The Department of Psychiatry is a pioneer department in the South Asian region. It conducts a psychiatry under graduate programme which lays great emphasis on training in psychiatry for the graduates of Medical Faculty, University of Kelaniya. The psychiatry programme involves a 2 weeks attachment in psychiatry in the 3rd year and 8 weeks in the final year. It culminates in a year examination along with the other clinical disciplines Medicine, Surgery, Paediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology. The knowledge, skills and attitudes in mental health are taught and assessed from the 1st year within the Behavioral Sciences Stream and there after during the Psychiatry Clinical Clerkships which include ward and community attachments.
Departmental Objectives
To produce a group of doctors who will;
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Be able to diagnose, manage and prevent the commonly seen psychiatric disorders where possible.
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Be able to recognize affective disorders, schizophrenia, developmental disorders in childhood, organic psychiatric disorders and substance abuse (alcohol, heroin, cannabis ect).
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Be able to identify the important features of HIV related psychiatric disorders, eating disorders, post traumatic stress disorder and abuse of substances like cocaine and amphetamine.
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Be able to manage common psychiatric emergencies (Acute psychotically disturbed patients, patients with suicidal ideas, patient in psychotic stupor and delirium). They should also be able to decide when to refer such patients for specialist opinion.
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Be aware of the contents of the mental health act.
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Be aware of the following- a mentally abnormal offender, fitness to plead, criminal responsibility, homicidal risk.
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Be able to outline the principles of cognitive and behavioural therapy.
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Be able to recognize and refer for specialist care the psychiatric problems that cannot be managed at primary care level.
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Be able to state the approximate figures for the prevalence and trends in deliberate self harm and suicide, depressive illness, alcohol and drug abuse in Srilanka.
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Be aware of the importance of socio- cultural factors in the following- causation of psychiatric illness, management of psychiatric illness, and influence on symptomatology.
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Be able to communicate effectively in the context of a multi deciplinary team.
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Be able to appreciate the importance of accurate and relevant history taking, mental state examination and relevant investigation in making a diagnosis.
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Be able to keep abreast with advancing knowledge in psychiatry and research.
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Be aware of counselling techniques and supportive therapies.
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Be able to counsel and support the relatives of a patient or a victim of abuse or disaster.
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Be aware of ethical and legal issues in medical practice.
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Be aware of the importance of confidentiality and obtaining consent in psychiatric practice.