Clinical medicine rotations
Anaesthesiology & critical care
Anaesthesiology covers anaesthesia for surgery, pain control and the care of critically ill patients in intensive care. For a psychiatrist it is directly relevant to ECT, which is given under general anaesthesia, and to delirium in intensive care.
Depth by stage, Pre-U → Consultant (details)
What is it?
Anaesthesiologists keep patients safe and pain-free during operations and run intensive care units. Students learn airway management, how anaesthetic drugs work, how to monitor a sedated patient and how to manage pain.
The posting gives students hands-on practice with airways, intravenous lines and resuscitation, often in theatre and ICU.
Psychiatry and anaesthesia meet during ECT, which needs a brief general anaesthetic and muscle relaxant, and in intensive care, where delirium and post-ICU psychological problems are common.
Why does a psychiatrist need it?
Psychiatrists who run ECT services work closely with anaesthetists and need to understand anaesthetic risks, drug interactions and how anaesthetic agents affect seizures. ICU delirium, sedation, and post-intensive care anxiety and PTSD are common liaison issues.
What level is expected at each stage?
Scale: 1. Aware → 2. Understands → 3. Applies → 4. Masters / Teaches. What the levels mean.
- Pre-UNot expected
- Pre-clinicalAwareLearns pharmacology of anaesthetic and analgesic drugs.
- ClinicalUnderstandsPractises airway skills and observes anaesthesia and ICU care.
- HousemanshipUnderstandsUses sedation, pain and resuscitation skills on postings; some housemen do an anaesthesia posting.
- Medical officerUnderstandsKeeps resuscitation and sedation skills for emergencies.
- Psych traineeUnderstandsUnderstands anaesthesia for ECT, sedation safety and ICU delirium.
- Specialist / consultantUnderstandsECT leads coordinate closely with anaesthetic colleagues.
What are the key topics?
Anaesthesia basics
- Airway assessment and management
- General, regional and local anaesthesia
- Pre-operative assessment
- Monitoring during anaesthesia
Critical care
- Sepsis and organ support
- Sedation in ICU
- Ventilation basics
- ICU delirium
Pain medicine
- Acute pain management
- Chronic pain services
- Opioid use and dependence risk
Links to psychiatry
- Anaesthesia and muscle relaxants for ECT
- Effects of anaesthetic drugs on seizure threshold
- Safe sedation and rapid tranquillisation monitoring
- Post-intensive care anxiety, depression and PTSD
- Opioid misuse
How is it learned and assessed?
- Theatre and ICU attachments
- Skills labs and simulation for airway and resuscitation
- OSCE and logbook assessments
- Assessed within surgery or a separate posting depending on the university
Typical textbooks and resources
- Oxford Handbook of Anaesthesia — practical reference
- Lecture Notes: Clinical Anaesthesia (Wiley) — student text
- The ECT Handbook (Royal College of Psychiatrists) — for ECT practice later
Titles are widely used examples; editions change. Use university libraries or legitimate purchases.
Common questions
Is ECT given under anaesthesia?
Yes. ECT is given under a brief general anaesthetic with a muscle relaxant, so the patient is asleep and does not have a full body convulsion. An anaesthetist is present for each treatment.
Why does a psychiatrist need anaesthesiology?
Mainly to work safely with ECT and sedation, and to understand delirium and psychological problems after intensive care.