Entry requirements

Required previous knowledge is decided by the Committee for Undergraduate Medical Education.

Aims

This course is designed to provide students with the basic knowledge in the fields of psychiatry and neurology, including diagnostics, investigative techniques, and therapy, that is considered essential for physicians. Basic neuroscience should thus provide a foundation for the adequate management of common neurological and psychiatric diseases.

During the course, practical training is offered in the assessment of the neurological status and in the interpretation of examination findings. Furthermore, neurosurgical procedures are dealt with, as well as the use of neurophysiological and neuroradiological methods in diagnostic work. An additional aim of the course is to impart to the student a basic sense of how one should maintain a therapeutic attitude in doctor?patient relationships and to help him to develop the ability to understand, describe and evaluate psychological phenomena and to assess the implication of psychological and social factors in parallel with medico-biological conditions.

Content

Lectures are given within the following neuropsychiatric areas:

- Classification of mental and behavioural disorders

- Schizophrenia syndrome

- Mood disorders

- Anxiety disorders

- Dementia and other cognitive disorders

- Adjustment disorders

- Somatoform disorders

- Psychogeriatrics

- Alcohol and substance related disorders

- Forensic Psychiatry

- Psychopharmacology

- Psychotherapy - psychodynamic and cognitive behavioural

- Sexology

- Neuropsychiatric rehabilitation

- Vascular diseases of the brain

- Intracranial/spinal cord tumours

- Diseases of the basal ganglia

- Other organic diseases of the CNS

- Epilepsy

- Headache

- Diseases of the peripheral nervous system

- Muscle diseases

During the course, information will also be provided relating to psychopathology and personality. Psychiatric care organisations and those laws pertaining to restraint which apply within psychiatry and criminal psychiatry will be dealt with, as well as guidelines for the assessment of suicidal risk. Adequate time will also be provided for the discussion of ethical questions. Students will be involved in team projects in the form of seminars dealing with contemporary neurological and psychiatric issues, and also case discussion groups. Teaching will therefore be partially problem-based.

Instruction

The course will consist of lectures, seminars, demonstrations, group work, conferences, and study visits.

Practical training will comprise both service at psychiatric and neurological care institutions, participation in out-patient care and 24-hour duty.

Assessment

- Completion of practical training.

- Completion of practical examination.

- Participation in seminars.

- Participation according to instructions given at the beginning of the course.

- Pass marks for the final written and verbal examinations.