C. Migchels, Belgium
KULeuven University Psychiatric CentreModerator of 1 Session
The COVID-19 pandemic has had an important impact on mental healthcare worldwide. This led to a change in the daily life and working conditions for many psychiatrist and psychiatric trainees. Next to the implementation of the rules on social distancing and teleconsultations, the COVID-19 pandemic required adaptations to psychiatric education practices. Since the COVID-19 pandemic could lead to an increase in mental health problems, an adequate psychiatric training is of the utmost importance. In this symposium we discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on psychiatric education across Europe. We touch upon different aspects of psychiatric education, from psychiatric training, over early career psychiatrists to continuous medical education (CME). By demonstrating the encountered challenges and opportunities, we hope to contribute to the improvement of psychiatric education in the future. This symposium encompasses four presentations of surveys led by several organisations working on psychiatric training across Europe: the European Federation of Psychiatric Trainees (EFPT), the European Psychiatric Association Early Career Psychiatrists Committee (EPA-ECPC) and the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS)- Section of Psychiatry. First, Anne Nobels presents the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on psychiatric training, as indicated by over 40 country representatives in the EFPT country surveys. Second, Tomasz Gondek and Asilay Seker introduce the results of an EPA-ECPC and EFPT led questionnaire among early career psychiatrists taking both the General Adult Psychiatry and Child & Adolescent Psychiatry perspective on COVID-19 into account. Finally, Marisa Casanova Dias presents the UEMS viewpoint on the impact of COVID-19 on CME.
Presenter of 4 Presentations
Live Q&A
, 
Live Q&A
ECP0017 - Training as a Psychiatrist During a Pandemic
, ABSTRACT
Abstract Body
Training is a crucial time in any psychiatrist's career. It's a time when you are faced with new responsibilities and challenges, both professionally and personally, and senior and peer support are indispensable.
The Covid-19 pandemic has had an impact on all the essential needs of trainees: supervision, theoretical training, clinical care and contact with both patients and colleagues have been put under pressure and are no longer the self-evident part of training that they were before. Trainees are facing an unprecedented balancing act between their duties as physicians, their training needs and their dedication to the often vulnerable patients under their care, all whilst dealing with the personal consequences of the pandemic and the restrictions that have been put in place.
Based on the experiences of the European Federation of Psychiatric Trainees (EFPT) we will have a look into what has changed in the lives of trainee psychiatrists globally since the start of the pandemic, the difficulties that have occured and the lessons that have been learned. Examples of ways of dealing with the above mentioned challenges and opportunities for the future will be discussed.
EPP1078 - VNS as alternative treatment for maintenance ECT in a patient with treatment resistant depression - a case study
ABSTRACT
Introduction
Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) is a neuromodulatory intervention which involves attaching an electrode to the vagus nerve. Studies investigating VNS as an acute treatment method for treatment resistent depression have shown very limited results, however there are data suggesting that VNS might have a beneficial effect on a longer term. There are also studies that suggest that a history of response to ECT might indicate a higher response rate to VNS.
VNS was suggested as treatment for a patient who received maintenance ECT for treatment resistant unipolar depression during 9 years. 3 months after VNS was implanted, ECT was stopped due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In this case study we will review the patient's response to treatment with VNS and the sudden stop of long-term ECT treatment.
Objectives
To review the response to acute and maintenance ECT and VNS in this patient diagnosed with treatment resistant unipolar depression, and to compare this to the data suggesting VNS as an alternative treatment method for maintenance ECT in patients with treatment resistant depression.
Methods
Using the extensive data collected during the patient's treatment, we will review the clinical response and side-effect burden of this patient to acute and maintenance ECT and to VNS.
Results
The patient showed a vast improvement in depressive symptoms a few months after start of VNS treatment, while long-term maintenance ECT was stopped.
Conclusions
This patient's response to VNS supports the data suggesting VNS as an alternative treatment method for maintenance ECT in patients with treatment resistant depression.