GAP is a think tank of top psychiatric minds whose thoughtful analysis and recommendations serve to influence and advance modern psychiatric theory and practice.
2011-2012 GAP Fellows and the Dear Abby Fellow
(L-R: Mary Barber, Fellowship Chair, Marika Wrzosek, Marc Manseau, David Hsu, Basant Pradhan)
(L-R: Marika Wrzosek, David Hsu, Marc Manseau, Basant Pradhan, Rupinder Legha, Michael Ascher, the Dear Abby Fellow, Jacob Appel, Mia Everett, Jonathan Avery, Serina Deen and Mary Barber, Fellowship Chair)
News
News of interest to visitors of OurGAP.org …
Cost-Effectiveness of Psychotherapy for the Major Psychiatric Diagnoses
Psychotherapy is an effective and often highly cost-effective medical intervention for many serious psychiatric conditions. It is at times the first-line and most important treatment and at other times augments the efficacy of psychotropic medication. The patients who are most in need of more prolonged and intensive psychotherapy are those with personality disorders and those with chronic complex psychiatric conditions often including severe anxiety and depression. These patients, if inadequately treated, are extremely costly to society in increased medical and emergency services, disability and, for certain groups, destructive and antisocial behavior. Certain children and adolescents with learning disabilities and those with severe psychiatric disorders also require more than brief treatment.
[Click here to download the entire summary]
The British Medical Association’s (BMA) Book Awards in September honored two American Psychiatric Publishing (APP) books
The BMA says its Book Awards aim to "encourage and reward excellence in medical publishing across 21 categories." The two APP books, Disaster Psychiatry: Readiness, Evaluation, and Treatment and Textbook of Traumatic Brain Injury, Second Edition, were among the "Highly Commended" finalists within the "Best Book in Psychiatry" category. Only 10 other books, including the winner, made the commended list.
[Click here to download the article in PDF]
Resident Mentors Can Enrich Medical Students’ Experience
Michael Ascher, M.D., and Jonathan Avery, M.D.
Over the last six years there has generally been a downward trend in U.S. medical school seniors choosing to pursue a career in psychiatry. Psychiatry residents can, however, play a vital role in inspiring young medical students to gain a greater interest in and appreciation for psychiatry.
[Read full article]
Opportunities to Enhance Prevention-Related
Competencies in Graduate Medical Education
in Psychiatry: A Position Statement
of the Prevention Committee of the Group
for the Advancement of Psychiatry
The field of psychiatry has adopted a renewed emphasis
on applying a public health approach to mental health
care. A fundamental principle in public health is to focus
on the prevention of illnesses and the promotion of wellbeing. Psychiatry has long stressed the importance of prevention and mental health promotion with every significant
stride that is made in research and policy arenas, particularly
in the areas of national and international policy, but also in
everyday psychiatric practice.
[Click here to download the commentary in PDF]
Our Job and Their Jobs
The capacity to love and work is a timeless definition of a mentally healthy individual. Conservatively
23 million working-age Americans have chronic health and mental health problems that
diminish their ability to work (Hoffman and Rice, 1996). Millions more are projected to experience
employment problems by 2030 (Lerner et al., 2005). There is a reciprocal relationship between illness
and work, with symptoms impairing functioning and poor functioning worsening recovery...
[Click here to download the commentary in PDF]
Fellowship information for 2012
Circular Letter #624
GAP on Wikipedia
GAP Committee on the Family
- Family-Oriented Care in Adult Psychiatric Residency Training - This curriculum has been chosen by AADPRT (American Association of Directors of Residency Training) as a model curriculum in family inclusion and family therapy.
- Improving patient outcomes by family inclusion in the treatment of mood disorders : a presentation to the National Network of Depression Centers, 2011.
Commentary
Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry Fellows
GAP Committee on Psychiatry and Community
LGBT Committee Op Ed Pieces
The Social Brain
Presented by the Research Committee of the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry.
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Cosmetic Psychiatry: The Use of Enhancement in Psychiatry
Fellows, Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry, Fall Meeting 2008.
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In therapy? Here's how to assess effectiveness
So, you've been in therapy for several months and aren't sure if you're improving. You seem to feel better, getting things off your mind each week, but how do you know if you're actually gaining from seeing your therapist? There's a difference between feeling better and getting better.
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Like a Fish Needs a Bicycle: For Some People, Intimacy Is Toxic
… Just before [this patient] made his suicide attempt, he remembered, he had been feeling very uncomfortable with his girlfriend and the pressure from his parents. ''I wanted everyone to go away,'' he recalled …
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Product of the Month
Disaster Psychiatry
Readiness, Evaluation, and Treatment
Frederick J. Stoddard, Jr., M.D., Anand Pandya, M.D., and Craig L. Katz, M.D.
With its practical approach to readiness, response, and intervention and its focus on evidence-based recommendations for psychiatric evaluation and interventions, Disaster Psychiatry: Readiness, Evaluation, and Treatment is an invaluable manual for educator and student alike. The manual draws on a variety of sources, including the peer-reviewed scientific literature, the clinical wisdom imparted by front-line psychiatrists and other mental health professionals, and the experiences of those who have organized disaster mental health services, including the American Psychiatric Association and Disaster Psychiatry Outreach. Each chapter provides clear and concise information and in-depth review, followed by helpful study questions and answers. This book has been developed to give professionals the knowledge they need to respond swiftly and appropriately when disaster strikes.
Purchase info »
Officers
Jack Drescher, M.D. – President
Marcia Goin, M.D. – President Elect
John G. Looney, M.D. – Secretary
Steven S. Sharfstein, M.D. – Treasurer
Stephen C. Scheiber, M.D. – Website Editor