Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

You will conduct ECT treatments during this rotation, taking over more aspects of the procedure as your skills improve.

This rotation gives you extensive patient exposure, with opportunities to follow patients’ progress from initial assessment to recovery phases. You will work in both inpatient and outpatient settings, overseen consistently by a supervising psychiatrist.

You will learn to perform and document detailed assessments for this procedure, noting potential risk factors including cardiac events, anesthesia-related problems and complications associated with psychotropic medications the patient may be taking. You will be responsible for preparing patients with electrode placement, administering treatments and managing post-treatment complications. In providing consultations, you will explain the consultations’ purpose to the patient, his or her family and others, and you will obtain informed consent or determine when the patient lacks the capacity to give consent.

In-depth reading supplements and informs your interactions with patients during this rotation.