considering a career in psychiatry? looking for more

Considering a career in psychiatry? Looking for more information?Join the Psychiatry Interest Forum (PIF)

To join, visit: www.ranzcp.org/pif

/psychiatryinterestforum

Membership is free and forum members will receive a range of benefits including:

• invitations to educational events including lectures, workshops and conferences

• career guidance in psychiatry and its subspecialties, through seminars and

networking with RANZCP Fellows

• invitations to participate in RANZCP awards, prizes and grants around promotion,

research or advocacy in mental health

• access to RANZCP e-learning resources through Learnit, the RANZCP’s online

learning library

• e-newsletters to keep up to date with RANZCP activities

How do I become a psychiatrist?

Meet the prerequisites✓ Registration as a medical

practitioner in Australiaor New Zealand

✓ In New Zealand, holda current practisingcertificate

✓ At least one year (FTE) ofgeneral medical training

1Apply locallyContact the local RANZCP Training Committee in your preferred training location/s

What’s involved?✓ written or online

application✓ curriculum vitae✓ referee reports✓ interview(s)

2Enter psychiatry training✓ Be selected to enter

the training program✓ Be appointed to a local

RANZCP accreditedtraining position

✓ Register and enter intoa Training Agreementwith the RANZCP

✓ Pay the associated fees

3Train as a psychiatry traineeSee the other side of this card for details of the RANZCP Fellowship Program

4Attain RANZCP FellowshipBegin working as a consultant psychiatrist

5

How do I apply? Get in touch with the local training contact: www.ranzcp.org/howtoapply

RANZCP_Pathways_DL-final.indd 1

The RANZCP Fellowship Program

Workplace-Based Assessments (WBAs)

Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs)

Psychotherapy written case

MCQ exam

Scholarly project

Essay-style exam

Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE)

STAGE 1 Basic level

12 months FTE

Adult psychiatry with 6 months in an acute setting

STAGE 2 Proficient level

24 months FTE

6 months consultation–liaison psychiatry

6 months child and adolescent psychiatry

2 x 6 month elective rotations

STAGE 3 Advanced level

24 months FTE

4 elective rotations with Certificates

of Advanced Training available

More informationwww.ranzcp.org/training

Current at April 2020The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists has received Australian Government funding under the Specialist Training Program to develop this resource.

Apply to:✓ train

full-time orpart-time✓ take a break

RANZCP_Pathways_DL-final.indd 2

❛ Psychiatry is extremely rewarding… it is enormously satisfying to observe the positive impact you make on people’s lives❜

Be in demand

❛ It is important to me to have a life as well as a career and psychiatry lets you do that❜

Effective and evidence-based treatments

Think laterally

Approximately 45% of Australians1 and New Zealanders2 may experience a mental health condition in their lifetime

❛ You have the scope to use your own individual skills instead of a set treatment formula❜

We are at the frontier of medical research

Variety of workplaces

Many psychiatrists split up the working week between 2–3 different settings

Change your sceneBe sought after all over Australia and New Zealand

Holistic medicine

It is multidisciplinary

Spend time with patients

The interface of brain and mind is a fascinating area

We work with a team of health professionals

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists has received Australian Government funding under the Specialist Training Program to develop this resource.

Flexible workdays

A range of subspecialities

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For some great opportunities, apply to become a Psychiatry Interest Forum member

www.ranzcp.org/pif


/psychiatryinterestforum

Mental health isn’t just for psychiatrists. Almost half the population of both Australia and New Zealand are expected to experience mental health problems at some point in their life. Mental health plays a huge part in modern medicine and your psychiatry rotation can provide you with valuable and relevant experiences whichever career path you choose.

Psychiatry is an evidence based specialty. Reading up on the types of illnesses you will see can help you feel prepared; taking the time to review your notes and relevant texts can develop diagnostic skills, clinical knowledge and help you feel equipped for rounds. Considering the physical health of your patients provides valuable insight for diagnosis and care, it also demonstrates how psychiatry is a vital link with many other aspects of medicine.

Seek out previous experience. Psychiatry can be fascinating and rewarding, but it can also sometimes be daunting. Speak to someone who has already done a psychiatry rotation, find out about their experience and any pointers they can offer. Keep an open mind and allow yourself to form opinions based upon your experiences.

Look after yourself. Make sure you are familiar with emergency procedures and case notes prior to seeing patients. Always check with staff before seeing patients, there may be times when you need to work in pairs. It is important to take care of your emotional as well as physical wellbeing. Taking the opportunity to debrief after emotionally draining experiences will help you be better placed to help those in need.

