Psychiatry

Psychiatry refers to the prevention and treatment of mental disorders and associated emotional, behavioral, and stress-related problems.  In general internal medicine practice, management of risk factors for mental disorders and early diagnostic and intervention for established disease (primary and secondary prevention) are important elements.  The general internist should have a wide range of competency in psychiatric disease, particularly as it is encountered in outpatient settings and should be able to diagnose symptoms and use pharmacotherapy, behavioral modifications, and counseling to provide primary and secondary prevention care and initially manage many mental disorders. 

Patients hospitalized for general medical problems and those in the intensive care unit may have significant psychiatric comorbidity that contributes to general medical morbidity and length of stay.  In these and all other settings, the general internist must be able to evaluate and manage psychiatric comorbidity effectively with appropriate specialty consultation.

The range of competencies expected of a general internist will depend o the availability of the psychiatrists in the primary practice setting.  In some communities, the general internist may be responsible for both initial and maintenance psychopharmacologic management of many mental disorders.  Refractory cases and patients with mental disorders requiring psychotherapy interventions will generally be referred to a mental health professional, as will patients who are suicidal, psychotic, or dangerous and those in need of psychiatric hospitalization.

• In-training Examination results
• Review of resident’s performance by attending physician

• PSYCHIATRY CHAPTERS IN HARRISONS TEXTBOOK OF MEDICINE
• ARTICLE FILES
• MKSAP - {most recent addition}
• UpToDate®