Psychiatry
Education Office
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Location:
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Abbie Lane Building/QEII Health Sciences Centre
8th Floor
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Telephone:
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(902) 473-5664
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Fax:
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(902) 473-4887
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Research Office
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Location:
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Abbie Lane Building/QEII Health Sciences Centre
8th Floor
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Telephone:
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(902) 473-7358
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Fax:
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(902) 473-4887
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Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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Location:
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IWK Health Centre
4th Floor - Link
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Telephone:
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(902) 470-8087
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Fax:
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(902) 470-7937
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Course of Study
To become a psychiatrist, completion of four years of medical school training plus five years of residency is required. During your medical school training at Dalhousie you will be introduced to the Department of Psychiatry. Undergraduate teaching in the department focuses on highlighting the significance of biopsychosocial factors in normal human development and in illness, enabling students to recognize psychiatric disorders and how to treat these disorders within their competence, or refer the patient for psychiatric investigation and management.
MED I: First Year Medicine - Basic Clinical Skills
During first year, students are introduced to fundamental principles in the study and practice of medicine. This includes supervised sessions interviewing patients for the purpose of developing basic assessment and communication skills. Formal psychiatric teaching and clinical experiences begin in second year.
MED II: Second Year Medicine - Clinical Psychiatry
In second year, psychiatry is incorporated into the Neuroscience Unit along with neuroanatomy, neurology and neurophysiology. The psychiatry component focuses on the diagnosis, treatment and biopsychosocial understanding of major psychiatric disorders through lectures and case-based learning. During this unit, students also attend weekly Skilled Clinician II sessions during which they conduct supervised psychiatric histories and mental status examinations of patients.
MED III: Third Year Medicine - Clinical Clerkship
During the Psychiatry Unit, clerks will complete a six week rotation which will include a variety of inpatient and outpatient clinical experiences providing exposure to a range of psychiatric disorders.
Rotations are offered in the Halifax Regional Municipality, as well as at other affiliated sites including Saint John, Fredericton, Moncton, Miramichi, Windsor, Charlottetown, Sydney, Amherst, Truro, and Upper River Valley.
Teaching sessions on a range of topics occur weekly in the form of didactic lecturers, and online self-directed modules, clinical vignettes and interactive discussion.
MED IV: Fourth Year Medicine - Clinical Clerkship
MED IV consists of a scheduled block designed for clerks to participate in 18 weeks of elective time; there are numerous opportunities for psychiatric electives during this period. Also, clerks will complete a three week rotation in Care of the Elderly (CoE). Vacation time and CaRMS interviewing time can be scheduled around the clinical electives.
Electives
Electives are offered in MED I, MED II, and MED IV. A wide variety of clinical and research elective experiences are available. Students are encouraged to inquire about possible opportunities in subject areas that interest them that may not be listed.
Residency Training
This covers Postgraduate Years (PGY) one to five.
PGY-1: This year provides broad clinical training in the following areas: general psychiatry, internal medicine, emergency medicine, pediatrics, family medicine, general medicine neurology, choice of selective for two blocks.
PGY-2 to -5: These years of integrated university residency training are planned to meet the requirements of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Participating units and hospitals are the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences, IWK Health Sciences Center, the Nova Scotia Hospital and Horizon Health Network SJ Zone (NB).
Each postgraduate student spends at least 4.5 years in the central university program to complete the mandatory rotations required by the Royal College. The remaining months are spent in a variety of psychiatric or related clinical or research settings in the Maritime Provinces or elsewhere.
Electives available in the senior years include additional training beyond the minimum time in geriatric or consultation/liaison psychiatry or experience in eating disorders, sleep/wake disorders, neuropsychiatry, forensic psychiatry, semi-rural community psychiatry, pain management, research projects or secondment to relevant non-psychiatric experience, such as neurology.
On the successful completion of the residency program and the Royal College examinations, an individual can seek further sub-specialty training in the fellowship and sub-specialty program.
