APPNA Academy

Course Description: 
The purpose of this online course is to enhance the knowledge and expertise of clinicians and related professionals working with patients struggling with various psychiatric disorders. The course will provide an overview of common psychiatric disorders seen in the primary care office and their management based on current best practice guidelines. The course will include lectures on Psychedelics role in Psychiatry, utilization of telepsychiatry service to improve patient care, digital detox for parents, AI in medical education, role of diet and nutrition in mental health and new psychotropics on the horizon. We will use an active learning approach through live interactive sessions and discussions. This program will complement basic training and short courses offered in Pakistan for general practitioners to bridge the gap of specialty care, especially in underserved areas of Pakistan.  

Objectives:
At the end of the course, the participants would be able to:

1. Understand the role of psychedelics in psychiatry. 
2. Discuss the utilization of telepsychiatry service to enhance patient care.
3. Comprehend the role of diet and nutrition in mental health. 
4. Utility of AI in medical education
5. Learn coping strategies to improve wellbeing in digital detox lecture
6. Review newer psychotropic medications

Mode of Delivery: One hour of contact session through Zoom once or twice a month with the ability to view the content later online for self-paced learning. 

Target Audience: 
Primary: Primary care and specialty physicians – General Practitioners, Psychiatrists, Psychologists, and related mental health practitioners currently working with patients suffering from psychiatric disorders,
Secondary: Residents, Fellows and Medical Students

Course Outline:
The course will be delivered primarily on Sundays of each month for one hour for a total of 6 sessions. 40 minutes of lecture will be followed by a QA session for 20 min after each session.  Psychopharm lecture will be of 90 min duration.

Course Duration: March to June

Live Sessions Time: 11: 00 AM EST – 12: PM US Eastern time

Assessment Method:
Each participant registered in the certificate program will be asked to take multiple-choice questions at the end of the course. 60% pass rate will be required to receive the certificate.

Modules:

Session 1 – March 23rd, 2025
10 min Course Introduction, Pre-Course Survey: Nauman Ashraf, MD, Saad Usmani, MD and Sadiq Naveed, MD.
Lecture: Psychedelics and their role in Psychiatry – Dr. Nauman Ashraf

Session 2 – April 13th, 2025
Lecture: AI in Medical Education – Dr. Asif Hayat

Session 3 – April 27th, 2025
Lecture: Diet, Nutrition and Mental Health - Dr. Farha Abbasi

Session 4 – May 3rd, 2025
Lecture: Digital Detox for Physicians and Parents – Dr. M. Zeshan

Session 5 – May 11th, 2025
Lecture: Comprehensive Psychiatric Assessment of Personality Disorders and Trauma – Dr. Manal Khan

Session 5 – May 24th, 2025
Lecture: New Meds and Innovations on the horizon – Dr. Mujeeb Shad

Session 6 – June 15th, 2025
Lecture: The role of Tele
Wrap up: 

Course Director: Nauman Ashraf, MD
Advisors: Sadiq Naveed, MD, Saad Usmani, MD