(Last updated Aug 6, 2024)

Triple star (***) indicates recommended required readings for Canadian Psychiatry residency. For medical students who simply want a basic understanding of Psychiatry, I personally recommend either Andreasen, N.C. & Black, D.W. (2020). Introductory Textbook of Psychiatry, 7th edition. American Psychiatric Assoc Pub. OR Toronto Notes. Pick only one (*not both*) as your primary text to start off with and then look at additional resources for any remaining knowledge gaps.

See a broken link or outdated guideline? Email psychvitals@gmail.com

• ***2021 CADDRA Canadian ADHD Guidelines (see below for direct links to specific PDFs, sequenced in order of recommended priority)
  1. 2021 CADDRA Canadian ADHD Practice Guidelines
  2. 2024 CADDRA Canadian ADHD Medication Chart
  3. 2016 CADDRA Psychosocial Chart

Sequenced in order of recommended priority, with direct links to PDFs:

1. ***Katzman, M.A., et al. (2014). Canadian clinical practice guidelines for the management of anxiety, posttraumatic stress and obsessive-compulsive disorders. BMC Psychiatry, 14 (Suppl): S1.
2. Roy-Byrne, P. (2015). Treatment-refractory anxiety; risk factors, and treatment challenges. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, 17(2): 191-206.
3. PTSD Psychopharmacology Algorithm by Harvard South Shore Psychiatry Residency Training Program.

• For prolonged QTc:
  1. Wenzel-Seifert, K., Wittmann, M., & Haen, E. (2011). QTc prolongation by psychotropic drugs and the risk of Torsade de Pointes. Deutsches Arzteblatt international, 108(41), 687–693.
  2. Beach, S. R., Celano, C. M., Noseworthy, P. A., Januzzi, J. L., & Huffman, J. C. (2013). QTc prolongation, torsades de pointes, and psychotropic medications. Psychosomatics, 54(1), 1–13. https://doi-org.ezproxy.lib.ucalgary.ca/10.1016/j.psym.2012.11.001
  3. Ries, R., & Sayadipour, A. (2014). Management of psychosis and agitation in medical-surgical patients who have or are at risk for prolonged QT interval. Journal of psychiatric practice, 20(5), 338–344.
• Warrington, T. P., & Bostwick, J. M. (2006). Psychiatric adverse effects of corticosteroids. Mayo Clinic proceedings, 81(10), 1361–1367.

• ***American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR). American Psychiatric Association. (Also available for free through AHS Knowledge Resource Service for Alberta Health Services employees).
  • First, M.B., Yousif, L.H., Clarke, D.E., Wang, P.S., Gogtay, N. and Appelbaum, P.S. (2022), DSM-5-TR: overview of what’s new and what’s changed. World Psychiatry, 21: 218-219. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20989

• ***2020 Canadian Practice Guidelines for the Treatment of Children and Adolescents with Eating Disorders
• ***2006 APA Eating Disorders Guidelines
• ***2012 Clinical Practice Guidelines for the BC Eating Disorders Continuum of Services
• Winston, A. P. (2012). The clinical biochemistry of anorexia nervosa. Annals of Clinical Biochemistry, 49(2), 132–143.

• ***2002 BC ECT Guidelines
• ***2010 Canadian Psychiatric Association ECT Position Paper
• Rabheru, K. (2001). The Use of Electroconvulsive Therapy in Special Patient Populations. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 46(8), 710–719.
• 2019 Standards for the Administration of ECT, 14 edition by ECT Accreditation Service (ECTAS), Royal College of Psychiatrists
• American Psychiatric Association. (2001). The Practice of Electroconvulsive Therapy, 2nd edition. American Psychiatric Association.

• ***Canadian Medical Association (CMA) 2018 Code of Ethics and Professionalism
• ***Royal College Bioethics Cases

• ***2009 Canadian Psychiatric Association Duty to Protect Position Paper
• Regarding capacity assessments
  • Chow, G. V., Czarny, M. J., Hughes, M. T., & Carrese, J. A. (2010). CURVES: a mnemonic for determining medical decision-making capacity and providing emergency treatment in the acute setting. Chest, 137(2), 421–427. https://doi.org/10.1378/chest.09-1133
• For Alberta:
  • Alberta Mental Health Act (Sep 30, 2020 version)
  • Alberta Mental Health Amendment Act (Sep 30, 2020 version)
    • Alberta Government Webpage re Bill 17 Updates
    • Sep 2020 Memo re Changes to Form 1 & Form 2 w/ Bill 17
    • Alberta Health Services Oct 22, 2020 Grand Rounds “Changes to the Mental Health Act” YouTube video
  • AHS Mental Health Act website (see below for direct links to specific recommended PDFs)
    • Top recommendation: AHS Guide to the Mental Health Act and CTO Legislation
    • CTO Flowchart
    • Dec 2022 CTO Newsletter (discusses presence of case managers and capacity issues for CTOs)
  • AHS Insite Formal Patient Resources website

