PsychEd Episode 64: Introduction to Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry with Dr. Raed Hawa and Dr. Alan Wai

Welcome to PsychEd, the psychiatry podcast for medical learners, by medical learners.

This episode covers Introduction to Consultation Liaison Psychiatry with Dr. Raed Hawa and Dr. Alan Wai, both from the University of Toronto.

Dr. Raed Hawa is an esteemed CL psychiatrist and educator with interests in undergraduate, postgraduate, and continuing medical education. He also practices general sleep medicine with particular clinical interest in insomnia, comorbid psychiatric and medical illnesses, and sleep-related movement disorders. He currently serves as the President of the Canadian Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and is a Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto. Dr. Hawa is also Deputy Psychiatrist-in-Chief at University Health Network. Dr. Hawa has earned American Board Certification in Psychiatry with subspecialty certifications in Sleep Medicine and Psychosomatic Medicine (Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry). His expertise and contributions to the field have been recognized through his designation as a Distinguished Fellow of both the American Psychiatric Association and Canadian Psychiatric Association.

Dr. Alan Wai is a Psychiatrist at University Health Network in Toronto and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto. He provides inpatient CL psychiatry care and mental health and psychiatric care embedded in the Immunodeficiency Clinic at Toronto General Hospital, where he sees both persons living with and at risk of HIV. He received his medical degree from the University of British Columbia and completed his psychiatric residency training at the University of Toronto.

The learning objectives for this episode are as follows: 

By the end of this episode, you should be able to…

1. Outline the history and evolution of CL Psychiatry.

2. Define the role and scope of CL Psychiatrists in diverse medical settings.

3. Identify and assess common psychiatric disorders in CL settings.

4. Provide differential diagnoses and a general approach to a CL patient through a sample case.

Guest: Dr. Raed Hawa, Dr. Alan Wai

Hosts: Annie Yu (PGY3), Sena Gok (MD), Matthew Cho (CC3)

Audio editing by: Sena Gok

Show notes by: Sena Gok

Interview content:

(00:13) Introduction

(01:09) Learning Objectives

(01:36) First Guest Introduction

(03:18) History of CL Psychiatry

(10:33) Subspecialties within CL Psychiatry

(14:00) Collaborative Care of CL Psychiatry

(20:03) Preparation for CL Rotation

(22:32) Bariatric Clinic and CL Psychiatry

(27:45) Future of CL Psychiatry, AFC Certification

(33:29) Second Guest Introduction

(34:18) Role and Scope of CL Psychiatry

(39:32) A Day in CL Psychiatry

(44:08) Cultural Competence in CL Psychiatry

(47:53) Introduction to Patients in CL Clinics

(50:14) Resources for CL Psychiatry Rotation

(53:08) Clinical Vignette

(01:00:25) CL Psychiatric Assessment Approach

(01:09:24) Agitation Management in CL Psychiatry

(01:13:51) Closing

(01:15:05) End Credits

Resources:

Massachusetts General Hospital Handbook of General Hospital Psychiatry

 Academy of CL Psychiatry (ACLP) Educational Resources

AFC (Area of Focused Competence) in CL Psychiatry

Canadian Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry Website<