Psychopharmacology Basics
Overview
This course provides a clear and practical foundation in the principles of psychopharmacology, focusing on the safe and effective use of psychiatric medications in clinical practice. Learners will explore the major drug classes used in psychiatry, understand mechanisms of action, review common side effects, and learn best-practice approaches to monitoring and patient counseling. Through structured video lectures and concise topic breakdowns, the course offers a comprehensive yet accessible overview suitable for trainees, general psychiatrists, and clinicians seeking to strengthen their pharmacological knowledge.
Learning Objectives
By participating in this course, learners will be equipped with clinical information to:
- Describe the major medication classes used in psychiatry and their basic mechanisms of action.
- Understand foundational principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics as they apply to psychiatric medications.
- Recognize common side effects and essential safety considerations for each drug class.
- Identify standard monitoring requirements to ensure safe and effective prescribing.
- Apply basic prescribing principles to straightforward clinical situations.
- Explain key counseling points to help patients understand their medications and support adherence.
Target Audience
- Psychiatry residents
Speakers
Dr. Ali Garatli
Ali Garatli, MD, is a consultant psychiatrist and academic with extensive clinical, teaching, and leadership experience in the United States and Saudi Arabia. He received his medical degree from Damascus University in Syria in 1988 and completed his psychiatry residency at East Tennessee State University in the USA. He obtained certification from the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in 2000 and went on to serve as an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at East Tennessee State University from 2000 to 2009. During this time, he also served as President of the Upper East Tennessee Psychiatric Chapter of the American Psychiatric Association (2006–2009). Since 2009, Dr. Garatli has been a consultant psychiatrist at King Fahd Medical City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he has headed the Department of Psychiatry since 2015. He also holds an adjunct professorship in psychiatry at the College of Medicine, Alfaisal University in Riyadh (2017–present). Dr. Garatli has a particular passion and extensive experience in psychopharmacology and has participated as a speaker and facilitator in hundreds of workshops and lectures at national and international conferences.
Price & Accessibility
- Accessible for SPA members