Clinical Psychopharmacology: Beyond Conventional Wisdom

Sponsored by the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.

Monday – Friday
9:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. EST

This course is offered in-person only.

This seminar aims to enhance clinicians’ expertise in psychopharmacology by thoroughly exploring key concepts and contemporary practices. Participants will engage with a variety of conceptual models, comparing symptom-oriented and disease-oriented treatment approaches. We will critically evaluate the diagnostic validity of major psychiatric conditions and investigate evidence-based medication strategies tailored to these disorders. 

The presentation places a strong emphasis on diagnostic accuracy and the application of research-driven clinical practices, prioritizing efficacy and safety as demonstrated in clinical trials over speculative biological mechanisms. In-depth analysis and treatment strategies will be provided for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety disorders, with additional focus on mixed states, bipolar depression, and the nuanced role of psychopharmacology in optimizing treatment outcomes.  

The seminar will incorporate the latest research findings, including recent advancements in clinical psychopharmacology, to ensure participants are equipped with up-to-date knowledge and skills. Special attention will be given to the application of these strategies in diverse patient populations, including children, the elderly, and those with comorbid medical conditions, to promote holistic and effective patient care.  

Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to: 

  • Describe a historical background on the major themes to be covered during the course;
  • Discuss the biological mechanisms of major psychotropic drug classes; 
  • Grasp the basic neuroanatomy relevant to clinical psychopharmacology; 
  • Recognize and apply key clinical trials of drug classes for various diagnoses; 
  • Examine the validity of DSM diagnoses and learn how to use non-DSM approaches to diagnosis and drug treatment; 
  • Discuss practices with antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, and antidepressants; 
  • Explain the risks and side effects of major drug classes; 
  • Employ medications with an understanding of pharmacokinetic interactions;
  • Identify factors in medication use for those with comorbid medical conditions.
Monday,
March 10, 2025 
 
8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Registration 
9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
Basic neurobiology and pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics  
10:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Coffee Break 
10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Anxiolytics: clinical trials in anxiety conditions  
11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Case Presentations, Group Discussions and Questions & Answers 
Tuesday,
March 11, 2025
 
 
9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
Antipsychotic efficacy: clinical trials in schizophrenia and mood Illnesses.
10:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Coffee Break 
10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Antipsychotic safety: clinical trials in schizophrenia and mood Illnesses 
11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Case Presentations, Group Discussions and Questions & Answers 
Wednesday,
March 12, 2025 
 
9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.  Mood stabilizers: clinical trials in bipolar illness and depressive illness.
 
10:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.  Coffee Break 
10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.  Nosology of mood illnesses: DSM and non-DSM approaches  
11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Case Presentations, Group Discussions and Questions & Answers 
Thursday,
March 13, 2025
 
 
9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
Antidepressants: clinical trials in bipolar illness and depressive illness 
10:15 am – 10:30 a.m.
Coffee Break 
10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Antidepressants: clinical trials in bipolar illness and depressive illness
 
11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Case Presentations, Group Discussions and Questions & Answers 

Friday,
March 14, 2025
 

9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.  Amphetamines: clinical trials in ADHD 
10:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.  Coffee Break 
10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.  Nosology of ADHD: Is it valid?
11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Case Presentations, Group Discussions and Questions & Answers 
12:15 p.m.
Course Adjourn 

 


SEMINAR FORMAT
Meets Monday-Friday: 9:00 am- 12:15 pm.
Please note coffee is available during registration and a continental breakfast will be served at 10:15 am daily.

SPECIAL REQUESTS
If special arrangements are required for an individual with a disability to attend this conference, contact Kim Miele at psychcme@med.miami.edu at least 15 days prior to the conference.

TUITION
Physician, Nurse Practitioner, and Other Health Professional fees:
Early bird pricing is $995; after 12/16/24, registration fee is $1,095.

Residents, Fellows in Training, and Full-time Student fees are $695.
The fee for taking a second week is $750—and the processing fee (non-refundable) is $10. Registration by credit card (Visa, MasterCard, or American Express) or check can be made through the University of Miami secure registration system.

REFUND POLICY
Refunds, less an administrative fee of $100, will be issued for all cancellations received two weeks prior to the start of the course. Refund requests must be received by email. No refund will be issued should cancellation occur less than two weeks prior. “No shows” are subject to the full course fee, and no refunds will be issued once the conference has started.

ONLINE INFORMATION
To register or view activity information online, visit: https://secure.touchnet.net:443/C20708_ustores/web/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCTID=974&SINGLESTORE=true

ELECTRONIC SYLLABUS
We provide all attendees with completely free access to all slide presentations in digital PDF format before the conference. This is an environmentally friendly alternative that helps lower costs for all attendees. The e-syllabus will be available for 30 days after the conference. You can purchase a printed copy at the time of online registration for $55.

Please note we will not have hard copies of the syllabus available for purchase at the conference.

WEEK-LONG SEMINARS
Meets Monday-Friday: 9:00 a.m.- 12:15 p.m.
Please note coffee is available during registration, and a continental breakfast will be served at 10:15 a.m. daily.

PHYSICIAN CREDIT
University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians. 

The University of Miami Leonard M. Miller, School of Medicine, designates these live activities for a maximum of 15 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada recognizes conferences and workshops held outside of Canada that are developed by a university, academy, hospital, specialty society or college as accredited group learning activities.

Through an agreement between the American Medical Association and the European Union of Medical Specialists, physicians may convert AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ to an equivalent number of European CME Credits® (ECMECs®). Information on the process of converting AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ to ECMECs® can be found at: www.eaccme.eu.