• Carlat, D.J. (2023). The Psychiatric Interview, 5th edition. Wolters Kluwer. (Amazon link)
• Nussbaum, A.M. (2022). The Pocket Guide to the DSM-5-TR Diagnostic Exam. American Psychiatric Association Publishing. (Amazon link)
• Zimmerman, M. (2013). Interview Guide for Evaluating DSM-5 Psychiatric Disorders and the Mental Status Examination. Psych Products Press. (Amazon link; Note: based off of DSM-5)
• Shea, S.C. (2017). Psychiatric Interviewing: the art of understanding, 3rd edition. Elsevier Inc. (Amazon link; Note: based off of DSM-5)
• Robinson, D.J. (2017). The Mental Status Exam: explained, 3rd edition. Rapid Psychler Press. (Amazon link)

• Taylor, J. B., Beach, S. R., & Kontos, N. (2017). The therapeutic discharge: An approach to dealing with deceptive patients. General hospital psychiatry, 46, 74–78.

• University of Calgary Office of Faculty Development and Performance Teaching Resources website
• UNC School of Medicine RIME Framework webpage
• Eppich, W & Cheng, A. (2015). Promoting Excellence and Reflective Learning in Simulation (PEARLS): development and rationale for a blended approach to health care simulation debriefing. Simulation in Healthcare, 10(2): 106-115.
• Moonwalking with Einstein: the art and science of remembering everything by Joshua Foer (Amazon link)
• Make It Stick: the science of successful learning by Peter C Brown, Henry Roediger III, Mark A McDaniel (Amazon link)
• Cumming School of Medicine Teaching Excellence Program

COMPETENCE BY DESIGN (CBD)

• Royal College Competence by Design Resource Directory
• 2020 Royal College Description of Entrustable Professional Activities for Psychiatry

• Boland, R., et al. (2021). Kaplan & Sadock’s Synopsis of Psychiatry, 12th edition. Wolters Kluwer. (Amazon link; This is considered *the* gold standard textbook for general psychiatrists. However, common criticisms of this textbook is that there are frequent inaccuracies and contradictions within the text. Hence, I do not consider it essential to read this from cover to cover during residency. However, it is helpful to focus on the K&S tables and topics not covered already in the starred recommended guidelines on this page for Royal College exam purposes.)
• ***Choosing Wisely Canada Recommendations for Psychiatry
• ***One of Canada’s annual Royal College exam review courses. These typically occur annually in January. I would recommend attending one of these at least 1 year before taking your Royal College MCQ exam, if not earlier as your last year leading up to your Royal College MCQ exam is best spent on exam banks. There are several exam courses available, which include:
  • University of Ottawa’s Annual E.K. Koranyi Review Course in Psychiatry. Best to read through the actual recommended required guidelines before attending this course, as some content will differ and I would recommend prioritizing the actual guidelines as your source material for your exams. Although Ottawa Review provides their powerpoint slides and podcast of their audio recordings afterwards, many lecturers will often refer to content on their slides and fly through their powerpoint slides. If you plan to go through their course material without actually attending the review course, listening to the audio recordings alone is low yield. I would highly recommend sitting down with BOTH the powerpoint slides and audio rather than either one alone.
  • London Review Course
• UBC Functional Neuroanatomy Teaching Module Website

• ***2023 CANMAT Update on Clinical Guidelines for Management of Major Depressive Disorder in Adults
  • ***2016 CANMAT Depression Guidelines (see below for direct links to specific PDFs, sequenced in order of recommended priority)
    1. Disease Burden & Principles of Care
    2. Pharmacological Treatments
    3. Neurostimulation Treatments
    4. Psychological Treatments
    5. Special Populations – Youth, Women, and Elderly
    6. Complementary and Alternative Medicine Treatments
    7. Racemic Ketamine (2020)
    8. Introduction and Methods
• ***Keramatian, K., Chithra, N. K., & Yatham, L. N. (2023, October). 2023 CANMAT and ISBD guidelines for the treatment of bipolar disorder: Summary and update of evidence. FOCUS: The Journal of Lifelong Learning in Psychiatry, 21(4), 344–353. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.focus.20230009
  • ***Yatham, L., et al. (2018). CANMAT and ISBD 2018 guidelines for the management of patients with bipolar disorder.  Bipolar Disorders, 1-74.
• ***2012 CANMAT Mood Disorders Comorbidities Guidelines (see below for direct links to specific PDFs, sequenced in order of recommended priority)
  1. Substance Use Disorders
  2. Anxiety
  3. ADHD
  4. Personality Disorders
  5. Principles of Treating Medical Comorbidities
  6. Metabolic Disorders
  7. Misc Medical Comorbidities
  8. Intro Part 1
  9. Intro Part 2
  10. Editorial

