Mood Disorders Clinic

Walter Dunn, MD, PhD; John Lee, MD, PhD; & Nathaniel Ginder, MD, PhD
Wed AM & PM

The Mood Disorders Clinic is an outpatient clinic that focuses on the assessment and management of bipolar disorder and treatment of refractory depressive disorders. The clinic is embedded within the supportive resources of the VA Mental Health Clinic and includes administrative and psychology staff to help manage patient appointments and urgent issues. Residents will learn how to assess complicated mood disorders and formulate treatment plans that include relatively complex pharmacology including prescribing Lithium and Clozapine. They will also learn to evaluate and refer patients for somatic treatments such as Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), and Ketamine infusions. The clinic provides flexibility for frequent follow-up of complicated patients and provides a good opportunity to work frequently with severe cases that require more intensive outpatient treatment.

Learning Objectives:

1. Residents will learn to assess complicated mood disorders and formulate treatment plans that include pharmacological, psychotherapy, and somatically-based interventions.
2. Residents will become proficient in the prescribing of advanced pharmacological interventions including the use of Clozapine, Lithium, and long-acting injectable antipsychotics.
3. Residents will have the opportunity to learn about and recommend novel therapeutics for mood disorders including TMS and Ketamine infusions.