Dual Training in Medical Psychotherapy and General Adult Psychiatry

We offer a dual, 5-year, training scheme in Medical Psychotherapy and General Adult Psychiatry. This programme combines the training provision in both sub-specialties to enable qualification on the Specialist Register of the General Medical Council (GMC) with two Certificates of Completion of Specialist Training (CCT) recognised by the GMC as a Medical Psychotherapist and as a General Adult Psychiatrist.

“The dual training programme in Adult Psychiatry and Medical Psychotherapy has been an extraordinary training opportunity that has equipped me with the necessary competencies to become an expert Psychiatrist.

Furthermore, dual training has provided me with the tools to connect and have a deeper understanding of patients’ difficulties. It includes the expansion of the patient-doctor-relationship to different level where I can connect with patients to enable treatment and management. This is facilitated by all the skills I have gained during my highly specialised psychotherapy placement.

This training provides endless opportunities to grow and develop in all areas required to become a highly competent consultant. I would recommend this training to every trainee who would like to pursue a career in Psychiatry.”

Dr Kathia Sullivan, Previous PGDIT

“I am an ST5 in the dual training program in general adult psychiatry and medical psychotherapy. I consider myself to be very lucky to have the chance to study on this program. The breadth of training provides excellent preparation for being a consultant in either specialty. PGDIT’s have the opportunity to study a broad range of psychotherapy modalities including psychodynamic psychotherapy, CBT, family therapy, group therapy and therapies for complexity (such as MBT or DBT) during a 5 year period. I have found learning the psychotherapy theory fascinating in its own right but it has also been of considerable help in my general adult work. In particular it has helped me to improve my understanding of patients with chronic conditions, personality disorder or patients presenting with significant risk. The supervisors on this program are clearly passionate about education and have been highly supportive.”

Dr Amy Squire, ST5

“The wide range of skills acquired during the training period sets the ground to develop a well-rounded psychiatrist who is able to tolerate the multiple clinical and institutional pressures facing an NHS psychiatrist. As a trainee, I feel well supported to grow within my chosen specialty by supervisors who are typically passionate about what they do. We have –genuinely- time protected educational events ‘weekly psychotherapy seminars’ which are well structured, collaborative, informative and very enjoyable. Some trainees may be put off by the length and demands of the dual training, but in my experience so far, I found it to be a unique training opportunity and a time well spent.”

Dr Hosam Elhamoui , ST6