Lesson 1Medical and medication history: thyroid, anaemia, neurological symptoms, medication/substance interactions, and urgent conditionsThis part organises how to take medical and medication history important for psychiatry. It points out thyroid issues, anaemia, neurological and immune system signs, current drugs, interactions, substances, and urgent conditions that need quick medical checks.
Screening for systemic and endocrine illnessNeurologic symptoms and seizure historyMedication list, adherence, and side effectsSubstance, supplement, and interaction reviewRed-flag signs needing urgent evaluationLesson 2Functional assessment: work, social, thinking ability, daily activities, and job performance questionsThis part teaches checking how someone functions at work, school, home, and with people. It covers daily self-care, complex tasks, thinking skills, missing work, low productivity, and role duties, connecting problems to diagnosis and care plans.
Evaluating work and school performanceAssessing social and family role functioningActivities of daily living and self-careInstrumental tasks and independent livingSubjective versus observed impairmentLesson 3Bipolar spectrum screening: past high-energy/low-energy episodes, duration, effects, and screening tools (MDQ)This part trains clinicians to check for bipolar spectrum disorders. It looks at past high-energy and manic symptoms, how long they lasted, their effects, mixed signs, and MDQ use, while warning about common mistakes and ways to avoid wrong diagnosis.
Eliciting past hypomanic and manic episodesAssessing duration, severity, and impairmentIdentifying mixed and rapid cycling featuresUsing and interpreting the MDQ in practiceDistinguishing bipolar from unipolar depressionLesson 4Sleep, eating, weight, and energy checks with body clock and sleep type questionsThis part covers careful checks on sleep, eating, weight, and energy. It stresses body clock rhythm, sleep type, shift work, and sleep habits, linking patterns to mood, worry, and health issues to direct treatment plans.
Sleep onset, maintenance, and early awakeningNightmares, parasomnias, and sleep qualityAppetite, weight change, and eating patternsDaytime fatigue, anergia, and overactivityChronotype, shift work, and social jetlagLesson 5Psychotic symptoms and difference spotting: hearing/seeing things, false beliefs, thought confusion checksThis part builds skills for finding psychotic symptoms. It covers hearing/seeing things, false beliefs, thought disorder, lack of drive, and awareness, using gentle questions and other info to separate psychosis from mood or cultural issues.
Probing hallucinations across sensory modalitiesExploring delusional themes and convictionAssessing thought form and disorganizationIdentifying negative and cognitive symptomsDifferentiating psychosis from culture or traumaLesson 6Substance use history: organised questions (CAGE, AUDIT-C), timeline recall, patterns and confirmation from othersThis part organises taking substance use history, including alcohol, drugs, and prescribed medicines. It teaches CAGE and AUDIT-C, timeline recall, pattern spotting, withdrawal danger, and checking with others for better accuracy.
Opening nonjudgmental substance questionsUsing CAGE and AUDIT-C effectivelyTimeline follow-back for quantity and frequencyIdentifying withdrawal and overdose risksCollateral and records for substance historyLesson 7Main mood check questions and use of trusted scales (PHQ-9, HAM-D) with meaningThis part focuses on key mood check questions and trusted scales. You will use PHQ-9 and HAM-D, explore mood, loss of joy, guilt, and body symptoms, and explain scores in context to guide diagnosis and treatment progress.
Open-ended mood and anhedonia questionsExploring guilt, hopelessness, and worthlessnessAdministering and scoring the PHQ-9Using the HAM-D in clinical settingsTracking treatment response over timeLesson 8Checking worry, panic attacks, and restlessness: focused questions and screening tools (GAD-7, PHQ-A items)This part details direct questions for worry, panic, and restlessness. You will practise GAD-7 and PHQ-A items, tell worry from panic, check effects, and use scale scores in clinic decisions.
Openers for anxiety and worry narrativesCharacterizing panic attacks and triggersScreening with GAD-7: items and scoringUsing PHQ-A anxiety items in adolescentsAssessing agitation, restlessness, and distressLesson 9Risk check: suicide thoughts, plans, means, preparation acts, protection factors, and safety plansThis part guides organised checks for suicide and violence risk. It covers thoughts, intent, plans, means, preparation, past tries, protection, current stress, and joint safety plans, including key record-keeping.
Eliciting suicidal thoughts and communicationAssessing intent, plan, means, and accessReviewing past attempts and self-harm historyIdentifying risk and protective factorsDeveloping and documenting safety plansLesson 10Gathering info from others: when to reach family, GP, bosses, and how to request records properlyThis part explains when and how to get info from family, GP, bosses, and others. It stresses agreement, privacy rules, direct questions, record requests, and mixing this info into clinic summaries.
Indications for seeking collateral inputObtaining consent and explaining purposeFocused questions for family and caregiversRequesting and reviewing medical recordsReconciling conflicting collateral reports
