Doctorate Of Medicine In Addiction Psychiatry (DM - Addiction Psychiatry)

What is DM - Addiction Psychiatry All About?

DM Addiction Psychiatry candidates must fulfil all the Learning Objectives as detailed above.
The training program will include the following clinical components: Evaluation, consultation, and treatment of:

1. Patients with primary SRDs and their families
2. Medical and surgical patients in the emergency Department, intensive care units, and general wards of the hospital with acute and chronic SRDs, including acute intoxication and overdose
3. Psychiatric inpatients and outpatients with chemical dependencies and co-morbid psychopathology, to include a broad range of psychiatric diagnoses, such as affective disorders, psychotic disorders, organic disorders, personality disorders, and anxiety disorders, as well as patients suffering from medical conditions commonly associated with SRDs such as hepatitis and HIV/AIDS
4. Medication-dependent patients with chronic medical disorders/conditions (such as patients with chronic pain).
5. Exposure to patients with SRDs related to the following substances:

Alcohol
Opioids
Cocaine and Other Stimulants
Marijuana and Hallucinogens
Benzodiazepines
Tobacco
Other substances of abuse, including sedatives, hypnotics or anxiolytics, organic solvents/inhalants
New Psychoactive Substances
Miscellaneous/unusual, e.g., nutmeg, designer or club drugs, etc.

1. Rotations will provide trainees with experience in evaluating acute and chronic patients in inpatient and outpatient settings. There will be an identifiable structured educational experience in neuropsychiatry relevant to the practice of addiction psychiatry that includes both didactic and clinical training methods. The curriculum will emphasize functional assessment, signs and symptoms of neuropsychiatric impairment associated with SRDs, and the identification of physical illnesses and iatrogenic factors that can alter mental status, and behavior
2. The program will provide specific experience in consultation to acute and chronic medically ill patients with SRDs who are being treated in emergency, intensive care, medical and/or surgical services of a general hospital. Supervision of addiction psychiatry residents in their clinical evaluation of such patients, as well as in their consultative role, is essential. The program will provide Residents with the opportunity to function at the level of a specialist consultant to primary care physicians and to intensive care specialists
3. Experience in working with multidisciplinary teams as a consultant and as a team leader, including the integration of recommendations and decisions from consulting medical specialists and other professionals in related health disciplines
4. Experience in working with patients who are participating in self-help programs
5. Experience with opioid replacement (or substitution or maintenance) therapy

Syllabus

Year 1

• Introduction to Addiction Psychiatry
  • History of addiction psychiatry
  • Epidemiology of addiction
  • Neurobiology of addiction
  • Genetics of addiction
  • Psychosocial factors in addiction
• Assessment and Treatment of Substance Abuse Disorders
  • Screening and assessment of substance abuse disorders
  • Treatment of substance abuse disorders
  • Medications for substance abuse disorders
  • Psychotherapies for substance abuse disorders
• Prevention and Intervention Strategies
  • Primary prevention of substance abuse
  • Secondary prevention of substance abuse
  • Tertiary prevention of substance abuse
• Legal and Ethical Aspects of Addiction Treatment
  • Legal issues in addiction treatment
  • Ethical issues in addiction treatment

Year 2

• Substance Abuse Disorders in Special Populations
  • Substance abuse disorders in children and adolescents
  • Substance abuse disorders in adults
  • Substance abuse disorders in the elderly
  • Substance abuse disorders in pregnant women
  • Substance abuse disorders in people with co-occurring mental disorders
• Research Methods in Addiction Psychiatry
  • Research design in addiction psychiatry
  • Data collection methods in addiction psychiatry
  • Data analysis methods in addiction psychiatry
• Clinical Practicum
  • Students will complete a clinical practicum in an addiction treatment setting.

Year 3

• Therapy
  • Students will learn about different types of therapy that can be used to treat addiction.
• Research
  • Students will conduct research on a topic related to addiction.
• Thesis
  • Students will write a thesis on a topic related to addiction.

This is just a sample syllabus, and the specific courses and topics covered may vary from program to program.

