Psychopharmacology

3 Credits · Level: Graduate

This course builds upon the student’s understanding of fundamental pharmacological principles and their application in mental health care. Students will examine the neurobiological targets and mechanisms of action of drugs used to treat psychiatric disorders. Students will utilize patient physical and laboratory data, patient history and preferences, and current practice guidelines on first-line treatments, risk-benefit comparisons, drug-drug interaction tables, and other decision-making tools to provide a rationale for pharmacologic treatment recommendations. Students will develop informed consent documents for virtual simulated patients, along with a timeline and plan for evaluating outcomes. Case discussions during the weekly seminar will provide opportunities to discuss pharmacological decision making and care coordination for patients with comorbidities and complex presentations.