Composition

This meant that there were now three written exams and a Clinical Assessment of Skills & Competencies (CASC).[3] In order to get membership candidates currently need to complete 30 months post foundation/internship experience in Psychiatry and a pass in all components of the MRCPsych Examinations. [4] The current examination comprises three parts, with two written papers and a clinical exam (CASC). Paper A focus on Neuroscience, Pharmacology, Psychology, and theory, while Paper B focuses on Current Clinical Practice & Evidence within General Adult and the various subspecialties of Psychiatry, Epidemiology, Statistics, Critical Appraisal, and Psychotherapy.[5]

Behavioral Science and Sociocultural Psychiatry  

Basic Psychology  

Social Psychology

Sociocultural psychiatry

Appendix 1 

Syllabic curriculum content: 

Summary of Areas of Core Medical Knowledge 

Underpinning Specialist Training in Psychiatry 

Last updated July 2018 

Behavioral Science and Sociocultural Psychiatry

Basic Psychology 

Social Psychology 

Social science & sociocultural psychiatry 

2. HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

Basic frameworks for conceptualizing development:

Methodology for studying the development

Bowlby attachment theory

Other aspects of family relationships and parenting practices

Individual temperamental differences

Cognitive development with critical reference to key models such as the biopsychosocial model and Piaget’s model

language development in childhood

Development of social competence and relationships with peers:

Moral development

Development of emotional literacy and emotional regulation.

Sexual development

Adolescence as a developmental phase

Adaptations in adult life,

Pregnancy and childbirth

The development of personal (ego-)

Normal aging and its impact on individual functioning.

Genetic influences on   development           

Neuroimaging and its role in understanding development.        

Neuroscience

Basic Techniques in neuroscience:

 Cells 

Neurotransmitters and receptors 

           Neuroanatomy

            Neural circuits 

          Modulators (hormones, inflammatory responses) 

           Genetics 

       Neurodevelopment and neuroplasticity 

3.9.      Integrated Neurobiology of the following specific syndromes and states 

3.10. Neurodegeneration 

 CLINICAL PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY

 General Principles 

 Pharmacokinetics 

 Pharmacodynamics 

 Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs)

1. CLASSIFICATION AND ASSESSMENT IN PSYCHIATRY

Trainees shall demonstrate knowledge of the assessment and classification of the major psychiatric disorders. This includes: 

Classification systems

Assessment of the various biological, psychological and social factors involved in the predisposition to and onset, and maintenance of psychiatric disorder

ORGANISATION AND DELIVERY OF PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES

GENERAL ADULT PSYCHIATRY

OLD AGE PSYCHIATRY

                            8.1 Demographic population changes in the UK and worldwide.

8.2 District service provision; need for specialization, principles of service provision, multidisciplinary working with reference to needs of an older population, relationships with and provision by social services and voluntary bodies. Liaison with geriatricians. Attention to the needs of carers.

            8.3 Specialist aspects of assessment of mental health in older people.

8.4 Psychological aspects of physical disease; particular emphasis on possible psychiatric sequelae of Parkinson’s disease, cerebrovascular disease, sensory impairment. Emotional reaction to illness and to chronic ill health. Secondary and reversible dementias.

8.5 Prevalence/incidence, clinical features, differential diagnosis, aetiology, management and prognosis of the following disorders occurring in late life:

                                      8.6 Suicide and attempted suicide in old age.

                                      8.7 Psychiatric aspects of personality in old age.

8.8 Psychotherapy with older adults: adaptations and difference in therapy. Transference - counter-transference issues. Common themes.

                                      8.9 Bereavement and adjustment disorders.

8.10 Sleep disorder in later life.

8.11 Psychosexual disorders in old age; including sexuality in physically ill/disabled people, sexuality in institutionalized elderly.

 PSYCHOTHERAPY 

Trainees will be able to understand the principles and techniques of psychosocial therapies sufficient to treat patients using brief and supportive therapies and to know when and how to make a referral that is indicated. Further to this, they will be able to explain to a patient prospective treatment if a referral is made. 

• Dynamic Psychotherapy  
• Family Therapy
• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies  
• Other Therapeutic Models 
• Effectiveness of Psychotherapy 
• Group Therapy 

1. CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY 

Trainees shall demonstrate a general knowledge of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. This includes knowledge of the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents, knowledge of disorders that are usually first diagnosed in infancy, childhood or adolescence and developmental disabilities. In particular: 

1. The effects of adult mental illness on children including the effects of maternal mental health on children and young people at different developmental stages. As an exemplar the effect of depression on parental functioning and interactions, and the impact of this on child development and functioning. An understanding of cultural variations in aetiology and management.

1. Short and long-term effects of negative life events on development and functioning e.g. maternal loss, child abuse, chronic or lifethreatening illness.

1. Description of a typical child mental health service, the role within this service of the psychiatrist and multidisciplinary team members. Basic information on different agencies involved in the care of children and their function.

1. Child protection. The needs of developing children and how these change with time. Types of child abuse and their aetiology and recognition. An understanding of what to do if child protection concerns are raised.

1. Interaction between psychiatric disorder and physical illness in children and adolescents. Physical presentation of psychiatric disorder and psychiatric presentation of physical disorder.

1. Aetiological influences in child and adolescent psychiatry, including individual, familial and social and environmental influences and their interactions

1. Evidence based interventions child mental health and developmental conditions (as defined in ICD and DSM) and the care pathways that enable access to those interventions

1. Knowledge of the prevalence/incidence, aetiology, presentation, treatments and outcome of the following conditions including an understanding of how conditions relate to behaviours (e.g. self-harm, refusal to attend school etc) and contexts (e.g. pre-school behaviours):

1. Continuities and transitions of child mental health conditions into adult life.
2. Indications        and contra-indications for      different       treatment interventions. Indications for in-patient care.

OTHER CLINICAL SPECIALTIES

Trainees are expected to be knowledgeable and competent to a basic degree in sub-specialties of psychiatry. The level of knowledge and practice is to enable the individual doctor to deal with the majority of routine cases and emergencies that may be referred, not the level required to practice as a specialist in the given field 

1. Substance Misuse/Addictions 

1. Basic pharmacology and epidemiology

1. Awareness of Legal restrictions on prescribing.

1. Cause, consequences and recognition of heavy drinking
   1. Who uses which drugs and why
   2. The interaction with psychiatric illness.
   3. The assessment and management
   4. The assessment and management
   5. Culturally appropriate strategies prevention
   6. non-substance addictive behaviours

1. Motivational Interviewing
2. Forensic Psychiatry 

1. Relationship between crime and mental disorder 
   1. Knowledge of the range of offences committed by mentally disordered offenders
   2. The relationship between specific mental disorders and crime:
   3. Special syndromes:
   4. Mental disorders and offending in special groups:
   5. Effect of victimisation and vulnerability:

1. Psychiatry and the criminal justice system 

1. Practicing psychiatry in a secure setting 

1. Human rights legislation as it effects patients and psychiatric practice. 

1. Learning Disability

The topics suggested should complement those topics which will be covered in other areas of psychiatry, particularly neuropsychiatry and child psychiatry.

1. Services
   1. Epidemiology 

1. Etiology 

13.3 Clinical 

14. RESEARCH METHODS, STATISTICS, CRITICAL REVIEW AND EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE

The Trainee shall demonstrate knowledge of the principles of research methods, statistics, epidemiology and evidence-based practice. This section is published as a separate syllabus -