OBJECTIVES:

- be aware of the key symptoms and signs of the major psychiatric disorders;

- be able to take a psychiatric history and conduct a mental state examination;

- acquire those skills necessary to make relevant diagnoses and to implement those management strategies necessary for a doctor in general or non-psychiatric specialist practice;

- be able to assess a patient's personailty, psychological adjustment, coping repertoires and social functioning;

- appreciate the importance of psychological factors in the diagnosis and treatment of illness;

- be aware of the appropriate sections of the Mental Health Act and Guardianship legislation, and so be able to refer patients appropriately to psychiatric facilities, where appropriate;

- acquire basic knowledge in special areas of forensic psychiatry, child psychiatry, ethics, general practice psychiatry and liaison psychiatry;

- be competent in prescribing psychotropic medication;

- be able to use simple cognitive and behavioural techniques.

Learning will be based primarily on clinical experiences during attachments to psychiatry units in one of the Faculty's clinical schools. This will be supported by a lecture and tutorial program.

Assessment will include satisfactory completion of the generic learning plan, weekly short answer questions, written case histories and an observed clinical interview and viva.