Didactics

Brain and Behavior

This seminar is an introduction to the current knowledge regarding how clinically recognizable mental functions are represented and processed in the adult human brain. The goal is for the beginning psychiatry resident to develop an understanding of basic principles of neuropsychiatry through clinical cases manifesting deficits in behavior that are the result of demonstrable brain disease or injury.

Presenter(s)

Olusola Ajilore MD PhD

Cultural Psychiatry/Recovery/Public Psych

This seminar is designed to help clinicians become more sensitive to issues pertaining to cultural diversity. Examples include racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, gender, physical and mental diversity issues. Discussion focuses on how diversity issues impact the overall mental health care delivery system and implications for the therapeutic alliance between patients and clinicians.

Presenter(s)

Surya Sabhapathy MD MPH

Emergency Psychiatry

This series of seminars introduces residents to emergency psychiatric issues likely to be encountered by beginning residents during on-call situations. Topics include syndromal assessments, consultative process, legal issues, risk assessments, treatment and disposition. Weekly for 8 weeks; 5 hrs. each session.

Presenter(s)

Experiential Process Group

This group experience affords the residents and opportunity to explore and process the myriad reactions to the process of transitioning from student to resident to physician. All first-year residents are required to participate in this learning and supportive experience.

Presenter(s)

Alexander Schut PhD ABPP

Introduction to Therapeutics and Psychopharmacology

Course reviews basic biochemistry and physiology crucial to understanding pharmacological therapies for psychiatric illnesses. Drug absorption, metabolism and excretion mechanisms are reviewed. Residents are introduced to categories of psychotropics, mechanisms of action, side effect profiles, and efficacy studies.

Interviewing Skills

Part I introduces a method of interviewing that allows an integration of subjective and objective observation and historical and phenomenologic data. Videotaped interviews are used to provide feedback. Part 2 teaches how to modify the clinical interview to specific clinical settings (ER, C/L service). Residents also learn how to develop a comprehensive case formulation, drawing from the biopsychosocial data obtained during the taking of a clinical history regardless of format, time, or setting.

Presenter(s)

Matthew Gambino MD PhD

Introduction to Psychotherapy Practice

This seminar introduces the resident to the basics of seeing patients in the outpatient therapy setting. The focus is on practical aspects of the process, such as introducing the concepts of therapy to patients, setting the frame, billing, and documentation.

Presenter(s)

Neuro-anatomy and Neuro-radiology

Seminar reviews the basics of neurology; neuro-anatomy, neuro-radiology with specific emphasis on the psychiatric aspects of neurologic conditions. These lectures are designed to bring interns “up to speed” for their clinical experiences on the Neurology Service.

Presenter(s)

Joseph J. Cooper MD

Women’s Mental Health

This seminar introduces residents to clinically relevant sex and gender differences. Trainees will learn about the influence of the female reproductive cycle on psychopathology and how to alter clinical practice, including patient interviewing, examination, evaluation and treatment, based on these differences.

Psychopathology and Therapeutics

The goal of this seminar is to familiarize residents with multiple paradigms for understanding and interpreting psychiatric phenomenology. General principles of psycho-pharmacology are discussed along with the major drug categories. The mechanism of action, the contraindications and indications, the side effects, and practical advice on the usage of each drug are provided. It will also promote development of critical thinking about psychiatric illness and introduce residents to current ideas and research through exposure to experts in these areas.

Presenter(s)

Andreea Seicean MD PhD MPH

Introduction to Neuroscience

This seminar covers current biological hypotheses about the mind-to-brain relationship, the molecular regulation of brain function, and the mode of action of drugs typically used in the treatment of psychiatric disorders.

Presenter(s)

Olusola Ajilore MD PhD

Introduction to Ethics and Forensic Psychiatry

This seminar acquaints residents with the basic aspects of forensic psychiatry and helps them understand the differences between forensic and general psychiatry.

Presenter(s)

Stephen Pesanti MD MBA

Normal Development and Child/Adolescent Psychiatry

This course begins by reviewing a variety of basic developmental themes: physical, cognitive, attachment, attention, language, temperament, psychosexual, psychosocial, object relation theory, and separation-individuation. Live and videotaped interviews of normal children at various ages are used to supplement the readings. Next, assessment techniques and various therapeutic modalities with children and adolescents are reviewed. The final section reviews psychopathology and surveys the major mental and behavioral disorders of childhood and adolescence.

Presenter(s)

Psychological and Neuropsychological Assessments

This seminar is an introduction to Neuropsychology, indications for psychological testing, and interpretation of psychological tests. In addition, residents are taught how to synthesize the information obtained from psychological testing in arriving at a clinical diagnosis.

Presenter(s)

Neil H. Pliskin PhD

Essentials of Modern Psychotherapy

The goal of this seminar is to help residents gain an understanding of basic psychotherapeutic principles with an emphasis on psychodynamics. The uses of psychodynamic psychotherapy, the selection of appropriate cases and mechanics (time, setting, and termination), issues of self-awareness, transference and countertransference are addressed.

