Concentration Director: Natalia Jaworska
The Clinical Psychiatry concentration in CTM centers on advancing understanding and treatment of psychiatric illness, and improving mental well-being. The need for rigorous and impactful research in mental health/psychiatry is of paramount importance given the ever-increasing mental health concerns of the Canadian and global population. This program, and the clinicians and researchers involved, aims to address this concern.
This Clinical Psychiatry concentration encompasses work involving clinical trials, multimodal bio-typing (e.g., neuroimaging, genetic, cognitive, clinical), as well as basic aspects related to human cognition and emotional functioning (e.g., EEG/fMRI/PET-associated profiles during reward processing). Example research project topics could include assessing neural features associated with auditory hallucinations in psychosis; the effects of psychedelic or fast-acting antidepressants on treatment-resistant depression; impacts of aerobic exercise intervention on brain and mental health; and, the use of AI in predicting suicide risk.
Applicants with a background in neuroscience, psychology and/or biological sciences would be the most natural fit for the Clinical Psychiatry concentration. However, given the emphasis on translational research, candidates from diverse backgrounds (e.g., computational neuroscience) are encouraged to apply.
The Clinical Psychiatry stream comprises of researchers and clinicians affiliated with various Departments, including the Departments of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience. Most of our personnel are affiliated with the University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research at The Royal.
The Clinical Psychiatry stream is constructed ‘around the student’ with a curated study plan, and largely ‘customized’ course-work, leading to many transferable skills in clinical care, NGOs, and industry focused on psychiatric illness.
