ECT Mini-Fellowship | Emory School of Medicine

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 Medical Education Credit

The Emory University School of Medicine designates this live virtual activity for a maximum of 8.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

The Emory University School of Medicine designates the in-person course for 18 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

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

No grant support was received for either course.

General Information

Virtual Course

An 8-hour virtual course via Zoom. Tuition is $800 per psychiatrist. Registration cancellation with 6-weeks ' notice will be refunded less a $50 administration fee.

In-Person Course

An 18.0-hour in-person course. Tuition is $2,000 per psychiatrist. Registration cancellation with 6-weeks' notice will be refunded less a $50 administration fee.

The tuition includes lunch, one-on-one training with an instructor, and other amenities involved in making this a rewarding learning experience.

Location: Neuromodulation - Emory Decatur Hospital, 2701 North Decatur Road, Decatur, GA 30033. This location is near the Emory University Campus.

Lodging: A list of local hotels in the area may be obtained upon request when you contact Michele Miles.

To register for the in-person course, contact Michele Miles, ECT mini-fellowship coordinator, at m.l.miles@emory.edu or 404-712-6941.

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 Decatur Hospital. She is the Past-President of the International Society for ECT and Neurostimulation (ISEN) 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.

Anthony Chatham, MD

Anthony Chatham, MD is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. He completed his residency at East Carolina University before attending Emory University for Geriatric Psychiatry Fellowship. After completion of fellowship, he remained at Emory where in addition to his role with the Interventional Psychiatry Service he is a part of the Fuqua Center for Late Life Depression and the Geriatric Psychiatry service director for inpatient psychiatry services at Emory Decatur Hospital. In addition to his clinical duties, he is engaged in research in the field of interventional psychiatry. He also is passionate about medical education, spending time supervising general psychiatry residents in clinic and teaching residents and fellows.