Resident Education in Electroconvulsive Therapy

Abstract

This study suggests that resident education in ECT varies considerably between programs but is often less than that suggested by the American Psychiatric Association's Task Force.

Electroconvulsive Therapy: a Video-Based Educational Resource Using Standardized Patients

“…At the level of the practitioner, lack of knowledge about the efficacy of the procedure and/or negative attitudes regarding ECT remain significant barriers toward making referrals or recommending ECT as an appropriate treatment. Professional organizations such as the American Psychiatric Association (APA) [ 3 ] and the Association of Directors of Medical Student Education in Psychiatry (ADMSEP) [ 4 ] have highlighted knowledge about ECT in their recommended learning objectives for medical students, but ECT education in health professional programs is not standardized and remains heterogeneous [ 5 , 6 ]. In settings where there is limited local expertise in ECT or “interventional psychiatry” [ 7 ], trainees may have few if any opportunities to witness the procedure in person.…”

The Practice of Electroconvulsive Therapy in Greece

“…Because these countries report ECT sessions rather than ECT courses, comparisons are difficult. 1,16 Moreover, in this survey, hospitals that do not provide ECT indicated the lack of anesthesiology support among the most common reasons for this (Table 3). This number is significantly lower than those in other countries, such as Australia (79.64%).…”

Accessibility, standards and challenges of electroconvulsive therapy in Western industrialized countries: A German example

“…Hence the question arises whether they are open to ECT as a valid treatment option and whether they have enough knowledge to advise their patients adequately. In other countries, the lack of experience of psychiatrists dealing with ECT also has been bemoaned (Yuzda et al 2002;Gazdag et al 2009b;Dinwiddie and Spitz 2010). Specialist training and continuing education for referring physicians appears to us to be a central point for a better patient access to ECT treatment.…”

“…Despite excellent evidence that ECT is a safe and effective treatment (UK ECT Review Group 2003), there is still no adequate and equal access for patients even in highly developed counties (Hermann et al 1995;Philpot et al 2002;Fink 2005). Defi cits in medical education and political decisions based on ideological backgrounds have a substantial share in this discrepancy (Duffett et al 1999;Yuzda et al 2002;Dinwiddie and Spitz 2010). In Italy for example, where ECT originated from, it is presently only administered in six public and 10 private centres (Abbiati et al 2010).…”