discuss the role of psychiatrists in solid organ transplantation, including pre-transplant evaluations. We then discuss the various phases through which transplant patients require support, starting with a diagnosis of advanced organ disease. We cover the pre-transplant phase, peri-operative recovery, early post-transplant stressors, and finally psychiatric considerations that last months to years after transplant. Dr. Zimbrean discusses ethical challenges faced by psychiatrists working in a transplant setting, and shares considerations for the future of transplant psychiatry.Selected references:Transplant Psychiatry: A Case-Based Approach to Clinical ChallengesTransplant Psychiatry: An IntroductionSUPPORT OUR PARTNERS:SimplePractice.com/bootcamp (Now with AI documentation! Exclusive 7 day free trial and 70% off four months)Oasis Psychiatry Conferences (enter code BOOTCAMP at checkout for additional 10% savings)Beat the Boards (enter code BOOTCAMP at checkout for addition 10% savings)CME to Go (enter code BOOTCAMP at checkout for addition 10% savings)

Tyler Black, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at the University of British Columbia, dives into the critical topic of suicide risk assessment. He debunks common myths and emphasizes the necessity of empathetic communication during evaluations. The discussion highlights the emotional burden felt by both patients and healthcare providers. Black categorizes suicidal motivations using a sociological framework and stresses the importance of tailored interventions. He also navigates the complexities of patient autonomy versus safety in mental health care.

Dr. George Grossberg, Henry and Amelia Nasrallah Endowed Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience at Saint Louis University School of Medicine, past president of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, and past president of the International Psychogeriatric Association, orients us to behavioral disturbances in patients with neurocognitive disorders. We walk through common behavioral disturbances in patients with dementia, including apathy, depression, psychosis, and agitation. We discuss management strategies including nonpharmacological and pharmacological interventions. Dr. Grossberg shares his expertise on difficult clinical management decisions when working with this population, and centers us around the importance of knowing the patient as well as the disease.Selected References:⁠Progress in Pharmacologic Management of Neuropsychiatric Syndromes in Neurodegenerative Disorders: A Review (Cummings 2024)Neuropsychiatric Symptoms of Dementia and their nonpharmacological and pharmacological management (Tampi 2022)⁠Management of BPSD Algorithm (Chen with Osser 2021)⁠Atypical Antipsychotics for Aggression and Psychosis in Alzheimer's disease (Ballard 2006) Efficacy and Adverse Effects of Atypical Antipsychotics for Dementia (Schneider 2006)Sequential Drug Treatment Algorithm for Agitation and Aggression in Alzheimer's and Mixed Dementia (Davies 2018)SUPPORT OUR PARTNERS:⁠SimplePractice.com/bootcamp⁠ (Now with AI documentation! Exclusive 7 day free trial and 70% off four months)⁠Oasis Psychiatry Conferences ⁠(enter code BOOTCAMP at checkout for additional 10% savings)⁠Beat the Boards⁠ (enter code BOOTCAMP at checkout for addition 10% savings)⁠CME to Go⁠ (enter code BOOTCAMP at checkout for addition 10% savings)

Dr. Mark Oldham, Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Rochester Medical Center, President of the American Delirium Society, and Deputy Editor of the Journal of the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry, returns to discuss management of catatonia. We delve into management guidelines that everyone working with catatonia should know. We then have a candid discussion about common clinical challenges in treating catatonia, and describe unique cases of catatonia that require adjusting our approach.Selected references:⁠British Association for Psychopharmacology Guidelines⁠⁠⁠Rochester Catatonia Assessment Resources⁠⁠⁠NEJM Review on Catatonia⁠⁠Nature Review on Catatonia⁠⁠Schizophrenia Research Volume on Catatonia⁠⁠Describing the Features of Catatonia (Oldham)⁠SUPPORT OUR PARTNERS:⁠SimplePractice.com/bootcamp⁠ (Now with AI documentation! Exclusive 7 day free trial and 70% off four months)⁠Oasis Psychiatry Conferences ⁠(enter code BOOTCAMP at checkout for additional 10% savings)⁠Beat the Boards⁠ (enter code BOOTCAMP at checkout for addition 10% savings)⁠CME to Go⁠ (enter code BOOTCAMP at checkout for addition 10% savings)

Dr. Mark Oldham, Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Rochester Medical Center, President of the American Delirium Society, and Deputy Editor of the Journal of the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry, introduces us to catatonia. We discuss the clinical features of catatonia and compare and contrast catatonia's description in the DSM with the Busch-Francis Catatonia Rating Scale. We describe and discuss various signs and symptoms of catatonia in detail.Selected references:British Association for Psychopharmacology Guidelines⁠Rochester Catatonia Assessment Resources⁠NEJM Review on CatatoniaNature Review on CatatoniaSchizophrenia Research Volume on CatatoniaDescribing the Features of Catatonia (Oldham)Support our partners:SUPPORT OUR PARTNERS:⁠SimplePractice.com/bootcamp⁠ (Now with AI documentation! Exclusive 7 day free trial and 70% off four months)⁠Oasis Psychiatry Conferences ⁠(enter code BOOTCAMP at checkout for additional 10% savings)⁠Beat the Boards⁠ (enter code BOOTCAMP at checkout for addition 10% savings)⁠CME to Go⁠ (enter code BOOTCAMP at checkout for addition 10% savings)

Dr. Mark Oldham, Associate Professor of Psychiatry at University of Rochester Medical Center, President-Elect of the American Delirium Society, and Deputy Editor of the Journal of the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry, further explores delirium. This episode covers the pathophysiology of delirium including predisposing and precipitating factors, neurocircuitry, and neurotransmitters. We then discuss conceptual frameworks for management of delirium, the importance of identifying and addressing the underlying cause, and strategies for managing specific neuropsychiatric disturbances in delirium.References can be found on the ⁠episode website.⁠SUPPORT OUR PARTNERS:⁠SimplePractice.com/bootcamp⁠ (Now with AI documentation! Exclusive 7 day free trial and 70% off four months)⁠Oasis Psychiatry Conferences ⁠(enter code BOOTCAMP at checkout for additional 10% savings)⁠Beat the Boards⁠ (enter code BOOTCAMP at checkout for addition 10% savings)⁠CME to Go⁠ (enter code BOOTCAMP at checkout for addition 10% savings)