• ***Biskin, R. S., & Paris, J. (2012). Management of borderline personality disorder. CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l’Association medicale canadienne, 184(17), 1897–1902.

Recommended books for psychopharmacology, sequenced in order of recommended priority. Links are to online purchasing.

1. Stahl, S.M. (2024). Stahl’s Essential Psychopharmacology Prescriber’s Guide, 8th edition. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. (Good for referencing specific dosing/information on specific psychiatric medications; not good as an introduction for psychiatric medications.)
2. Procyshyn, R.M., et al. (2023). Clinical Handbook of Psychotropic Drugs, 25th edition. Hogrefe Publishing. (Provides detailed information according to psychotropic drug classes. Contains excellent comparison tables of the various psychotropic medications eg for side effects. 1-2 page patient information sheets available with online/PDF version.)
3. ***Stahl, S.M. 2021. Stahl’s Essential Psychopharmacology: neuroscientific basis and practical applications, 5th edition. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. (Good for introduction to psychopharmacological principles of psychiatric medications.)
4. Goldberg, J.F., & Ernst, C.L. (2019). Managing the Side Effects of Psychotropic Medications, 2nd edition. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association. (Good for additional details on psychotropic side effect management)
5. www.switchrx.com (Good for guidance on specific dosing when switching meds; to supplement Stahl’s)
6. Neuroscience-based nomencalture (NbN) database

• Calgary Family Therapy Center reading list (see below for direct links for PDFs)
  • Enabling Forgiveness and Reconciliation in Family Therapy article by Karl Tomm
• Patterns in Interpersonal Interactions: Inviting Relational Understandings for Therapeutic Change by Karl Tomm (Amazon link)
• The Little Psychotherapy Book: object relations in practice by Allan Frankland (Amazon link)
• Co-Creating Change: Effective Dynamic Therapy Techniques by Frederickson Jon (Amazon link)
• Long-Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy: a basic text by Glen Gabbard (Amazon link)
• The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work: a practical guide from the country’s foremost relationship expert by John Gottman (Amazon link)
• Motivational Interviewing: helping people change (3rd edition) by William Miller (Amazon link)

COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY

• Cognitive Behavior Therapy: basics and beyond by Judith Beck (Amazon link)
• Beck Institute (website)
• Cognitive-Behavioral Social Skills Training for Schizophrenia: a practical treatment guide by Eric Granholm, John McQuaid, & Jason Holden (Amazon link).

DIALECTICAL BEHAVIORAL THERAPY

• DBT Skills Training Manual by Marsha Linehan (Amazon link)
• DBT Skills Training Handouts and Worksheets (Amazon link)

INTERPERSONAL GROUP THERAPY

Recommended readings for interpersonal group therapy, sequenced in order of recommended priority:

1. Orientation materials typically given to new group members starting interpersonal group therapy (in no particular order of recommended priority):
   1. Sample interpersonal group therapy contract.
      1. Sample consent form for online group psychotherapy.
   2. Johari Window Model handout.
   3. Group as a Laboratory handout.
   4. Why Join An Interpersonal Therapy Group by Zach Bryant Handout.
   5. Appendix chapter from Yalom, I.D. 2020. The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy, 6th edition. Basic Books.
   6. How to Get the Most Out of Group Therapy: An Owner’s Manual by Susan Jacobson and John Rhead Handout.
   7. AGPA Group Preparation Handout.
2. Selected sections from MacKenzie, K.R. 1990. Introduction to Time-Limited Group Psychotherapy. American Psychiatric Association Pub. Specific chapters recommended:
   1. Chapter 3 – The Group System.
   2. Chapter 4 – How Groups Develop.
   3. Chapter 5 – Social Roles.
   4. Chapter 8 – The Beginning.
   5. Chapter 9 – Differentiation.
   6. Chapter 10 – The Working Group.
   7. Chapter 11 – Termination.
3. Selected sections from Yalom, I.D. 2020. The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy, 6th edition. Basic Books. Specific chapters recommended:
   1. Appendix – Information and Guidelines for Participation in Group Therapy
   2. Chapter 1 – The Therapeutic Factors (you will need to know Yalom’s 11 therapeutic factors for exam purposes)
   3. Chapter 2 – Interpersonal Learning
   4. Chapter 3 – Group Cohesiveness
   5. Chapter 4 – The Therapeutic Factors: An Integration
   6. Chapter 5 – The Therapist: Basic Tasks
   7. Chapter 6 – The Therapist: Working in the Here-and-Now
   8. Chapter 7 – The Therapist: Transference and Transparency
   9. Chapter 10 – In the Beginning
   10. Chapter 11 – The Advanced Group
   11. Chapter 12 – The Challenging Group Member
4. DBT Emotion Regulation Module (see recommended DBT readings above)
5. Interpersonal Psychotherapy of Depression: a brief, focused, specific strategy by Gerald Klerman, Myrna Weissman, Bruce Rounsaville, and Eve Chevron
6. The Assertiveness Workbook by Randy Paterson
7. Consider applying to be a Certified Group Psychotherapist via the International Board or Certification of Group Psychotherapists
8. Consider joining a therapy group as a participant
   1. Short term group sessions (aka “Institutes”) through AGPA
   2. Group Therapy Central List of Online Groups for Therapists
   3. Toronto Institute of Group Studies

