University of Montreal | The department of psychiatry was ordered to correct its shortcomings

The Department of Psychiatry at the University of Montreal should remedy its shortcomings by offering more adequate supervision to its students and a safer working environment for both residents and professors. Press. It is the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada – the body responsible for certifying medical education programs in the country – that is demanding these changes by the spring of 2024.

In the interview D^r François L’Esperance, director of the department of psychiatry, explains that he is not afraid of closing the program, but that improvements must be made. Some are more complex to implement than others because they involve a large number of actors and institutions, i.e. all the hospitals where students attend residency.

Hospitals, especially emergency rooms, are overcrowded “and more and more people are coming in or out of crisis.” [avec les facultés affaiblies] “Remembers D^r hope

Safety requirements, as expressed by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, may involve physical improvements such as “double-door examination rooms or wearable panic buttons.”^r hope

“We are discussing with hospitals” to come up with corrective measures in this matter, explains D^r hope

He noted that the Royal College meets program leaders, residents and faculty members during accreditation visits. According to him, the attack of a psychiatrist in a hospital in 2019 marked the spirits and undoubtedly colored both the perceived anxiety of the people and the increased security demands.

Student supervision

In addition to these security concerns, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada also identified weaknesses in the University of Montreal’s Department of Psychiatry’s supervision of students.

In this regard, D.^r L’Espérance reminds us that professors and department heads are themselves psychiatrists who work with patients and have busy schedules.

Following the King’s College report, professors were urged to “free up their time” to make themselves more accessible and “respond more quickly to student enquiries”.

D^r L’Espérance attributes such shortcomings to the rapid development of the psychiatry department over the past five years. “We went from about 60 residents to 90.

According to observations contained in the report of the Royal College, the psychiatry department of the University of Montreal will be the subject of a new visit in 2024, then Dr.^r hope

Confidential report

The King’s College report could not be read. Both the Royal College and the Department of Psychiatry explained that it was confidential. Even the professors of the department did not have access to it, D^r hope

The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada did not comment. “We do not provide information about university or program accreditation,” said Melissa Nisbett, the agency’s communications specialist.

Generally, it continues, a full accreditation visit to each residency program is made at least once every eight years.

In an email, the Quebec College of Physicians — which is also part of the accreditation process — said it was aware of the visit to the University of Montreal and would also assess corrective measures taken next year.

It should be noted that security issues have been regularly raised in psychiatry in recent years. This happened, among others, at Laval, where an internship for medical students was suspended in 2019 due to concerns about the safety of the practice.

Back in 2022, psychiatric health workers at Laval gave a public speech to denounce the apparent shortage of staff and fears for staff safety.