• Admission process: Competitive
  • Medical school transcripts
  • Letters of recommendation
  • Personal statement
  • Entrance exam (may be required)
• Curriculum:
  • The neurobiology of addiction
  • Assessment and treatment of substance abuse disorders
  • Prevention and intervention strategies
  • Legal and ethical aspects of addiction treatment
  • Research methods in addiction psychiatry
• Training:
  • Classroom instruction
  • Clinical training in a variety of settings
• Career prospects:
  • Inpatient and outpatient treatment centers
  • Addiction research institutes
  • Government agencies
  • Private practice

Top institutions in India:

• National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru
• All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi
• Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh
• Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Lucknow
• Institute of Mental Health, Kolkata

Cost:

• INR 2 lakhs per year (average)

Admission Process For  DM - Addiction Psychiatry

Selections for DM courses are made through the 2-Stage Performance Evaluation basis:

• Stage I: 

Written-test carrying 80 marks of 90 minutes duration in the subject the candidate has applied for. The question paper will consist of 80 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs).

• Stage II: 

Out of the candidates who are 50th percentile or above [as per the decision of the meeting of the Academic Committee in the written test (Stage-I), candidates 3 times the number of seats advertised will be called for departmental clinical/practical/lab based assessment (carrying 20 marks).

• Final Selection:

The Final result will be declared based on total marks obtained in stage-1 and Stage-II Examination.

Eligibility Criteria For DM - Addiction Psychiatry

A candidate must possess a degree M.D.in DM - Addiction Psychiatry of this Institute or any other University or equivalent degree recognized by the MCI.

Age Limit:

• Upper Age limit is 35 years as on 1 st January.
• The upper age limit is relaxable for OBC Candidates by a maximum of 3 years.
• Upper age limit is relaxable in case of SC/ST candidates by a maximum of 5 years.
• The upper age limit is relaxable for Ex-Serviceman and Commissioned Officer including ECO, SSCO who have rendered or released on satisfactory assignment with age relaxation by a maximum of 5 years.
• The upper age limit is not applicable to sponsored candidates.
• The persons with benchmark disabilities shall be given an upper age relaxation of five years for admission to DM/M.Ch for PWD candidates as per the Right of persons with Disability Act, 2016.

Entrance Exams for admission in DM - Addiction Psychiatry

Almost all the MD Psychiatry best colleges in India have primarily been conducting an entrance exam-based admission. Some of the top MD Psychiatry entrance examinations are: 

• NEET
• NEET PG
• GATE
• OJEE

Preparation tips the Entrance Exams for DM - Addiction Psychiatry

The entrance exam gives a glance at the entire course, thus giving an overview of the topic. Given below is the general exam patterns:

• In the application form, the mode of examination is given for the examinee to attend to, which can be online as well as offline.
• Only the questions are based on the specific course selected by the student.
• Both the online and offline consist of the 100 questions based on the specialization 6selected.
• 120 minutes or 2 hours given to the students for solving the paper

How to paraparetion tips DM - Addiction Psychiatry?

The candidate will have in-depth knowledge of the etiology, diagnoses and management of addictions (psychoactive SUDs and behavioural addictions). They will have a clear understanding of the relevant basic sciences as well as of the clinical and developmental aspects of addictions, including preventive and promotive aspects within the existing socio-cultural framework.

On completion of the course the candidate should be proficient in the theory and practice of addiction psychiatry and be able to deliver the highest quality of patient care, advocate on prevention and control of addictive disorders, be a competent and inspiring teacher and be able to pursue and supervise both clinical and experimental research.

The specific learning objectives are as follows: –

The D.M. Addiction Psychiatry Resident will gain knowledge and experience in dealing with

SRDs related to the following substances and groups of substances:

1. Alcohol
2. Opioids
3. Tobacco
4. Cannabis and hallucinogens
5. Cocaine and other stimulants
6. Benzodiazepines and other sedative/hypnotics
7. Organic solvents or inhalants
8. “Designer” and “club” drugs
9. Over-the-counter, herbal and other “alternative” medications
10. “Behavioural addictions”

Learning Objectives in the Cognitive Domain (Knowledge Base):

