Upcoming Courses
24th Annual Summer Seminars: Essential Psychopharmacology, 2013
Nassir Ghaemi, MD, MPH
An updated review of neurobiology and brain function will be presented. Specific categories of treatment will include treatment of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders. The course will address strategies for bipolar patients who are noncompliant or treatment-resistant; approaches to the acutely psychotic, recovering psychotic patient, and the concept of early intervention. The role of medical switch versus augmentation strategies for treatment-resistant depression will be reviewed. Psychiatric medications for the elderly will be reviewed, including dosage adjustments for age, drug interactions, and sensitivity to side effects. The role of psychopharmacology in the treatment of obsessive symptoms, panic symptoms, and traumatic syndromes will be emphasized. Pharmacologic approaches to the patient with personality disorders will be discussed. The course will emphasize the establishment and importance of the therapeutic alliance when prescribing all psychotropic medications, the interplay between pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatments, benefits and hazard of prescriber/non-prescriber co-treatment relationships. Educational presentation will be in seminar format and include lectures, participant discussion and Q & A.
- Describe the tenets of psychotropic drug treatment, with particular emphasis on recent advances and practical prescribing information;
- Understand basic tenets of the pharmacology of the major psychotropic drug classes;
- Describe the latest research in neurobiology and brain function;
- Implement treatment strategies for bipolar patients who are noncompliant or treatment-resistant;
- Implement evidence-based approaches to treating acutely psychotic and recovering psychotic patients;
- Determine when to implement medical switch versus augmentation strategies for treatment-resistant depression;
- Make dosage adjustments in the elderly for age, drug interactions, and sensitivity to side effects;
- Describe the role of psychopharmacology in the treatment of anxiety disorders, obsessive symptoms, panic symptoms, and traumatic syndromes;
- Describe the pharmacologic approaches to the patient with personality disorders;
- Develop a therapeutic alliance when prescribing psychotropic medications;
- Describe the interplay between pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatments;
- Describe the benefits and hazards of prescriber/non-prescriber co-treatment relationships.
Additional Information
Fees
Monday- Friday: 9:00 am – 12:15 pm
Beth Israel Deaconess Department of Psychiatry Foundation, Inc./Contact Hours: 15
Accreditation:
The Harvard Medical School is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
The Harvard Medical School designates this live activity for a maximum of 15 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Psychologists: The Continuing Education Program at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a major teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School is approved by the American Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. The Continuing Education Program at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a major teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
Counselors: The Continuing Education Program at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a major teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School continuing education is an NBCC Approved Continuing Provider (ACEP) and may offer NBCC approved clock hours for events that meet NBCC requirements. The Week Long Summer Seminars for a maximum of 15 clock hours and the Weekend Summer Seminars for a maximum of 10 clock hours. The ACEP solely is responsible for all aspects of the program.
Social Workers: For information on the status of the application to the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, please call 617-754-1265 or email: sjruiz@bidmc.harvard.edu.
Nurses: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Nursing Education is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the Massachusetts Association of Registered Nurses, Inc., an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Nursing Education will provide contact hours for Essential Psychopharmacology, 2013. This summer program meets the specifications of the Board of Registration in Nursing (244 CMR).
NASSIR GHAEMI, MD, MPH is Lecturer on Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School and Professor of Psychiatry, Tufts University School of Medicine. Dr. Ghaemi is also the recipient of a Master of Arts Degree in Philosophy and a Master of Public Health in the Clinical Effectiveness Program of Harvard School of Public Health. He is Director, Mood Disorders Program, Tufts Medical Center. Dr. Ghaemi has authored over 100 scientific articles or book chapters and serves on the editorial boards of numerous journals. He is the author of 4 books including, Mood Disorders: A Practical Guide. His most recent book (a New York Times Best Seller) is, A First Rate Madness: Uncovering the Links Between Leadership and Mental Illness.