Presenter(s)

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

This course introduces the principles of cognitive behavior theory and its efficacy in the treatment of varied psychopathological states. Didactics and videotapes of actual treatment sessions are used to facilitate learning.

Presenter(s)

Gustavo R. Medrano PhD ABPP

Advanced Psychopharmacology

This seminar is designed to provide advanced knowledge of psychopharmacology and treatment strategies as well as the relevant clinical neuroscience of the major neuropsychiatric disorders. Special topics include medication adherence and medication non-response.

Presenter(s)

Christopher Holden MD

Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapy

This is an advanced course in cognitive-behavioral therapies as they apply to various psychiatric conditions such as depression, anxiety, and stress disorders.

Presenter(s)

Gustavo R. Medrano PhD ABPP

Introduction to Dialectical Behavioral Therapy

This seminar will teach participants to understand the theory and development of DBT, including the necessary component of learning the balance of acceptance and change. Participants will understand the basic skill modules in DBT including core mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness.

Presenter(s)

Ellen Astrachan-Fletcher PhD

Evidence-Based Practice and Quality Improvement

This course provides residents with an introduction to the principles of evidence-based medicine and how they are applied to clinical psychiatric practice. Topics include forming a clinical question using PICO (patient-intervention-comparison-outcome), analyzing the literature, and integrating evidence into clinical practice. The second part of this course focuses on the process of quality improvement (QI) and sets the stage for degree, QI projects in the PGY-3 and PGY-4 years.

Presenter(s)

Realities of Practice

This course is provided to PGY-3 and PGY-4 residents and covers the basics of maintaining a clinical practice, including contracts, malpractice and legal topics.

Presenter(s)

Norman Chapman MD

Research Methodologies

This seminar provides an introduction to clinical research in its broadest sense. Topics focus on and include idea/hypothesis generation through data collection, statistics, and writing and publishing papers. On-going research at UIC is reviewed.

Presenter(s)

Olusola Ajilore MD PhD

Social Psychiatry II

Presenter(s)

Surya Sabhapathy MD MPH

Phenomenology of Psychosis and Alternative Interventions in Social Psychiatry

This course will familiarize and sensitize residents to how and why social factors are important to the practice of psychiatry. Major areas reviewed include psychiatric epidemiology; how role-based experiences (e.g., in the family, at work, as a patient) are related to mental health; immigration and mental health; the effects of social class, race, and ethnicity on psychiatric symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment; the doctor-patient relationship; and the impact of social factors on the ethics of psychiatric research. Group participation and the sharing of relevant clinical case examples help illustrate the impact of social factors on the experiences, health, and treatment of patients. Residents meet with patients from community-based support groups such has Hearing Voices Network and NAMI.

Advanced Psychopharmacology

A case-based seminar series that expands upon previously mastered psychopharmacology skills. Residents present current cases that focus on a medication-related issue and facilitate discussion of treatment issues in the type of case being discussed.

Presenter(s)

Olusola Ajilore MD PhD

Clinical Neuropsychiatry

This course focuses on the clinical and pathological aspects of neural processes associated with cognition, emotion, and behavior. The diagnosis and treatment of focal neurobehavioral syndromes, major neuropsychiatric syndromes, neurological conditions with cognitive, emotional, behavioral features, and comorbid neuropsychiatric and neurological conditions will be reviewed.

Presenter(s)

Joseph J. Cooper MD

Geriatric Psychiatry

This seminar provides an overview of the psychology, epidemiology, psychopathology, and psychobiology of the elderly patient and will include a discussion of treatment issues in this age group.

Presenter(s)

Olusola Ajilore MD PhD

Integrative Multi-perspective Case Conference

Course focuses on the inevitability of combined modalities in treating mental disorders. Psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral and psychopharmacological therapies are discussed as complementary treatment modalities. Emphasis is on successful integrative strategies.

Presenter(s)

Ronald Moline MD

Electroconvulsive Therapy

Course develops resident’s knowledge base regarding the history and current applications of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Residents will learn how to identify patients who are likely to benefit from ECT, the pre-ECT assessment, the technique of ECT, the side effects, and the use of medications during ECT.

Presenter(s)

Realities of Practice

This course is provided to PGY-3 and PGY-4 residents and covers the basics of maintaining a clinical practice, including contracts, malpractice, and legal topics.

Presenter(s)

Norman Chapman MD

Special Topics in Psychiatry

Residents focus on the theoretical understanding of severe personality disorders and the psychotherapeutic approach to treating this population. Readings are assigned in the areas of ego psychology, self-psychology, and object relations. Psychotherapy techniques and management are demonstrated from case material presented by the residents and a senior attending psychiatrist.

Presenter(s)

Ronald Moline MD

Health Care Policy and Systems

This seminar series leads residents through an overview of changes in the healthcare landscape and economic conditions driving these changes.

Presenter(s)

Anand Kumar MD MHA