PSYCHOLOGISTS
The University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine maintains responsibility for this program and its content. 15.00 CE credits will be awarded to psychologists for attendance at these seminars.

NURSE PRACTITIONERS AND REGISTERED NURSES

These activities have been submitted to ANA Massachusetts for approval to award contact hours. ANA Massachusetts is accredited as an approver of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. For more information regarding contact hours, please email psychcme@med.miami.edu

  • Psychopharmacology: A Master Class, Charles B. Nemeroff, MD, PhD
  • The Aging Brain: Navigation Cognition, Mental Health and Psychopharmacological Treatment
    Elizabeth Crocco MD, Rosie Curiel, PsyD, Philip Harvey, PhD and David Lowenstein, PhD
  • Clinical Psychopharmacology: Beyond Conventional Wisdom, Nassir Ghaemi, MD, MPH, and Luca Pani, MD
  • Effective Strategies for the Management of Alcohol and Substance Use Disorders, David Martinez, MD, Dhruti Patel, MD, and Roger Weiss, MD

All other winter seminars meet the specifications of the Board of Registration in Nursing (244 CMR).

Social Workers
Application for social work continuing education credit has been submitted. Please contact Kim Miele at psychcme@med.miami.edu with any questions.

National Board of Certified Counselors
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7482. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. University of Miami Miller School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

INQUIRIES
By phone at 941-932-2671, Monday-Friday, 9 A.M. to 4 P.M. (EST), or by email at psychcme@med.miami.edu

DISCLOSURE AND CONFLICT OF INTEREST MITIGATION
The University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine has assessed conflict of interest with its faculty, authors, editors, and any individuals who were in a position to control the content of this CME activity. Any identified relevant conflicts of interest have been mitigated.

The University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine planners, content reviewers, and editorial staff disclose no relationships with ineligible entities. All the relevant financial relationships for these individuals have been mitigated.

ABMS/ACGME COMPETENCIES

All seminars are designed to meet the following American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS)/ Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Educational (ACGME) competencies:

    • Patient Care and Procedural Skills
    • Medical Knowledge
    • Practice-based Learning and Improvement
    • Interpersonal and Communication Skills

TARGET AUDIENCE
The winter seminars are a series of seminars for health professionals in psychiatry, psychology, neurology, medicine, surgery, geriatrics, pediatrics, nursing, social work, and counseling.

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Nassir Ghaemi, MD, MPH

Professor of Psychiatry at Tufts University School of Medicine and Lecturer on Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He is the Director of the Psychopharmacology Consultation Clinic at Tufts Medical Center and Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. Dr. Ghaemi is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine (UK), and President-Elect of the Massachusetts Psychiatric Society. He is the author over 300 scientific articles or book chapters and the author of 6 books, including A First Rate Madness: Uncovering the Links between Leadership and Mental Illness, as well as Clinical Psychopharmacology: Principles and Practice, among others; Associate Editor of Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, and Founding Editor of the journal, New Psychiatry.

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Luca Pani, MD

Professor of Clinical Psychiatry and Medical Director for CME at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine; Recipient of the 2021 National William Gelfand Lecture Award for promoting the highest scientific and educational standards in the practice of Medicine. Additionally, he holds a professorship in Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy.  Dr. Pani has previously served as the Director-General of the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) and has been a pivotal member of several significant committees within the European Medicines Agency (EMA). He is the author of over 200 scientific publications and 26 books, primarily focusing on basic and clinical pharmacology, regulatory science, and health technology assessments. He has shared his knowledge at more than 1,500 Continuing Medical Education (CME) events globally, addressing a diverse spectrum of topics.

LOCATION

The Grand Beach Hotel Miami Beach, Florida, is in an amazing location overlooking more than 200 feet of beautiful white sandy tropical beaches on the Atlantic Ocean. Built-in 2009 and completely renovated in 2018, our modern Miami Hotel offers the highest levels of luxury and comfort. Our leisure facilities include two hot tubs, a state-of-the-art gym with unbeatable panoramic sunset views, as well as three different swimming pools, including two beach-level family pools and our top-floor tranquility pool (adults only), offering something for every guest.

Miami Grand Beach Hotel, 4835 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33140

To reserve your hotel room, click: https://tinyurl.com/3a5ca6wh

Group Code: 2402DPBS

Or call 305.534.8666 EXT: 4520 and mention you are with the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine Winter Seminars. You can also email Alessandra Cammarata at acammarata@grandbeachhotel.com.

INQUIRIES
Please email Kim Miele at psychcme@med.miami.edu or call 941.932.2671, 10 a.m.– 4 p.m. (EST) Monday-Friday.

THINGS TO DO IN MIAMI

Everglades

Miami Double Decker City Tour

Miami Zoo

Miami Aquarium

Miami Heat Game

Miami Dolphins Game

Miami Boat Show

South Beach Food and Wine Festival

Golf Courses

PGA National Resort

Trump National Doral Miami

Normany Shores Golf Club

Miami Shores Country Club

JW Marriot Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa – Soffer Course

Miami Beach Golf Course

Tennis Courts

Flamingo Park

Margaret Pace Park

Crandon Park Tennis Center

Fisher Island Club

Morningside Tennis Center

Restaurants

Nobu Miami

Cecconi’s Miami

Ocean Social by Chef Tristan Epps

Prime 54

Donna Mare Trattoria

Santorini – Best Happy Hour in Town

Misc Fun Things to Do

Little Havana Food Tour

Perez Art Museum

Sailing Adventure

Vizcaya Museum and Gardens

Frost Science Museum and Aquarium

Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden

Bayside Marketplace