Graduate Certificate in General Practice Psychiatry

• General information
• Course structure
  • First semester
  • Second semester
• Assessment
• Inquiries

General information

This is an off-campus distributed learning course run by the Department of General Practice. The program has been developed in cooperation between two universities, including four departments:

• Department of General Practice -- Monash University
• Department of Psychological Medicine -- Monash University
• Department of Psychiatry -- University of Melbourne
• Department of General Practice and Public Health -- University of Melbourne

The program is supported by:

• The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Victorian Faculty
• The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, Victorian branch

The course is designed to meet the academic standards of a postgraduate degree. It also contains subject matter which is relevant to day-to-day practice. The course is available to registered medical practitioners engaged in full or part-time general practice.
The course aims to address the need for general practitioners to improve their skills in managing patients suffering from psychiatric conditions in the primary care setting.
On completion of the course, students should be able to:

• appreciate the content and context of psychiatric illness in the community and in general practice
• adequately detect and diagnose mental health problems in general practice
• effectively assess and manage a range of common psychiatric conditions and refer when necessary to specialists services
• involve themselves in shared care of psychiatric patients with both acute and chronic problems
• communicate effectively and empathetically with patients with psychiatric illness and with their families and carers.

Course structure

The course is conducted part-time over two semesters and comprises the following units:

First semester

• CGP1001 Introduction to general practice psychiatry
• CGP1002 Depression and other mood disorders
• CGP1003 Anxiety
• CGP1006 Stress management and relaxation therapy

Second semester

• CGP1004 Alcohol and drugs
• CGP1005 Introduction to psychotherapy
• CGP1007 Introduction to family therapy

Assessment

Assessment is by written assignments based on case discussions and case management, reflective journals, case commentaries and clinical audit.

Inquiries

Inquiries should be directed to Ms Suzie Rohringer, Department of General Practice, 867 Centre Road, East Bentleigh, Victoria 3165 on telephone (03) 9579 3188. Email suzanne.rohringer@med.monash.edu.au

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