• ***2017 Canadian Schizophrenia Guidelines (see below for direct links to specific PDFs, sequenced in order of recommended priority)
  1. Assessment & Diagnosis
  2. Pharmacotherapy in Adults
  3. Physical Health and Drug Safety
  4. Comorbid Substance Use
  5. Psychosocial Treatments in Adults
  6. Comprehensive Community Treatment
  7. Clinical High Risk
  8. Pharmacological Treatments in C&A
  9. Psychosocial Treatments in C&A
• ***Canadian Psychiatric Association (2005). Clinical practice guidelines. Treatment of schizophrenia. Canadian journal of psychiatry. Revue canadienne de psychiatrie, 50(13 Suppl 1), 7S–57S.
• Griswold, K.S., Del Regno, P.A., & Berger, R.C. (2015). Recognition and Differential Diagnosis of Psychosis in Primary Care. Am Fam Physician, 91(12), 856-863.
• Siskind, D. J., Lee, M., Ravindran, A., Zhang, Q., Ma, E., Motamarri, B., & Kisely, S. (2018). Augmentation strategies for clozapine refractory schizophrenia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. The Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry, 52(8), 751–767.
• Mason, A. M., Cardell, R., & Armstrong, M. (2014). Malingering psychosis: guidelines for assessment and management. Perspectives in psychiatric care, 50(1), 51–57.
• Praharaj, S. K., Kongasseri, S., Behere, R. V., & Sharma, P. S. (2015). Mirtazapine for antipsychotic-induced acute akathisia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials. Therapeutic advances in psychopharmacology, 5(5), 307–313.
• Recommended reading list for clozapine
  • Meyer, J.M. & Stahl, S.M. (2019). The Clozapine Handbook: Stahl’s handbooks. Cambridge University Press. (Amazon link)
  • Nielsen, J., Correll, C. U., Manu, P., & Kane, J. M. (2013). Termination of clozapine treatment due to medical reasons: when is it warranted and how can it be avoided?. The Journal of clinical psychiatry, 74(6), 603–613.
  • NSW Government Health. (2022). Clozapine-induced Myocarditis – Monitoring Protocol.
  • Manu, P., Lapitskaya, Y., Shaikh, A., & Nielsen, J. (2018). Clozapine Rechallenge After Major Adverse Effects: Clinical Guidelines Based on 259 Cases. American journal of therapeutics, 25(2), e218–e223.

AGITATION

• 2012 Project BETA Agitation Guidelines (see below for direct links to specific PDFs, sequenced in order of recommended priority)
  1. Medical Evaluation and Triage
  2. Psychiatric Evaluation
  3. Verbal De-escalation
  4. Psychopharmacology
  5. Seclusion and Restraints
• ***Williamson D, Frenette A.J., Burry L.D., et al. (2019). Pharmacological interventions for agitated behaviours in patients with traumatic brain injury: a systematic review. BMJ Open 2019;9:e029604.

