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It is important to practice writing essays, and get them marked by your SPR your
consultant or by the clinical tutor. (in the order of accessibility)
For more advice on essay techniques go to advice page. You could also visit the model
essays page.
1) Discuss the nature and extent of the relationship between schizophrenia
and violence. What interventions can be made to reduce dangers?
2) There is no longer a need for tricyclic antidepressants or conventional
MA0Is in the treatment of depression, following the development of other
antidepressant drugs. Critically discuss this statement?
3) The advent of Community Care Teams in psychiatry has sometimes
resulted in a large increase in referrals of patients with non-psychotic illness.
Discuss critically how the resources of a Community Care Team, which
includes a Consultant Psychiatrist, should be applied?
4) Long-stay psychiatric patients should whenever possible be cared for in community
residences. Discuss this statement with reference to recent research findings?
5) Anorexia nervosa has an organic aetiology, whereas bulimia nervosa is a
somatization phenomenon. Discuss?
6) Discuss theories of the aetiology of schizophrenia and comment on how
these may be reflected in your management of a newly diagnosed
schizophrenic young Caribbean man currently living alone with his mother?
7) A new drug "0pticog" has been discovered, It is thought to optimise
cognitive functioning by influencing Ach-GABA neural circuits. Describe how
you-would set up trial of this drug, your research tools, and the statistical
analyses you might choose to apply to your data?
8) What is audit? Discuss how you would audit a general adult psychiatric
service?
9) Psychiatrists have failed, other professionals can deliver mental health services more effectively and economically. Discuss?
10) Review the neurobiological basis of anxiety. How does this knowledge relate to the
pharmacological actions of drugs which are used to treat anxiety?
11) Discuss the cultural influences on the manifestations of psychiatric
illness. How should this guide the assessment and treatment of psychiatric
disorders in ethnic communities in the United Kingdom?
12) Critically discuss the concept of psychosomatic illness, illustrate the
main issues related to the concept by reference to the aetiology and management of
cardio-vascular disorders?
13) Describe the psychological processes involved in grieving. Discuss, the
causes and clinical features, and the long-term consequences of morbid
grief and its treatment?
14) Describe the ways in which psychological and adverse sociaI
interpersonal factors may interact and lead to depressive illness. Discuss
the main types of psychological treatment for this condition?
15) Discuss the differential diagnosis of obsessional symptoms in adults and review the
principles underlying the different forms of treatment. Critically discuss the concept of
psychosomatic illness?
16) Discuss critically the evidence that biochemical abnormality may be
a part in the aetiology of Schizophrenia. Review the various drug treatments
for this condition and the rationale for their use?
17) Evaluate the evidence that family and social factors may lead to the
development of a schizophrenic illness and influence its course. Describe
their therapeutic importance?
18) Discuss the principles underlying the medical classification of disorders.
How far have these principles been realised in psychiatry?
19) Evaluate the reliability of suicide statistics. Discuss the problems that
might be encountered in the clinical assessment of suicide risk and identify
the important principles in its management?
20) Discuss models of addiction. How do these influence clinical practice?
Illustrate your answer with reference to either alcohol or narcotic abuse?
21) Outline the pharmacology of drugs used in the treatment of affective
disorders. Discuss the effectiveness of these drugs and the hazards of their
use?
22) Describe the neuropathology of head injury. In what ways can the
psychiatrist contribute to the assessment and management of the
sequelae?
23) Outline the development of current concepts underlying the care of the
mentally ill in the community?
24) Discuss critically the various components of an effective comprehensive
clinical service for, the mentally ill and identify factors which may impede its
development?
25) Outline the main theoretical models of personality development. Review
the concept of personality disorder and the application of personality theory
to clinical practice?
26) Discuss the concept of individual responsibility in human development,
society and psychiatry?
27) How can the needs of the mentally ill be ascertained, ranked and
costed in the context of service provision?
28) Do modern brain imaging techniques represent a significant advance in
clinical psychiatric practice as opposed to clinical research?
29) Your hospital has been criticised for the use of very high doses of
psychotropic drugs and is now subject to an enquiry. Write a paper
addressing this issue for the use of members of the enquiry set up to
investigate the matter?
30) Evaluate critically the concept of personality disorder and its use in
clinical practice?
31) What methods can be used to determine the contribution of genetic
factors in the causation of psychiatric illness? What difficulties arise when
these procedures are applied to the study of schizophrenia?
32) What is the role of evidence based medicine in the practise of psychiatry?
33) Discuss critically the concept of social class and the evidence for its
relationship to mental disorder?
34) How may our knowledge of cultural factors, including belonging to an
ethnic minority, influence the presentation and treatment of depressive
disorder?
35) The clinical problems encountered in the general hospital differ
significantly from those seen in psychiatric hospital practice.Discuss this
statement critically?
36) Breaches of boundaries between
clinicians and patients in the form
of sexual contact occur. Explore the aetiological mechanisms, the
consequences for patient and how such breaches might be prevented?
37) There is little doubt that the.effects of phenothiazines and other
neuroleptics on the long term prognosis of schizophrenia are less
impressive than the short term
effects. (Kendell - 1988)
Critically discuss the evidence for this statement?
38) Discuss the relationship between epilepsy and mental illness?
39) Therapeutic community represents a significant advance in the treatment of personality disorders. Discuss?
40) Anorexia nervosa is not a disease.Discuss the validity of this statement and it's implications for treatment?