INTRODUCTION AND

ORIENTATION

Introduction
Psychiatry is the study and
treatment of mental illnesses.
Behavioural sciences is the study
human behaviour
The general approach in psychiatry
is the unity between the body and
mind.

 However, emphasis has always been

on the biomedical model.
The limitation of biomedical model
has been recognized by the
developed countries.
This has lead to greater emphasis on
biopsychosocial model approach to
the management of health issues in
the developed and developing
countries.

Importance of Psychiatry to medical

practitioners

WHO defines health as a state of

complete physical, mental and social
wellbeing and not merely the absence of
disease or infirmity.
In 1985 WHO recognized that mental
health was a very important component of
phc.
Was included as one (9) of the elements
of phc.

 About 30% - 40% of all patients who

attend both private and public clinics and
hospitals have mental health problems.
Psychiatric problems are also common
among patients seen by doctors working
in all branches of medicine.
There is need to produce a doctor with
skills in psychiatry to be able to
effectively manage mental health
problems at Phc level.

 Teaching psychiatry to medical

students will produce doctors, who
will successfully render a primary care
service to the community, which is so
much needed.
Skills learned in psychiatry are useful
to all medical practitioners
It is important therefore that
Psychiatry is taught to medical
students.

 Behavioural sciences is now taught in

1st year when they are introduced to
human behaviour.
Behavioural sciences has always been
taught in 2nd year.
And psychiatry has always been
taught in the 3rd and 5th years,
With the revised curriculum psychiatry
will now be taught in 4th and 6th year.

Justification
The behavioural sciences and
psychiatric course is intended to
introduce students to:
The study of human behaviour and
its influence on health and illness.

Problem is not necessarily the

disease which the patient is
presenting.

 It can be a combination of complex

physical, psychological and social
factors.
The students may not be aware of the
psychological and social aspects and
understand where they fit in.
Consequently, the students may not
recognize the value of behavioural
sciences and psychiatry until they come
face to face with the patients

 The frustrations arising from

inability to recognize and handle
with competence the social and
psychological factors calls for the
teaching of behavioural sciences
and psychiatry for future doctors .

Aims
To give the student scientific
understanding of human behaviour
and psychosocial aspects of
health, illness and patient care.
To strive to equip the student with
skills and ability to see the patient
in his total context (physical, social,
economic, psychological, spiritual
and legal).

 To utilize appropriate measures,

preventive and curative in the
solution of health problem of
individuals, families and
community.
To enable the student to express
her/himself in the appropriate
language and unambiguously
about the health needs of
individuals, families and community

 The course will equip the students

with knowledge of how individuals
differ widely in behaviour and how
changes in behaviour or lifestyle
affect diagnosis, treatment and
prognosis.
The student will be equipped with
knowledge on how beliefs, attitudes
and values in human responses to
illness are communicated in the
doctor patient communication

 The student will also be able to

identify certain psychosocial
characteristics of the patient such
as age, personality, quality of
interpersonal relationships,
education, occupation, and cultural
background and how they influence
behaviour and management of the
patient.

 The student will also acquaint

him/herself with difficulties
encountered in management of
certain patients such as the
difficult patient, substance abuse,
sexual disorders and various
psychological factors in all
physical illnesses.

Specific Objectives
Attitude Objectives
The students attitude shall be
reflected in their interaction with
teachers, patients and their
families
Attitudes concerned with medical
practice generally

Attitudes towards patients and their

families
Attitudes towards psychiatry as a medical
discipline
Knowledge objectives
The teaching shall integrate biological,
psychological and social approaches i.e.

 Psychiatric symptoms and their

treatment
Psychological aspects of
medical disorders (psychological
medicine)
Psychosocial issues related to
mental health

 Skills Objectives
The students shall acquire the
following set of skills at the end of
the course:
Techniques of psychotherapy.
Doctor-patient interpersonal skill

 Information gathering skills

Information evaluation skills
Information giving skills
Reporting skills
Treatment skills
Learning skills
Teamwork skills

Teaching
Behavioural sciences
Behavioural sciences has always
been taught in the 2nd year but now
with the revised curriculum it is
taught in 1st year.
You will be taught psychology,
sociology, anthropology and
neurosciences and behaviour.

