Psychological Medicine module

Module coordinators:  Dr Craig Melville, Dr Sarah Wilson

Module administrator:  Mrs Kate Livingston

• Venue
• Module aims
• Module learning objectives
• Curriculum
• Philosophy
• Teaching methods for taught component
• Projects

Venue:
Students will be based at the Section of Psychological Medicine, Gartnavel Royal Hospital. Some teaching and project work may be based at other venues.

Module aims:

• To gain an understanding of psychological processes, their role in health and illness, and changes that occur throughout the lifespan.
• To gain an understanding of the extensive interface between psychology and psychiatry in theory and in practice.
• To gain an understanding of the development, nature and range of mental disorders, their effects on patients, families and wider society, and approaches used in management.

Module learning objectives:
By the end of the module, students will understand:

• Core processes, theoretical models and concepts in psychology and psychiatry
• The role of psychological processes in physical health, including the interplay between psychological and physiological states
• The role of behaviour in both mental and physical illness
• The links between brain and behaviour through the study of neuropsychology, including the consequences of specific disorders that affect the central nervous system and approaches to assessment, management and rehabilitation.
• The range and nature of specific psychiatric syndromes, including current and developing approaches to assessment and treatment.
• The effects of mental disorders at different stages of the life cycle and the wider effects on families, carers and society.

Curriculum:

1. Teaching will be provided across four themes:  
2. core concepts in psychology and psychiatry
3. psychological aspects of physical health and illness
4. brain and behaviour
5. mental disorders.

There will be a focus on the wide range of areas of particular expertise within the Section of Psychological Medicine.


Philosophy:
Good psychological and physical functioning are interdependent and underpin normal development throughout the life cycle, aiding the ability to cope with life changes, stress and illness. The interaction between psychological and physiological processes as they relate to health will be reflected in the teaching as will the integration between the disciplines of psychology and psychiatry.  

Teaching methods for taught component:
Tutorials and student-led sessions.  Teaching will be provided by members of Section and associated colleagues.

Projects:
Examples of past projects include: evaluating computerised treatment packages for psychiatric disorders, developing assessment tools for childhood attachment disorders, examining cognitive impairment following heart surgery, evaluating emotional distress in children with brain injury, examining psychological factors in insomnia, evaluating a tool for measuring mother-child interaction in maternal mental illness, prevalence of postnatal obsessional symptoms and young people’s knowledge about HIV/AIDS .