This carefully designed master course will allow medical students, residents, fellows and early career psychiatrists an opportunity to review critical concepts in a variety of core subjects in psychiatry. Topics related to normal development, psychopathology, diagnostic methods, neuropsychiatric concepts, psychiatric treatment approaches, ethics and forensics, will be reviewed from a clinical standpoint. In addition, high yield topics from subspecialties such as child and adolescent psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry, addictions and consultation-liaison psychiatry will be discussed. Strategies for answering multiple choice questions will be reviewed in addition to a review of specific topics using video and audio vignettes. The course content will allow the attendees to learn using multiple methods and in an interactive and clinically relevant manner. Faculty members will lead and facilitate a discussion of topics covered by the MCQs and vignettes and convey working knowledge of various topical areas.

Despite many advances in the biological treatment of severe psychiatric illness, the quality of life for many patients is hampered by a lack of full recovery. Many patients benefit from the skills learned in CBT for chronic psychiatric illness and can forestall relapses and obtain a fuller recovery with these methods. This course is designed to help practitioners employ evidence-based and clinically-relevant CBT interventions for complex and chronic patients with persistent depression, bipolar disorder, psychosis and co-occurring medical and psychiatric illnesses.

Substance use disorders are exceedingly common and have significant negative impact on individual's suffering from them. Pharmacotherapies for many substance use disorders are well established and effective, and some pharmacotherapies are emerging from active research and clinical practice. Unfortunately, these pharmacotherapies are often under-utilized for myriad reasons ranging from stigma against patients with these disorders as well as against many of the treatments themselves. Psychiatrists stand in a unique position to help combat stigma and treat individuals with substance use disorders. The aim of this course is to provide an overview of pharmacotherapies for substance use disorders that psychiatrists can utilize in their clinical practices. We will cover both well-established pharmacotherapies, as well as present data on (and approaches to using) emerging pharmacotherapies. An overview organized by substance of misuse will be followed by a case discussion intended to consolidate the information in a practical example of pharmacotherapies for substance use disorders in action.

Treatment-resistant depression affects approximately 30% of patients with major depressive disorder, necessitating advanced therapies beyond standard medication. This master course provides practicing psychiatrists with comprehensive training in ketamine, esketamine, and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) for resistant psychiatric conditions.

Since FDA approval of TMS in 2008, neuromodulation has become integral to treatment-resistant depression management. Ketamine and esketamine show progress as fast-acting antidepressants. Esketamine and TMS are now FDA-approved with expanding insurance coverage improving patient access. Many psychiatrists seek structured training in patient selection, treatment procedures, and safety monitoring.

Ketamine shows effectiveness for resistant psychiatric conditions. Current VA/DoD guidelines recommend ketamine or esketamine after two unsuccessful antidepressant trials. FDA-approved intranasal esketamine is indicated for treatment-resistant depression and major depressive disorder with acute suicidal ideation or behavior. Alternative administration routes, including oral, sublingual, and subcutaneous forms, show expanding utility across depression, anxiety, PTSD, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and bipolar depression. The course offers systematic training in REMS protocol compliance and safety monitoring.

TMS applications have expanded beyond major depressive disorder to include adolescent depression, late-life depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression with anxiety, and smoking cessation. Evidence-based protocols from major professional organizations establish current practice standards. Advanced techniques, including accelerated protocols, measurement-based care, and MRI-guided targeting, represent emerging precision medicine applications.

The curriculum focuses on immediate clinical application through case-based learning and evidence-based protocol development. Content supports both referral decision-making and comprehensive service implementation for physicians creating treatment programs.

Clinical psychopharmacology has become a major component of psychiatric practice. This course primarily provides an update for clinicians who have experience in the practice of psychopharmacology. Recent development of newly available agents as well as drugs still under study are changing practice by providing agents with unique mechanisms of action.

This course will review the current status and the anticipated changes in the field in a series of lectures with questions and answers as well as breakout sessions at the end of the formal presentations. The Course will include presentations on the treatment of depression; management of bipolar disorder; psychopharmacology of post-traumatic stress disorder; treatment of patients with schizophrenia; pharmacologic approaches to children and adolescents; and the treatment of insomnia and other sleep disorders.

The presentation will update six important clinical domains relevant to practicing psychiatrists including the evaluation and treatment of ADHD (Dr. Andrea Spencer), anxiety disorders (Dr. Jeffrey Strawn), OCD and related disorders and tic disorders (Dr. John Walkup), autism spectrum disorders (Dr. Christopher McDougle), major depression (Dr. Karen Dineen Wagner, and lastly, gender dysphoria (Dr. Aron Janssen). Each of the presenters has extensive expertise and are considered world experts in their respective domains. Their presentations will focus on the basics of evaluation and treatment and importantly, address challenges and controversies within each of their respective interest areas. Ample time will be allotted for questions and answers and participant engagement.

