ECT Education in Canada

 Out on PubMed, from researchers in Toronto, Canada, is this survey study:

Interventional Psychiatry: An Idea Whose Time Has Come?

Giacobbe P, Ng E, Blumberger DM, Daskalakis ZJ, Downar J, Garcia C, Hamani C, Lipsman N, Vila-Rodriguez F, Watling M.Can J Psychiatry. 2020 Oct 5:706743720963887. doi: 10.1177/0706743720963887. Online ahead of print.PMID: 33016106

From the text:

The rates of competency in ECT have been stagnant over the past 3 decades.^2,3 Given the established efficacy of ECT as the gold-standard approach in treating acute depression, perceived ECT competency in just under a quarter of the emerging psychiatric workforce is particularly concerning. The results of this study suggest a way forward from the learners’ perspective, with more opportunities to receive supervision being especially valued. Additionally, this survey indicates that directly administering ECT at least 10 times may be considered a minimum benchmark to achieve self-perceived competency in this technique.

This is a survey published as a "Research Letter" in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. I am commenting only on the part that is about ECT. 

162 senior psychiatry residents or other graduates about to enter psychiatric practice were surveyed. Only 24% of respondents felt they had "achieved competency" in ECT, and the standard for this was so low, that it is unlikely that many of them could actually practice ECT without further training.

ECT education, or lack thereof, has been a longstanding problem in our field. Canadian psychiatry is a microcosm of the problem; the issues are similar to those in the US, although on a much different scale.

Max Fink and I have previously written on this subject (please see below):

 

Fink M, Kellner CH. Belling the cat: ECT practice standards in the United States. J ECT. 2007 Mar;23(1):3-5. PMID: 17435562.

Fink M, Kellner CH. Certification in ECT. J ECT. 1998 Mar;14(1):1-4. PMID: 9661087.