Be part of the team. Take the time to get to know who the other players are, what they do and how your roles combine. The mental health team can offer valuable insights and lessons, and can also help to ensure you have a safe rotation and get the most out of the experience. It’s also important to remember the contribution made by the families and carers of people with a mental illness.

Review. Check patient information before talking to them so that you can ask the most appropriate questions and verify the information given to you by staff to ensure consistency. As you gain in confidence, you will be able to assess a patient without knowing their full story (more often than not they will tell you anyway). You can then check your assessment against the notes and with other clinicians.

Ask questions and seek feedback. You don’t have to wait until the end of the rotation to find out how you are progressing. Ask sufficient questions and pay attention to other students’ queries to satisfy your knowledge gaps. Make the most of the time you have with members of the mental health team, registrars and consultants. Asking for feedback during your rotation shows initiative, interest and can help you find out what’s going well and where you can improve.

Take it further. Join the RANZCP’s Psychiatry Interest Forum (PIF) and stay in the loop with the activities and networking opportunities. As a member of the PIF you will receive a range of benefits including invitations to workshops, seminars, opportunities to attend conferences as well as advice from RANZCP Fellows on career paths in psychiatry. For more information, check out our website at www.ranzcp.org/pif

Eight ways to make the most of your psychiatry rotation

This resource is intended for medical students and was published by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists in 2014. The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists has received Australian Government funding under the Specialist Training Program.

Sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics Australian Social Trends (2009). Oakley Browne, Wells & Scott (2006). The Student Doctor Network Family Medicine Interest Group—Making the most of each rotation. Australian Medical Students Association—Finding a Mentor. Australian Medical Students Association (2013)—Intern and Residents Guide. Ranesh Palan (2013) ‘Getting through your first medical rotation’.

Specialise in the Mind

A snapshot introduction to psychiatry subspecialties

2 | www.ranzcp.org/students

© Copyright 2016Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP)This documentation is copyright. All rights reserved. All persons wanting to reproduce this document or part thereof must obtain permission from the RANZCP.ABN 68 000 439 047

About the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of PsychiatristsThe Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) is responsible for training, educating and representing psychiatrists in Australia and New Zealand. For more information go to www.ranzcp.org.

This information reproduced from the RANZCP website www.ranzcp.org/students

Psychiatry subspecialties | 3

Psychiatry subspecialtiesPsychiatry is a diverse discipline. Every client is unique and no two people have the same story or psychiatric presentation. There are many different symptoms and causes of mental ill health and a wide variety of treatments available.

A range of subspecialties address the needs of patients throughout all the stages of life, from childhood and adolescence into adulthood and old age.

Additional subspecialties address issues such as addictions, or a psychiatrist may work with other health professionals as part of a team dealing with complex issues such as self harm or eating disorders.


Addiction psychiatryAn addiction psychiatrist’s work focuses on the study, treatment and prevention of a wide range of addictions.

The aim is to limit the addictive behaviour of a person, address their vulnerabilities for addiction and then provide help in maintaining their recovery.

Addiction psychiatry requires a good knowledge of both physical health and psychological treatment, as well as an understanding of the social context and public health approaches to these problems.

Psychiatrists in this area play a vital part in the development of community policies and programs to combat and manage alcohol, drug and gambling problems.


Forensic psychiatryForensic psychiatry covers the areas where criminal and civil law meet psychiatric practice.

Forensic psychiatrists help courts determine criminal responsibility. They are responsible for the assessment and treatment of mentally disordered offenders both in custody and in the community. They also assess issues such as the risks of violence and reoffending.

Aspects of forensic psychiatry include:

• involuntary treatment• juvenile offending• competence• psychiatric injury and disability• diversion of offenders from

court to treatment• the provision of medico-legal

opinions and expert evidence.


Child and adolescent psychiatry focuses on infants, children, adolescents and their families. Typically a psychiatrist dealing with children will see developmental disorders such as ADHD, autism or emotional and behavioural issues that have resulted from conflict or abuse.

Often the issues that can lead to mental illness in adulthood first become noticeable in adolescence. A psychiatrist working with teenagers might encounter the first episodes of conditions such as depression, anxiety disorders, anorexia nervosa or schizophrenia.

Psychiatrists working with children and adolescents draw on a wide range of skills, including psychopharmacology, psychotherapy and family therapy. They often work alongside professionals such as teachers, school guidance officers, child safety workers, psychologists and paediatricians.

Child and adolescent psychiatry


NeuropsychiatryNeuropsychiatry sits at the nexus of psychiatry, neurology and medicine, and is dedicated to understanding brain–behaviour relationships and caring for sufferers of neuropsychiatric illness. The specialty is frequently referred to as ‘organic’ psychiatry and addresses the issues of mental health disorders and biological brain disease.