HOMICIDAL IDEATION

• 2009 CPA Position Paper on Duty to Protect

SUICIDE

• ***Robinson, J., Bailey, E., Witt, K., Stefanac, N., Milner, A., Currier, D., Pirkis, J., Condron, P., & Hetrick, S. (2018). What Works in Youth Suicide Prevention? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. EClinicalMedicine, 4-5, 52–91.
• Bundy, C. & Schreiber, M. & Pascualy, M.. (2014). Discharging your patients who display contingency-based suicidality: 6 steps. Current Psychiatry. 13. e1-e3.
• Obegi J. H. (2020). Differentiating genuine from feigned suicidality in corrections: A necessary but perilous task. International journal of law and psychiatry, 71, 101573.
• Jain, S., & Jain, R. (2014). Key steps to take when a patient commits suicide. Current Psychiatry, 13(2), 78+.
• Hodelet, & Hughson, M. (2001). What to do when a patient commits suicide. Psychiatric Bulletin of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, 25(2), 43–45. https://doi.org/10.1192/pb.25.2.43

MEDICAL ASSISTANCE IN DYING (MAiD)

1. Government of Canada Department of Justice “Canada’s New MAiD Law” webpage
2. Health Canada MAiD webpage

PATIENT DEATH

• CMPA “Completing Medical Certificates of Death: Who’s Responsible?” 2019 webpage
• Government of Alberta “Report an Unexpected or Unexplained Death” webpage
• CMPA “Understanding the Role of Coroners and Medical Examiners” 2022 webpage

DRIVING

• CMA Driver’s Guide
• For Albertan physicians: Government of Alberta Medical Conditions and Driving website

• Lie, J. D., Tu, K. N., Shen, D. D., & Wong, B. M. (2015). Pharmacological Treatment of Insomnia. P & T : a peer-reviewed journal for formulary management, 40(11), 759–771.

• ***Canadian Center on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) 2018 Canada’s Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines
• ***Canadian Coalition for Seniors’ Mental Health Alcohol 2020 Guidelines
• Thombs, B. D., Traversy, G., Reynolds, D. L., Lang, E., Groulx, S., & Wilson, B. J., for the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care. (2025). Recommendations on interventions for tobacco smoking cessation in adults in Canada. CMAJ, 197(28), E846–E861.
• Managing Methamphetamine Use 2019 Evidence Review Summary by AHS
• Alberta Tracked Prescription Program website (for info on prescription of controlled substances in AB)
  • CPSA Opioid Agonist Treatment Program website

• “8 Better Ways to Make and Study Flashcards” Article by CollegeInfoGeek
• “Med School Anki: FAQ for the USMLE Steps, Shelf Exams, and Clerkships” Article by Yousmle

For Canadian residents in general:

• Register with Royal College to become a Resident Affiliate in your last year of residency (allows you to transfer 75 MOC credits into staff life)
• Apply to the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada to write your Royal College certification exams
• Update your CMPA “type of work” code before you begin staffhood
• Register to be an approved healthcare provider with Medavie Blue Cross to get paid caring for refugees covered under the Interim Federal Health Plan

For Alberta residents:

• Apply for your CPSA Independent Practice Permit, ideally after getting the results of your Royal College MCQ Exam (pay attention to Step 1 eligibility requirements before starting the physiciansapply.ca “Applications for Medical Registration” application, which has a hefty administration fee)
  • CPSA Online Tracking System
  • CPSA MyCollege
• AMA Transition to Practice Webpage
• Sign up for automatic job alerts for AHS physician positions through Doctor Jobs Alberta (while networking with various AHS Site Chiefs and Clinical Medical Directors and non-AHS facilities about what type of staff positions you are looking for)
• Alberta Government Medical Liability Reimbursement Program (AB government provides reimbursement for CMPA fees as staff)

• ***Vigod, S. N., Frey, B. N., Clark, C. T., Grigoriadis, S., Barker, L. C., Brown, H. K., Charlebois, J., Dennis, C. L., Fairbrother, N., Green, S. M., Letourneau, N. L., Oberlander, T. F., Sharma, V., Singla, D. R., Stewart, D. E., Tomasi, P., Ellington, B. D., Fleury, C., Tarasoff, L. A., Tomfohr-Madsen, L. M., … Van Lieshout, R. J. (2025). Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments 2024 Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Perinatal Mood, Anxiety, and Related Disorders: Guide de pratique 2024 du Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments pour le traitement des troubles de l’humeur, des troubles anxieux et des troubles connexes périnatals. Canadian journal of psychiatry. Revue canadienne de psychiatrie, 70(6), 429–489. https://doi.org/10.1177/07067437241303031
• ***2009 ACOG Use of Psychiatric Medications During Pregnancy and Lactation
• ***2009 ACOG Management of Depression During Pregnancy
• ***2014 BC Mental Health Best Practice Guidelines for Mental Health Disorders in the Perinatal Period
• ***2011 Canadian Paediatric Society Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in pregnancy and infant outcomes position statement