As our psychopharmacological armamentarium expands, our population ages, treatments of physical illnesses become more sophisticated, and integrated care proliferates, there is increased demand for the psychiatrist to be well-versed in the psychopharmacological treatment of the medically ill patient. The overall aim of this session is to provide up-to-date, high-yield, clinically relevant and evidence-based information on some of the key issues facing the busy clinician treating such patients. The session will review basic principles of psychopharmacology and their practical application and then focus on key clinical scenarios, including, management of psychotropics in liver, kidney, heart, lung, GI and neurological disease; management of psychotropics in the peri-operative period; specialized considerations for the bariatric surgery patient; and psychotropic-associated risks of hyperprolactinemia and osteoporosis, among others. We will outline the key questions in these scenarios, review the relevant psychopharmacological literature and summarize their core recommendations based on their synthesis of the evidence and the application of clinical wisdom. The session will conclude with guidance on prescribing the newest psychiatric drugs in the medically ill.

Sleep disorders are highly relevant to psychiatric practice. Sleep disturbances are core symptoms of many psychiatric disorders as well as risk factors for their new onset or recurrence. Furthermore, insomnia, nightmares and short sleep duration all increase risk for suicidal ideation and behaviors. Sleep problems often remain unresolved even when the psychiatric disorder is treated, and some psychiatric medications can worsen sleep difficulties. Primary sleep disorders are more prevalent in people with psychiatric disorders, but are often undiagnosed and/or untreated. There is increasing evidence that treating sleep disturbances/disorders in people with psychiatric disorders can improve overall outcomes in both their sleep and psychiatric illnesses. The goal of this course is to provide psychiatrists with a greater understanding of sleep disorders and to improve their capacity to diagnose and treat these conditions, particularly in a psychiatric setting. It will cover diagnosis and treatment of common sleep problems and disorders in children and adults with psychiatric disorders. It first reviews basics of sleep and epidemiology of sleep problems associated with psychiatric illness and evidence that sleep problems are risk factors for psychiatric disorders. Insomnia is the most common sleep complaint in those with psychiatric illnesses, particularly mood and anxiety disorders, schizophrenia and PTSD. Hypersomnia (excessive sleepiness), also frequent in psychiatric patients, may be a symptom of the psychiatric disorder or of a sleep disorder, such as sleep apnea or a primary hypersomnia. Delayed sleep-wake phase disorder, characterized by bedtimes and waking times much later than desired or needed, is common in people with disorders such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and PTSD; complaints include both insomnia and hypersomnia. Sleep apnea contributes to depressive symptomatology and treatment can lead to improvement in depressive symptoms. Sleep related movement disorders such as restless legs can be exacerbated by psychiatric medications and may be confused with movement disorders occurring with psychiatric disorders. Parasomnias include partial arousals from non-rapid eye movement sleep such as sleepwalking, sleep eating, and night terrors, and also rapid eye movement (REM) sleep events such as nightmares and REM sleep disorder, the latter of which is highly predictive of developing synucleinopathy (Parkinson disease, Lewy body dementia, and multiple system atrophy). Sleep disorders and disturbances are also common in children with psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders and contribute to their development and exacerbation. Through reviewing this material, this course will improve the attendees ability to identify and appropriately treat sleep disorders and improve their capacity to effectively reduce psychiatric symptoms, hasten recovery, and improve quality of life.

This course will describe the resources needed to set up office-based treatment with buprenorphine for patients with opioid use disorder (OUD). We will review the DSM-5 criteria for OUD and the commonly accepted criteria for patients appropriate for office-based treatment of OUD. Confidentiality rules related to treatment of substance use disorders as well as the DEA’s requirements for record keeping will also be discussed. Administratively, billing and common office procedures will be covered. Additional topics include epidemiology, symptoms, current treatment of anxiety, depression, and other co-morbid psychiatric disorders; how to distinguish independent disorders from substance-induced psychiatric disorders, special treatment populations including adolescent, pregnant women with substance use disorders, older adults with substance use disorders, patients who are HIV-positive, patients with chronic pain, and finally, the impact of stigma on patients with substance use disorders. Stress will be placed on the importance of expedited admission to treatment for OUD, and the utilization of low-dose and high-dose protocols for the initiation of buprenorphine treatment. Additional medications for OUD, methadone, and naltrexone, will be reviewed. The course will utilize case studies to reinforce learning and include common clinical events associated with substance use disorders.