What are some of the skills required when interviewing patients? What information is required when taking a patient history or
completing a mental state examination? These are just some of the questions you'll seek answers to as you work through the course material.
Mental health is an important public issue across the world, and the role of the psychiatrist is crucial in helping to address these.
This course aims to give you a more nuanced understanding of the role of a psychiatrist, developing clinical skills and therapeutic relationships. Understanding the impact of mental illness in society and ethics in medicine are some of the key themes central to this course.
This course is designed to provide essential background knowledge and practical skills that apply to any
mental health clinical setting.
Foundations of International Psychiatry
Offered By
The University of Melbourne
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Week
12 hours to complete
Course introduction & communication
Welcome to The University of Melbourne Massive Open Online Course in International Psychiatry. This course has been designed to provide essential background knowledge and practical skills for health professionals working with mentally unwell patients. In this first week of the course, you will learn about the importance of good communication skills.
Working effectively and collaboratively with patients is the goal of every mental health professional. This can often be challenging for practitioners, especially when patients are very unwell or reluctant to seek help. Good communication skills are essential to engage patients and families, and to build therapeutic relationships with our clients. In this module we will look at skills and concepts that come in useful when interviewing patients.
2 videos (Total 11 min), 5 readings, 1 quiz
5 readings
Course outline10m
Your teaching team10m
Start-of-course survey10m
The Therapeutic Relationship10m
Interview and engagement techniques20m
1 practice exercise
Week 1 Quiz (worth 10% of your final grade)20m
Week
23 hours to complete
Clinical skills
Welcome to the Clinical Skills module. The focus of this week's learning will on skills and concepts that come in useful when documenting a psychiatric patient history.
2 videos (Total 43 min), 2 quizzes
1 practice exercise
The psychiatric patient history (optional non assessed quiz)8m
Week
33 hours to complete
Mental state examination
The Mental State Examination (MSE) is a core skill in psychiatry, and an integral part of the patient interview. This week we will look at each component of the MSE, and how to classify, interpret, and document the patient’s presentation
4 videos (Total 24 min), 6 readings
4 videos
The Affect in the Mental State Examination5m
The Thought Process in the Mental State Examination3m
Thought Content and the Delusion10m
6 readings
Background to the Mental State Examination5m
Appearance10m
Behaviour and speech10m
Mood and Affect10m
Perceptual Disturbance20m
Assessment of Thought, Language and Communication activity20m
Week
43 hours to complete
The Biopsychosocial Model
Now that you are familiar with the Mental State Examination, you will be required to write and submit your second peer reviewed assignment for this course - documenting a mental state examination.
Later this week, we'll take a closer look at 'the biopsychosocial model' - a framework for integrating different aspects of the patient’s life into a wholistic understanding of their mental illness. In this module, you will learn about the model, and apply it to a clinical scenario.
2 videos (Total 16 min), 2 quizzes
1 practice exercise
Biopsychosocial Model (optional non assessed quiz)10m
4.5
6 ReviewsTop Reviews
Very good at reinforcing the basics of a psychiatric assessment, and gives a broad understanding of issues in international psychiatry. Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable and useful course
Instructors
Greg Shields
Dr.Department of Psychiatry
Mahesh Jayaram
DrDepartment of Psychiatry
About The University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is an internationally recognised research intensive University with a strong tradition of excellence in teaching, research, and community engagement. Established in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest University.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Once you enroll for a Certificate, you’ll have access to all videos, quizzes, and programming assignments (if applicable). Peer review assignments can only be submitted and reviewed once your session has begun. If you choose to explore the course without purchasing, you may not be able to access certain assignments.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
What is the refund policy?
Is financial aid available?
More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.
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