P118: The Geriatric Psychiatry Fellowship Program in Mexico

Abstract

This program was established by Dr. Oscar Ugalde in the year 2000 at the National Institute of Psychiatry of Mexico and was supported by the National Autonomous University of Mexico.

Now starting its 23^rd year, the 12-month program allows 1 to 4 national or foreign psychiatrist each academic year to develop clinical geriatric psychiatry practice knowledge, as well as academic and research skills to attend to the mental health of the aging population. It provides supervised clinical training in different settings: outpatient geriatric psychiatry clinic, cognition clinic, nursing home setting, geriatrics clinic and neurology clinic. The fellowship also provides the opportunity to learn about thanatology, research methodology, philosophy, spirituality, social work, neuropsychology, dementia, geriatrics, as well as legal, financial and legal issues related to the care of older adults.

The over 60 fellowship graduates from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Mexico have established themselves as national and international leaders in the field of old age mental health.

The Geriatric Psychiatry Fellowship in Mexico is accredited by de National Autonomous University of Mexico and The National Institute of Psychiatry of Mexico Ramón de la Fuente Muniz at Mexico City is the primary training facility.

In this presentation, the assistant professor of the program, Dr. Luis Moncayo, will lay out an overview of the content, structure, and goal of The Geriatric Psychiatry Fellowship Program in Mexico.