A proposal for a psychopharmacology-pharmacotherapy catalogue of learning objectives and a curriculum in Europe

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Post-graduate training for specialisation in psychiatry and psychotherapy is part of a 4 to 6 year program. This paper aims to inform on the general situation of teaching and training of psychopharmacology-psychopharmacotherapy in Europe. It presents the need for a psychopharmacotherapy education in psychiatric training programs. Arguments as well as a proposal for a catalogue of learning objectives and an outline of a psychopharmacologic curriculum are presented. METHODS: Based on their experience and on an analysis of the literature, the authors, experts in psychopharmacology-pharmacotherapy teaching, critically analyze the present situation and propose the development of a curriculum at the European level. RESULTS: Teaching programs vary widely between European countries and generally, teaching of psychopharmacology and pharmacotherapy does not exceed two-dozen hours. This is insufficient if one considers the central importance of psychopharmacology. A psychopharmacology-psychopharmacotherapy curriculum for the professional training of specialists in psychiatry and psychotherapy is proposed. CONCLUSIONS: As the number of hours of theoretical teaching and practical training is insufficient, a catalogue of learning objectives should be established, which would then be part of a comprehensive curriculum at the European level. It could be inspired partly by those few previously proposed by other groups of authors and organisms.