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry - Royal College Accredited Residency Program
The Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, is offering a two-year residency training program that is fully accredited by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
The purpose of the residency is to allow the trainee to develop expert-level skills and knowledge of child and adolescent psychiatry. Subspecialty programs begin on July 1. For more information please contact megan.bellefontaine@iwk.nshealth.ca
Geriatric Psychiatry - Royal College Accredited Residency Program
The Geriatric Psychiatry and Seniors' Mental Health (SMH) Team at Dalhousie University is offering a two year Geriatric Psychiatry Residency training program that is fully accredited by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
The training resident will develop expert-level skills and knowledge in geriatric psychiatry and be prepared to write the Subspecialty Royal College exam. The resident will be a competent specialist in geriatric psychiatry and capable of assuming a consultant’s role in the subspecialty.
The Dalhousie Program follows the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons training requirements in geriatric psychiatry, which includes 24 months of approved residency, with 18 to 21 months of clinical training, which will include at least twelve months devoted to clinical training in core geriatric psychiatry. Settings will include inpatient, ambulatory care, outreach (including home visits and long-term care), ECT, rotations in medicine for older adults, electives and scholarly activity.
The resident will have the opportunity to train in clinical, teaching and research settings, engaging in a program that is tailored to meet the individual’s interests. The program offers training in psychotherapy and health promotion for seniors; and placements are available in related disciplines such as geriatric medicine, neuropsychiatry, neuropsychology, and neurology, and sleep medicine.
Current PGY4 and PGY5 residents are welcome to apply. PGY5 applicants should expect that their fifth year will be evaluated to ensure it meets requirements for eligibility for one year of geriatric psychiatry training through the Royal College.
We regret that we are unable to accept applications from international medical graduates at this time.
Completed applications must be received by January 15 to be considered for a residency position starting July 1 of that year.
Fellowship Program
This program has been developed to enhance training in psychiatric medicine which will meet the clinical service needs of the Province of Nova Scotia and the academic initiatives of the department. The department is offering fellowship positions in academic sub-specialty areas. Openings are available for candidates in the following areas of interest: child and adolescent psychiatry, forensic psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry, global psychiatry, psychotherapy, schizophrenia: first episode psychosis, sleep medicine and mood disorders.
Salary is based on Department of Psychiatry's alternate funding plan.
On the successful completion of the application process, the Fellow will be required to develop their individual learning objectives and curriculum as determined together with their respective fellowship supervisor.
Fellowship programs will begin on July 1 and end on June 30.
Applicants should submit a curriculum vitae and a statement of their subspecialty interests to:
Director of Fellowship Program
Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University
Abbie J. Lane Building, 8th Floor
5909 Veterans Memorial Lane
Halifax, NS B3H 2E2
Please see the website for application deadlines.
Continuing Education
Dalhousie University Department of Psychiatry has earned national and international recognition as a provider of excellent quality, innovative, continuing education programs and services. Our faculty members have been recognized as experts in their field and lecture frequently throughout the Atlantic provinces, nationally and internationally. Several have won prestigious awards for their educational work. The overall goal of the Department of Psychiatry is to provide leadership in mental health education for psychiatrists, other mental health professionals, family physicians and the community, with the ultimate aim of promoting the highest standards of mental health care. The following is a sampling of some of our programs that keep us on the cutting edge of continuing mental health education and professional development:
- Early Psychosis Community Education Programs
- Psychotherapy classes, The Centre of Emotions and Health
- Videoconferencing of educational programs
- Atlantic Psychosis Conference
- Annual Academic Day
- Annual Research Day
- On-site and future electronic-based specialized programs for psychiatrists and other health professionals
- Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada accredited clinical academic rounds conferences, university rounds, inter-professional education sessions, journal clubs, psychotherapy seminars, senior mental health tele education rounds and sleep rounds, addiction seminars and research forums
For further information view our website: www.psych.dal.ca