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Psychiatry Boot Camp

Psychiatry Boot Camp

By: Mark Mullen MD
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 Your clear, practical introduction to the field of psychiatry. Each episode features a leading expert unpacking complex topics like suicide risk, schizophrenia, catatonia, and childhood anxiety. Originally created as a crash course for new doctors, Psychiatry Boot Camp has grown into essential listening for professionals preparing for residency, advancing their careers, or sharpening their clinical decision-making. Hosted by psychiatrist and educator Dr. Mark Mullen, the program delivers expert insight and practical teaching opportunities. Thanks to the participation of our incredible audience, the PBC team is proud to provide a trusted resource for students, clinicians, and anyone seeking a deeper understanding of psychiatry in practice. To Learn More Visit www.psychiatrybootcamp.com Got a Question? Email mark@psychiatrybootcamp.com© 2026 PBC Industries, LLC. All rights reserved. Career Success Economics Education Hygiene & Healthy Living Physical Illness & Disease
Episodes
  • Involuntary Psychiatric Treatment in Modern Psychiatry with Dr. Dinah Miller

    Involuntary Psychiatric Treatment in Modern Psychiatry with Dr. Dinah Miller
    Jan 26 2026
    In this episode of Psychiatry Bootcamp, Dr. Mark Mullen is joined by Dr. Dinah Miller, psychiatrist, writer, and author of Committed: The Battle Over Involuntary Psychiatric Care, for a rigorous examination of civil commitment and involuntary treatment in modern psychiatry. The conversation explores the legal structures underlying involuntary hospitalization, medication over objection, and outpatient civil commitment, while highlighting the profound ethical tensions between patient autonomy, public safety, and clinical responsibility. Dr. Miller traces the historical evolution of involuntary care, examines why state systems vary so widely, and explains why outcomes data remain limited and difficult to interpret. Listeners will gain a framework for understanding the competing advocacy groups shaping policy, the real-world consequences of emergency department boarding and bed shortages, and the psychological impact involuntary care can have on patients long after discharge. The episode also addresses language, stigma, and how psychiatrists can practice humane, ethically grounded care even when coercion is unavoidable. This is a sober, thoughtful discussion of one of psychiatry’s most challenging responsibilities. Takeaways: Civil commitment is distinct from forensic commitment, yet often conflated in public discourse and policy discussions. Evidence linking involuntary treatment to improved public safety is limited, in part due to ethical and methodological constraints on research. System failures (bed shortages, ED boarding, lack of housing) amplify the harms of coercive care, even when clinically justified. Outpatient commitment models vary widely, with New York’s AOT program offering one of the most studied but resource-intensive approaches. How psychiatrists communicate, document, and set boundaries during involuntary care profoundly affects patient trust and future engagement. SUPPORT OUR PARTNERS: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SimplePractice.com/bootcamp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Now with AI documentation! Exclusive 7 day free trial and 50% off four months) ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Beat the Boards⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Boot camp listeners now get FREE access to over 4400 exam-style questions) Cozy Earth: Start the New Year off right and give your home the luxury it deserves, and make home the best part of life. Head to http://www.cozyearth.com and use my code BOOTCAMP for up to 20% off. And if you get a Post-Purchase Survey, be sure to mention you heard about Cozy Earth right here! Learn more and get transcripts for EVERY episode at https://www.psychiatrybootcamp.com/ For Sales Inquiries & Ad Rates, Please Contact:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sales@Human-Content.Com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with HumanContent on Socials: @humancontentpods Produced by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Human Content⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr
  • Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Psychiatry with Dr. Allen Frances

    Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Psychiatry with Dr. Allen Frances
    Jan 12 2026
    Psychiatry stands at the threshold of one of its greatest disruptions, the rise of artificial intelligence. In this episode, Dr. Mark Mullen speaks with Dr. Allen Frances, Professor Emeritus and former Chair of Psychiatry at Duke University and Chair of the DSM-IV Task Force, about the clinical, ethical, and societal implications of AI’s rapid entry into mental health care. Drawing from his recent paper in the British Journal of Psychiatry (August 2025), Dr. Frances explores how psychotherapy chatbots have already become the world’s most widely used form of therapy, often beneficial for mild distress but profoundly dangerous for severe mental illness. The discussion examines where chatbots outperform human therapists, where they fail catastrophically, and how clinicians can adapt their practices in anticipation of hybrid human-AI models. Dr. Frances also warns of broader threats, privacy loss, manipulation, and the potential use of AI for political or psychological control This conversation challenges clinicians to approach AI with both curiosity and caution, recognizing its utility while defending the irreplaceable humanity of psychiatric care. Takeaways: AI in psychiatry is no longer hypothetical. Over one billion people now engage with chatbots for therapy or companionship, exceeding all human clinicians combined. Clinical utility is bifurcated. AI can enhance care for mild distress but poses major risks for psychosis, suicidality, and eating disorders. Validation over truth. Chatbots are programmed to please users, not challenge delusions, amplifying psychosis, mania, and self-harm behaviors. Privacy and ethics lag behind innovation. Conversations with chatbots may not be confidential, raising serious HIPAA and legal concerns. Hybrid models are inevitable. Future psychiatrists must integrate AI tools safely, focus on severely ill populations, and preserve the relational aspects machines can’t replicate. References: AI Chatbots: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (Frances' column in Psychiatric Times): https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/series/ai-chatbots-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly Warning: AI Chatbots will soon dominate psychotherapy (Frances' feature in the British Journal of Psychiatry): https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/DBE883D1E089006DFD07D0E09A2D1FB3/S0007125025103802a.pdf/warning_ai_chatbots_will_soon_dominate_psychotherapy.pdf SUPPORT OUR PARTNERS: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SimplePractice.com/bootcamp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Now with AI documentation! Exclusive 7 day free trial and 50% off four months) ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Beat the Boards⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Boot camp listeners now get FREE access to over 4400 exam-style questions) Go to Cozy Earth now for a Buy One Get One Free Pajama Offer from 1/25-2/8! Yes, go to cozyearth.com they are doing a BOGO pajama promo. Just use my Code: BOOTCAMPBOGO Learn more and get transcripts for EVERY episode at https://www.psychiatrybootcamp.com/ For Sales Inquiries & Ad Rates, Please Contact:⁠⁠⁠⁠Sales@Human-Content.Com⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with HumanContent on Socials: @humancontentpods Produced by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Human Content⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    46 mins
  • Beyond Boot Camp: Conversations on Psychiatry's Future (Season 4 Trailer)

    Beyond Boot Camp: Conversations on Psychiatry's Future (Season 4 Trailer)
    Dec 29 2025
    Welcome to Season 4! Join Dr. Mark Mullen and expert guests as we explore AI in psychotherapy, emerging treatments, and the ethical, clinical questions reshaping psychiatric care, and MUCH more. To share topic ideas, ask questions, and get more of the pod, visit psychiatrybootcamp.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    2 mins
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