Teaching collaboration between pharmacotherapist and psychotherapist.
OBJECTIVE
Collaborative treatment, in which psychotherapy provided by one clinician is integrated with pharmacotherapy provided by another clinician, has been explored from various angles. This article addresses the teaching of collaborative pharmacotherapy to psychiatric residents.


METHODS
The author's observations derive from a selective review of the literature and from conclusions drawn from practicing and teaching collaborative therapy in a psychiatric residency program.


RESULTS
Limited formal attention has been given to defining the skills psychiatrists should acquire in order to collaborate effectively. The author describes the rationale for providing collaborative treatment, identifies the skill set that facilitates collaborative treatment, and outlines an approach to teaching and assessing these skills.


CONCLUSIONS
The practice of collaborative treatment is an important psychiatric role. The core skills of collaborative treatment should be explicitly taught and residents' competency in these skills should be evaluated in psychiatric training programs.
Ellison
James M
JM
Geriatric Psychiatry Program, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill St., Belmont, Massachusetts 02478, USA. ellisonj@mcleanpo.mclean.org
D003479:Curriculum; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010600:Pharmacology / Q000193:education*; D011361:Professional Competence; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000193:education*; D011600:Psychopharmacology / Q000193:education*; D000078329:Workforce