Neuropsychiatrists see patients with a wide range of disorders of behaviour, emotion or cognition associated with organic brain disease, particularly neurological or neurodegenerative disorders.

Patients with issues such as younger-onset dementias, movement disorders such as Huntington’s and Parkinson’s diseases, and treatment-resistant psychiatric illnesses may be among those typically seen by a neuropsychiatrist.


Consultation–liaison psychiatrists work with patients, medical colleagues and also systems outside mental health. They deal with the coexistence of a range of physical and psychological issues.

They provide patients with holistic health care and can provide valuable training and advice for hospital colleagues managing common mental health problems that they encounter in their day-to-day practice, such as depression, dementia, delirium or anxiety.

Medical and surgical patients have higher rates of mental health problems than the general population, which can be helped with psychological or pharmacological treatments.

Patients coping with chronic diseases can also benefit from a consultation–liaison psychiatrist’s help if they are having difficulties managing their condition.

Consultation—liaison psychiatry


Adult psychiatryAdult psychiatrists are at the cutting edge of mental health services where patients and their families are most distressed and at risk. They frequently encounter conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, personality disorders and a range of anxiety disorders.

In the community, adult psychiatrists are the leaders of multidisciplinary health teams, formulating and determining management plans for patients and their families. They work with members of the team to deliver treatment to the patient, including education, lifestyle advice, medication, and social, occupational and psychological therapies. Adult psychiatrists may also work in a range of other roles, including other subspecialties.

For many, adult psychiatry is considered the heart of the discipline; it is the most popular and commonly practiced subspecialty and provides an interesting and rewarding career.


Old age psychiatryThe psychiatry of old age relates to the patterns, causes, effects and relationships between the ageing process, medical factors, and the social, psychological, spiritual, and cultural issues of late life.

Psychiatrists in this area collaborate with a variety of colleagues and agencies such as nurses, physicians, social services, occupational therapists and volunteer organisations.

As their populations age, Australia and New Zealand are experiencing an increasing demand for psychiatrists who are well equipped to help older people and their families deal with the effects of mental health problems in later life.


Psychiatric psychotherapyPsychotherapy explores the connections between meaning and motivation that underpin our feelings, thoughts and behaviours. Psychotherapists combine biological, psychological and social perspectives, while also considering factors such as physical conditions, the advice of medical colleagues and risk.

Some therapies are structured, logical and take a problem-solving approach, while others use a more intuitive exploratory method. A psychotherapist may work with individuals or with couples, families, groups, therapeutic communities or organisations.


Perinatal and infant psychiatryThe most common perinatal mental health problem is postnatal depression. Postnatal depression can have severe long-term effects on relationships, families and children.

Partners can experience depression and the parental bonds with the infant can be affected, leading to a child having issues later on.

Perinatal mental health is closely connected to infant mental health, so the relationship between mother and baby is critical. Working with mothers and infants to improve their interaction and attachment at an early stage of development can also help to prevent children developing mental health problems later on.


Almost 500,000 Australians suffer from some form of intellectual disability. People with intellectual disabilities have highly complex needs and suffer from higher rates of mental ill health, poor general health and shorter life expectancy.

Psychiatrists working within the field of intellectual disability deal with a wide range of issues. There are increased biological risk factors, such as genetic abnormalities or organic brain damage, as well as increased psychological and social risk factors that predispose people with intellectual disabilities to psychiatric disorders.

Psychiatrists working with people with intellectual disabilities liaise with family members, carers and a wide range of additional support services to provide a secure or safe environment for people who are often vulnerable in general treatment settings.

Psychiatry of intellectual and developmental disabilities


Contacts

For more information on becoming a psychiatrist, please contact the training manager in your state or territory.

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists309 La Trobe StreetMelbourne VIC 3000Australia

Tel +61 (0)3 9640 0646Tel 1800 337 448 (calling from Australia)Tel 0800 443 827 (calling from New Zealand)Fax +61 (0)3 9642 [email protected]

ACTPO Box 152Deakin West ACT 2600

Tel +61 (0)2 6285 0899Fax +61 (0)2 6285 [email protected]

NSWPO Box 280Rozelle NSW 2039


NTc/- 309 La Trobe StreetMelbourne VIC 3000


QLDPO Box 261RBH Post OfficeHerston QLD 4029


SAPO Box 103Fullarton SA 5063


TASGPO Box 1236Hobart TAS 7001


Australia



New Zealand

VIC309 La Trobe StreetMelbourne VIC 3000


WAGraylands HospitalPrivate Bag 1Claremont WA 6910


PO Box 10669Wellington 6143New Zealand


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