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Certificate of Advanced Training in Addiction Psychiatry

AddictionThis page contains information about the Certificate of Advanced Training in Addiction Psychiatry. The requirements apply to both trainees and Fellows-in-training.

Training requirements

For each Certificate of Advanced Training, there are specific training requirements (outlined below) in addition to mandatory training requirements that apply to all Certificates of Advanced Training. Specific training requirements for the Certificate of Advanced Training in Addiction Psychiatry are:

  • Successful completion of 24 months FTE training in accredited addiction psychiatry training posts, including experience in the following:

    • general hospital drug and alcohol liaison (6 months¹; 2–3 sessions per week or equivalent)
    • substance use disorders – specialist treatment setting (12 months¹; 2–3 sessions per week or equivalent)
    • pharmacotherapy for opiate dependence (12 months¹; 2–3 sessions per week or equivalent)
    • co-existing substance use and other psychiatric disorders (comorbidity)
    • pain unit (6 months¹; 1–2 sessions per week or equivalent)
    • gambling, internet gaming and other behavioural addictions.

      ¹The timeframes specified are indicative of the minimum required but it is understood that not all the attachments will be full-time positions but may be sessional positions that can be undertaken concurrently.

  • Written outline of proposed training (including rotations) for year 1 and year 2 of training, agreed with the Director of Advanced Training (DOAT) and submitted prior to the commencement of training and at the beginning of year 2.
    .Learning and development plan [MS Word form; 74 KB]

  • Attainment of eight Stage 3 addiction psychiatry EPAs (see below); two per 6-month FTE rotation.

    • Six addiction psychiatry EPAs are mandatory for Certificate completion, trainees are to choose an additional two EPAs to attain from the remaining addiction psychiatry EPAs.

    • A minimum of three WBAs are required to contribute to the evidence base for each required EPA.

  • Completion of a mandatory minimum of one Observed Clinical Activity (OCA) WBA with patients with addictions during each 6-month FTE rotation.

    • This applies to all trainees (including transitioning trainees) and Fellows-in-training regardless of OCI pass.

    • The OCA will be recorded on the end-of-rotation In-Training Assessment (ITA) form.

    • This will satisfy the Fellowship OCA requirement for pre-Fellowship trainees.

  • Completion of a formal addiction psychiatry teaching program.

    • The Addiction Doctors Education Program is the recommended formal education teaching program#. Trainees can discuss alternative formal teaching programs with their DOAT and must receive approval from SATADD or complete self-directed learning which has been approved by the DOAT.

    • The teaching program can be undertaken while on a break in training depending on the arrangements with the course provider and with the employing health service, where relevant.
      #A minimum of 50% program attendance is required.

  • Successful completion of one written case history; 3000–5000 words in length. [Summative assessment]
    .Process for submission and assessment of case history [PDF; 29 KB]
    .Written case history submission form [PDF; 57 KB]
    . WWritten case history mark sheet [PDF; 168 KB] (for reference)

    • To be written on a case from training experiences, e.g. general hospital drug and alcohol liaison, substance use disorders – specialist treatment setting, pharmacotherapy for opiate dependence, etc.

    • The case history needs to include: a full psychiatric history; mental state and physical exam; formulation; treatment plan; discussion of issues raised; and a brief review of the literature relevant to key aspects of the case.

    • De-identified case histories must be submitted to the DOAT and will be marked by an independent marker.

  • Completion of 60 discrete case summaries.
    .Case summary form [PDF; 131 KB]

    • Typed vignettes of 50–100 words are required for each unique case and should include: patient age and gender, presenting context, presenting symptom(s), diagnosis, management and what was learnt.

    • Supervisors must sign and date each vignette as an accurate record of the patient treated. Completed case summaries must be attached to the end-of-rotation ITA form.

    • Cases as per the following2:

      • 6 benzodiazepines/sedatives/hypnotics
      • 6 psychostimulant
      • 6 tobacco
      • 6 cannabis
      • 6 other substances
      • 6 substance-induced psychiatric disorders
      • 6 substance use in pregnancy
      • 6 pain disorders
      • 6 gambling disorders or other behavioural addictions
      • 6 special patient populations, e.g. culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD), Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, Māori, child or adolescent, forensic.

        2Exemptions considered and approved by the DOAT, noted by SATADD.

  • ​Submission of final qualitative report to the DOAT.

  • Completion of (formative) mid-rotation and (summative) end-of-rotation ITAs.
    .Stage 3 trainee mid-rotation ITA form [PDF; 456 KB]
    .Stage 3 trainee end-of-rotation ITA form [PDF; 515 KB]
    .Fellow-in-training mid-rotation ITA form [PDF, 274 KB]
    .Fellow-in-training end-of-rotation ITA form ​[PDF; 453 KB]

    • End-of-rotation ITA forms must be submitted within 60 days of the completion of each rotation.

  • Submission of checklist & sign off. 
    .Checklist & sign off [PDF; 198 KB]

    • To be signed by the trainee, DOAT and SATADD Chair as declaration and confirmation that the trainee has satisfactorily completed the requirements of the Certificate training program.

    • See Certificate award process for details.

The requirements listed here were approved by the Subcommittee of Advanced Training in Addiction Psychiatry (SATADD) on 6 October 2015.

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EPAs

.Addiction psychiatry EPAs and COE forms (combined document) [PDF; 317 KB]

EPA number

EPA title

EPA

COE

ST3-ADD-FELL-EPA1
Mandatory

Acute assessment and diagnosis of substance use.

EPA

COE

ST3-ADD-FELL-EPA2
Mandatory

Long-term management of severe alcohol use disorders.

EPA

COE

ST3-ADD-FELL-EPA3
Mandatory

Advanced management of substance intoxication and substance withdrawal

EPA

COE

ST3-ADD-FELL-EPA4
Mandatory

Management of comorbid substance use, including tobacco dependence, and other mental health problems.

EPA

COE

ST3-ADD-AOP-EPA5
Mandatory

Treatment of substance use disorder with psychological methods.

EPA

COE

ST3-ADD-AOP-EPA6
Mandatory

Provide training for other clinicians in delivery of brief interventions for substance use disorder.

EPA

COE

ST3-ADD-AOP-EPA7

Alcohol and other drug (AOD) consultation–liaison.

EPA

COE

ST3-ADD-AOP-EPA8

Management of chronic pain with comorbid substance misuse.

EPA

COE

ST3-ADD-AOP-EPA9

Assess and manage a patient with opioid drug use problems.

EPA

COE

ST3-ADD-AOP-EPA10

Treatment of people with gambling disorder and other behavioural addictions.

EPA

COE

ST3-ADD-AOP-EPA11

Assess and manage complex comorbid substance use and physical health problems, including tobacco use.

EPA

COE

ST3-ADD-AOP-EPA12

Impairment assessment and report for patients with substance use disorders.

EPA

COE


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Forms and documents – addiction psychiatry

Workplace-based Assessments (WBAs)

 


Please direct all enquiries to training@ranzcp.org.

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