 Time allocated for the Behavioural

science course is 135 hours
Psychiatry
Psychiatry will be taught in 4rd year
and 6th year.
In the 4th year you will receive a
course of lectures on common
psychiatric conditions or disorders.

 Tutorial classes will also be

conducted.
You will apply theory into practice.
Time allocated for this course is 225
hours
In the 5th year you will do paediatrics,
Obstetrics and Gynaecology and
community Health. Elective term

 In the 6th year the emphasis will

be on clinical skills in relation to
psychiatry and other disciplines
You will begin to realize that a
severely mentally ill patient cannot
be solely responsible for his
treatment (relatives imp.)

 You will also begin to realize that a

person who is in his death bed
needs more than just pain killer to
cope and handle imminent death.
In short you will begin to see your
patient as a human being in his total
physical, mental and social context
which are intertwined to the extent
that you cannot pay attention to one
to the total exclusion of others.

 Meaning you will realize that a patient

cannot be treated in isolation.
Time allocated for the course in 6th year
is 45 hours.
Total hours for both Behavioural sciences
course and psychiatry is 405 hours
This is still way below the hours allocated
for each of the other branches of
medicine

The personnel

There are a team of lecturers to

guide you through the Behavioural
sciences and psychiatry course.
These are psychiatrists, psychiatric
social workers and clinical
psychologists
Psychiatrists are medically qualified
and are specialized in mental illness

 Psychiatric social workers are a

social scientists specialized in
social aspects of psychiatric
illnesses.
The clinical psychologists are also
social scientists specialized in
psychological processes and how
these processes work.

 Also specializes in psychotherapy.

The approach in management is
therefore multidisciplinary in nature
with the psychiatrist as the team
leader.
Other disciplines play equally
important roles in assessment and
management of psychiatric
patients.

List of lecturers
Prof: David Ndetei
Prof: Caleb Othieno
Dr. Mary Kuria - Chairman
Dr. Anne Obondo
Dr. Fred Owiti
Dr. John Mburu
Dr. Rachel Kangethe
Dr. Pius Kigamwa
Dr. Dammas Kathuku
Dr. Anna Muthoni Mathai
Dr. Manasi Kumar
Mrs. Roselyne Okoth
Dr. Sobbie Mulindi on leave of absence.

 During the course of your training

you will be attached to these
lecturers for your mentorship.
Please feel free to interact with
them, ask questions and discuss
problems with them.
You will find our support staff and
secretaries in the department,
particularly welcoming and helpful.

Assessment and examinations

You will be examined on what you
have been taught.
The examination will be as follows:
a) You will be assessed in the 1st, 4th
and 6th years.
b) Continuous Assessment will
constitute 30% of the final marks.

c) University examination will

constitute 70% of the final marks.
This exam will be done in the 1st,
4th and 6th year.
d) The final year exam will consist
of Short Answer Questions
(SAQs), MCQs (the best of five),
Long case and a viva.

 Attendance at lectures is very

important because if your
attendance is below 65% then you
will not be eligible to sit for the
final exam.
The overall best student in the
final examination in psychiatry will
receive Prof: Ndetei Award.

Parting words
We invite you to the Department of
psychiatry and ask you to feel at home
with us as well as ask you to join us in
our vision
We also invite you to join and
contribute positively in working
towards our dream which in the final
analysis, and its practical reality, is the
provision of better mental health
services to our people.

 On behalf of the Department I want

to wish you a very enjoyable,
successful, rewarding, enriching
encounter and interaction with
members of the Department of
psychiatry.
Good Luck!

Recommended readings
Ndetei et al., (2006). The African
Textbook of clinical psychiatry
and mental health. AMREF.
Nairobi.
Helma C. 1984. Culture, Health
and Illness. John Wrights and
Sons Ltd. Bristol London.

 Pendlton and Hasler 1983. Doctor

patient communication. London
Academic Press.
The list of books is not exhaustive.
Students need to read further on the
relevant books, journals which can
be accessed through the internet.

THANK!

Dr. Anne Obondo, Senior Lecturer and

Course Coordinator, Department of
Psychiatry