Problem-based Behavioral Science and Psychiatry

In keeping with the growing emphasis on psychiatry in the medical school curriculum, problem-based learning (PBL) offers students a unique patient-centred, multidisciplinary approach to study and the synthesis of knowledge.

The new 2^nd edition of Problem-Based Behavioral Science and Psychiatry integrates DSM-5 updates and diagnostic criteria, and is fully consistent with PBL models and methods. Building on the strengths of the popular and widely downloaded 1st edition, the 2^nd edition is a clinically robust resource for both the medical and the behavioral science student. Over 40 contributors, many themselves graduates of PBL medical schools, apply problem-based learning methods to specific psychiatric disorders, general clinical issues, and bedrock physician skills such as the intake interview and treatment planning.

The book’s fictional case vignettes illustrated typical patient scenarios, providing real-world context for content areas, and accompanying case diagrams show the relationships between patient behaviour and underlying neurobiological structures. Each student-friendly section ends with helpful review questions.

 A sampling of the content areas covered:

·         Childhood development and brain development.

·         Major psychiatric illnesses, including personality, mood, anxiety, and psychotic disorders.

·         Stress, substance abuse, and violence.

·         Eating, sleep, and sexual disorders.

·         Coping skills and treatment compliance.

·         End-of-life care.

·         PLUS chapters on cultural sensitivity, ethical concerns, and the physician/patient relationship.

This book is ideal for first and second year medical students wanting to learn about psychiatry in the exciting context of realistic cases.  It also makes an excellent prep/review text for third- and fourth-year medical students preparing for the USMLE Step 1 and 2 exams, as well as being suited to graduate students in psychology or clinical social work. Problem-Based Behavioral Science and Psychiatry encourages lifelong learning and helps build the foundation for a lifelong career. 

Dr. Guerrero is Professor of Psychiatry and Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, Chair of the Department of Psychiatry, and Director of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Division and Residency Training Program at the University of Hawai'i John A. Burns School of Medicine. He has published in the areas of medical student education and problem-based learning, Asian and Pacific Islander mental health, and the interface between primary care and psychiatry.

Dr. Melissa Piasecki is a professor of psychiatry and the Executive Associate Dean at the University of Nevada School of Medicine. She is also on faculty at the National Judicial College. Her specialty is forensic psychiatry. She earned her bachelor’s degree and her M.D. from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. She completed her psychiatry residency at the University of Vermont and her forensic psychiatry fellowship at the University of Hawaii. She teaches psychiatry, the neuroscience of addiction, and forensic psychiatry to medical students, medical residents, and legal professionals. She is a fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and is a member of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.