Department of Psychiatry

The Department of Psychiatry is responsible for basic education in psychiatry and adolescent psychiatry organised by the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Helsinki. The basic course in psychiatry is organised during the third or fourth year of studies, or during the fifth year of studies when the transition period (1 August 2017 to 31 July 2020) is in effect.

In addition to basic education in psychiatry and adolescent psychiatry, the Department of Psychiatry participates in organising the Professional Development module. The Department is bilingual and organises basic education also in Swedish.

Clinical practice can also be completed in the field of psychiatry.

Advanced studies can be completed in all the fields of psychiatry: adult, adolescent and forensic psychiatry. Advanced studies in psychiatry are usually completed by participating in various research projects. Participation in research activities will provide those interested in research with opportunities to further their research career. Advanced studies can be pursued already before completing the clinical course in psychiatry. Another alternative is to write a theoretical thesis.

There are several research projects undergoing at the Department in various areas of psychiatry. Further information on these projects is available from the teachers and professors of the Department.

The Department of Psychiatry is responsible for specialist education in psychiatry, adolescent psychiatry and forensic psychiatry. Specialist education in these psychiatric fields aims to provide specialising physicians with the qualifications needed for working in their specialisation in a multidisciplinary manner, maintaining their expertise and operating within the social and health care service system, in addition to which it familiarises them with scientific data. The most significant knowledge content of the comprehensive six-year programme has been determined by a core content analysis, whereas the required skills are determined in the learning outcomes. Professional skills are developed with the help of clinical practice, research method training, clinical contact supervision and personal supervision.

The trunk training stage in the adult, pediatric, adolescent and forensic psychiatry specialisation includes a joint seminar mandatory for those at the trunk training stage of their specialisation. This seminar series comprises a module whose duration is one term.

Specialist education in psychiatry

The beginning of the speciality training stage in the psychiatry specialisation includes a two-year advanced seminar mandatory for those at the speciality training stage of their specialisation. This seminar series consists of four modules focused on one or two central fields in clinical psychiatry.

The seminars are organised every two weeks on Wednesdays at the Christian Sibelius Auditorium of the HUCS Psychiatry Centre. The lectures will be streamed to training locations outside of the University of Helsinki.

The end of the speciality training stage in the psychiatry specialisation includes a two-year university seminar whose target group is hospital physicians specialising in psychiatry at a university hospital clinic.

Specialist education in psychiatry (in Finnish only)

Specialist education in adolescent psychiatry

The speciality training stage in the adolescent psychiatry specialisation includes an advanced seminar mandatory for no less than two years for those at the speciality training stage of their specialisation. The seminars are organised every two weeks on Wednesdays at the HUCS Psychiatry Centre.

Specialist education in adolescent psychiatry (in Finnish only)

Specialist education in forensic psychiatry

The speciality training stage in the forensic psychiatry specialisation includes an advanced seminar mandatory for those at the speciality training stage of their specialisation. The seminars are organised once a month at the Kellokoski Hospital (Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa). The drafting of psychiatric assessments is an organic part of the specialisation in forensic psychiatry (no less than 10 assessments must be completed in the course of the programme).

Specialist education in forensic psychiatry (in Finnish only)

Further information on specialist education can be found on the Faculty of Medicine website.

In cooperation with the Department of Psychology, the Department of Psychiatry coordinates the psychotherapist training programme organised by the University of Helsinki. The training is organised in cooperation with external expert organisations and produces professionals with the title of psychotherapist. The programme is comparable in nature to continuing education organised for health care professionals and requires prior experience in the field of mental health or equivalent fields, as well as an applicable background education in health or social services.

Psychotherapist training (in Finnish only)

The Department of Psychiatry has strong research traditions, particularly in the following areas: mood disorders, self-destructive behaviour, eating disorders, personality disorders and alcoholism. In recent years, sleep, psychoses and psychopharmacology have been actively investigated. The Department conducts close cooperation with the National Institute for Health and Welfare. The Aalto Brain Centre at Aalto University is an important partner in the field of brain imaging. Basic research on the molecular genetics of psychiatric disorders is conducted in cooperation with the National Institute for Health and Welfare. International cooperation is active. In recent years, research on forensic psychiatry has focused on impulsive violence, antisocial behaviour, psychopathy, arsonists and the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in individuals guilty of serious violence, as well as their mortality rate. A central archival source is the archive on forensic psychiatry maintained by the National Institute for Health and Welfare, which contains all psychiatric assessment statements completed in Finland since 1980 (statements completed prior to that are held in the National Archives of Finland).

Nearly all doctoral dissertations in the field of psychiatry are completed in research groups as part of larger research projects. Those interested in writing a dissertation may contact professors in the field directly.

Publications

Professors

• Erkki Isometsä
• Tiina Paunio
• Mauri Marttunen
• Nina Lindberg
• Hannu Koponen

To contact other staff, please see the People finder and contacts.

Head of department

professor Erkki Isometsä
erkki.isometsa@hus.fi
PO BOX 22 (Välskärinkatu 12)
00014 University of Helsinki

Deputy Head of department

professor Tiina Paunio
tiina.paunio@helsinki.fi

Address

PO BOX 22 (Välskärinkatu 12)
00014 University of Helsinki