1. Knowledge of the signs and symptoms of the use and misuse of the major categories (and combinations of the major categories) of substances of abuse as well as knowledge of the types of treatment required for each category where there are differences in treatment approach
2. Knowledge of the signs of withdrawal from these major categories (and combinations of major categories) of substances and knowledge and experience with the range of options for treatment of the withdrawal syndromes and the complications commonly associated with such withdrawal syndromes
3. Knowledge of the signs and symptoms of overdose, the medical and psychiatric sequelae of overdose, and experience in providing proper treatment of overdose
4. Knowledge of the signs and symptoms of the social and psychological problems as well as the medical and psychiatric disorders that often accompany the chronic use and misuse of the major categories (and combinations of the major categories) of substances of abuse
5. Knowledge and understanding of the special problems of various special groups, such as the children, adolescents, elderly, pregnant substance user and of the babies born to substance-using mothers
6. Knowledge of significant other systems and dynamics relevant to the etiology, diagnosis and treatment of SRDs
7. Knowledge of the neurochemical and structural bases, genetic vulnerabilities, risk and protective factors, epidemiology, and prevention of SRDs
8. Knowledge of quality assurance issues pertaining to treatment of patients with SRDs
9. Knowledge of the cost effectiveness of various treatment modalities for patients with SRDs
10. Psychosocial, environmental and ecological context of occurrence of SUDs, and related interventions
11. Preventive and rehabilitative interventions
12. Control and legislative measures

Learning Objectives in the Psychomotor Domain:

Basic Skills:

1. Management of intoxication, detoxification and other acute treatments of the user and misuse of the major categories (and combinations of major categories) of substances of abuse. This includes experience in working collaboratively with mental health professionals and other medical personnel in the emergency Department, intensive care units and general and psychiatric hospital units in the diagnosis and management of acute problems related to SRDs
2. Experience in the use of psychoactive medications in the treatment of psychiatric disorders often accompanying the major categories (and combinations of major categories) of SRDs.
3. Experience in the use of techniques required for confrontation of and intervention with a patient with a SRD. This includes particularly dealing with the defense mechanisms that cause the patient to resist entry into treatment and other changes that need to be made to sustain a good recovery. Related to this, the D.M. Resident will be familiar with the Stages of Change model as applied to addictions and the related motivational techniques
4. Experience in the use of the various psychotherapeutic modalities involved in the ongoing management of the patient with a SRDs, including individual psychotherapies, couples therapy, family therapy, and group therapy
5. Experience in working collaboratively with other mental health providers and allied health professionals, including nurses, social workers, psychologists, counselors, pharmacists, and others who participate in the care of the patient with a SRD
6. Working with self-help and support groups, NGO‖s, community settings, other institutional settings like schools, colleges, prisons, etc
7. Learn to be a team leader with overall responsibility of assessment and treatment planning and its execution

Research Skills:

1. Familiarity with the major medical journals and professional-scientific organizations dealing with research on the understanding and treatment of SRDs
2. Critical analysis of research reports, as presented in journal clubs and seminars
3. Planning and conducting original research in the area of addiction psychiatry

Teaching & Supervision Skills:

Experience in teaching and supervising student clinicians in the care of patients with SRDs

Learning Objectives in the Affective Domain (Attitudinal Base):

1. Acquire professional and ethical attitudes towards individuals with SRDs and to recognize beliefs or counter-transference that may impede the ability to identify and manage patients with SRDs
2. Acquire mature and compassionate attitudes and empathic and objective clinical judgment towards patients with SRDs
3. Recognize that patients with SRDs are diverse and that stereotypes interfere with recognition
4. Consider SRDs in the same context as other psychiatric disorders: namely, SRDs are independent and also interactive with other disorders
5. Appreciate that SRDs are treatable disorders that respond to specific modalities of treatment
6. Acquire the ability to interact with other professionals to establish clinical approaches for patients with SRDs along with other co-morbidities including psychiatric, medical, and surgical
7. Acquire the sensitivity to treat a variety of patients with SRDs, including women, the elderly, adolescents, the developmentally disabled, and minorities
8. Acquire an objective approach and an intuitive attitude based on sound clinical experience and empirical data provided by research studies
9. Acquire the ability to utilize resources for the short and long term management of SRDs in the community