ECT Mini-Fellowship

Emory University is offering two options to attend the ECT Mini-Fellowship. We offer an 8- hour virtual course and a 3-day in person course for those who have completed the virtual course.

Course Description

The courses are structured for psychiatrists interested in the therapeutic efficacy of ECT and the procedures for the administration of ECT. The courses are intended for psychiatrists interested in developing an ECT service and understanding the procedures for the administration of ECT. The courses emphasize practical aspects of ECT administration including the pre-ECT workup consent process, administration of a treatment, management of ECT side effects, maintenance medication, and maintenance ECT after an index course. The courses provide reading material including an overview of the lecture material and the most recent APA guidelines.

CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT

The Emory University School of Medicine designates the live virtual activity for 8.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits.

The Emory University School of Medicine designates the in-person course for 18.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits.

Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.

The Emory University School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

General Information

TUITION

8.0 Hour virtual course: $800 per psychiatrist

18.0 hour in-person course: $2,000 per psychiatrist

The tuition includes lunch, one-on-one training with an instructor and other amenities involved in making this a rewarding learning experience. Registration cancellation with 6-weeks-notice will be refunded less a $50 administration fee.

LOCATION

Zoom Meeting

Live sessions are held at these locations:

Emory Wesley Woods Hospital, 1821 Clifton Road NE,Atlanta, GA 30329
Emory Brain Health Center, 12 Executive Park Drive, Atlanta, GA 30329

Both locations are located near the Emory University Campus.

REGISTER HERE for the ECT Mini-Fellowship

LODGING

A list of local hotels in the area may be obtained upon request when you submit your registration form.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Michele Miles, ECT Mini-Fellowship Coordinator,

404-712-6941 or email for further information.

Meet the Faculty

William M. McDonald, MD

William M. McDonald, MD is the JB Fuqua Chair for Late-Life Depression and Reunette W. Harris Chair for the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University. Dr. McDonald is a member of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) Committee on Research representing neuromodulation therapies, including ECT, and an active member of the International Society for Electroconvulsive Therapy and Neurostimulation (ISEN). Dr. McDonald is presently an editor of the APA’s upcoming revisions to the Recommendations for Treatment, Training, and Privileging for the Practice of Electroconvulsive Therapy. In the preparation for the book, Dr. McDonald and 6 other nationally recognized leaders in the field of ECT research and education have had multiple meetings to discuss in detail the current practice standards and evidenced based research supporting what should be the modern practice of ECT. The consensus nationally is that the standards for ECT practice fall far short of the evidence for good practice noted in research. The course is intended to highlight evidence-based practice (dose titration, adequate cognitive screening, medical clearance prior to the procedure, modern anesthesia practices etc.).

Adriana Hermida, MD

Adriana Hermida, MD is the Director of the Geriatric Psychiatry Fellowship Program and former director of the Electroconvulsive Therapy Service at Emory Wesley Woods Hospital. She is a Professor at Emory University Medical School in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. She completed her residency training at the University of Chicago and her Geriatric Psychiatric fellowship at Northwestern University. Dr. Hermida has an active role in the Electroconvulsive Therapy Service at Emory Wesley Woods Hospital. She is the president of the International Society of ECT and Neurostimulation (ISEN) Executive Committee and The ECT Taskforce for the National Network of Depression Centers (NNDC). Dr. Hermida has been involved in research in ECT and dementia with agitation, Parkinson’s Disease, transcranial magnetic stimulation, amyloid imaging for Alzheimer’s disease and Huntington disease.

Patricio Riva Posse, MD

Patricio Riva Posse, MD is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. He earned his Medical Doctor degree from the Universidad de Buenos Aires. He is a dual trained neurologist and psychiatrist. He is the Medical Director of the Treatment Resistant Depression Clinic, where he coordinates comprehensive assessments of local, regional and national referrals. His clinical responsibilities include providing ECT, Ketamine infusions, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), and other neuromodulation therapies such as deep brain stimulation and vagus nerve stimulation. He is principal investigator in NIMH-funded research studying Deep Brain Stimulation for treatment-resistant depression.

Brandon M. Kitay, MD, PhD

Brandon M. Kitay, MD, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry Behavioral Sciences in the Neuromodulation Division since 2020. Prior to joining the faculty at Emory, he was an Assistant Professor at the Yale School of Medicine and Director of Education/attending physician at the Yale-Interventional Psychiatry Service (IPS) and has been administering ECT, ketamine/esketamine, rTMS since 2017 having served as the Yale-IPS Chief Resident prior to joining the faculty. He has served as a research fellow at the Yale-Depression Research Program under the mentorship of Dr. Gerard Sanacora and participated in both industry and NIMH/PCORI sponsored clinical trials investigating ECT, ketamine, esketamine and other experimental compounds. He has received funding to develop content for undergraduate medical education in ECT (ADMSEP) and has developed several CME programs teaching "Interventional Psychiatry" for early and established practitioners. He has recently published the impact of these training interventions on the attitudes of medical and nursing students towards ECT and is collaborating with colleagues at Yale investigating determinants of ECT accessibility from the provider perspective.