MD Discovery subject presentation at the 2026 RANZCP Congress

Work from the Department of Psychiatry’s MD Discovery subject, When the Going Gets Tough, was recently presented at the 2026 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) Congress.

^{Pictured: Dr Skye Kinder, A/Prof Lee Allen and Dr MJ Yoo}

The presentation provided an overview of the trauma-focused subject, including its educational approach, student feedback, and the importance of teaching trauma-informed care within medical education.

The session was very well received, generating strong engagement and discussion from an audience comprising psychiatrists, medical educators, allied health professionals, and psychiatry trainees from Australia and overseas.

This is the second year that the Discovery subject is offered at the University of Melbourne. Following the highly positive feedback and impact of the inaugural program in 2025, enrolments have doubled, with strong interest continuing across the medical student cohort. The subject is increasingly recognised by students as an engaging introduction to psychiatry and psychiatry-informed approaches to clinical care, while also providing an important opportunity to showcase the innovative educational work of the Department of Psychiatry.

The presentation was a valuable opportunity to highlight this work on a national and international stage. It also reflected the importance of collaboration and teamwork in delivering the subject, with acknowledgement of the contributions of Simone Stahli-Quinn and Denise Ho who played key roles in coordinating and supporting the program, alongside Course Coordinators Dr. MJ Yoo, Dr. Skye Kinder, and MD Mental Health Coordinator A/Prof Lee Allen.