The Croatian Young Psychiatrists and Trainees Section
The recipients of the UEMS Section of Psychiatry Excellence Award 2024/25 edition share a few words on the Croatian Young Psychiatrists and Trainees Section initiative.
The Croatian Young Psychiatrists and Trainees Section was founded in 2005 as a part of the Croatian Psychiatric Association (HPD). Over the years, we have made substantial improvements in psychiatric training, following the recommendation from the Profile of a Psychiatrist and the European Framework for Competencies in Psychiatry (EFCP) of the UEMS Section of Psychiatry.
Through active cooperation with other sections of young physicians in Croatia and Europe, the Section promotes international communication and sharing of knowledge and experiences. It continuously collaborates with the Croatian Psychiatric Association and the Croatian Society for Clinical Psychiatry within the Croatian Medical Association and has been involved in developing numerous Croatian clinical and treatment guidelines. The Section actively promotes research among its members and annually awards the best publication in a scientific journal and the best doctoral thesis.
We conduct research to analyze trainees’ the satisfaction with the training program. The results have been published in several Croatian scientific journals, presented at national conferences, and used to advocate for improvements in the training program. They have also informed the Section of additional educational activities needed to enhance young psychiatrists’ competencies in line with the seven roles defined in the UEMS Profile of a psychiatrist and EU competencies.
In addition to organizing various educational seminars and workshops- both independently and during major Croatian psychiatric congresses - we recognized the need for a dedicated congress for young psychiatrists. Since 2022, the Forum of Young Psychiatrists has aimed to encourage young psychiatrists to submit topics that reflect the greatest challenges in their practice and to become informed about new developments in psychiatry. The goal is to offer continuous medical education through carefully selected topics that build psychiatric competencies. The fifth Forum is planned for spring 2026.
New activities, workshops and seminars include:
The Recovery Approach in Psychiatric Practice aimed at increasing psychiatrists’ competence in implementing recovery principles in everyday practices
Individual Treatment Plan for Psychiatric Patients, aimed at enhancing competencies in developing a biopsychosocial formulation and an individual treatment plan where the patient has an active role
Improvement of communication between experts, patients and family members, developed on the basis of the three-way EUFAMI Prospect Training
These activities, which also involve peer workers s valuable members of the team, will be held annually. Additional new seminars include Prevention of coercive measures and admission without consent and Development of a psychodynamic formulation in general psychiatry.
Over the years, the Section has grown into a dynamic force and a central hub for connecting young psychiatrists and residents across Croatia through numerous impactful activities. It provides its members with opportunities to actively participate in and shape their own scientific and professional development.
Dina Bošnjak Kuharić and Sara Medved, The Croatian Young Psychiatrists and Trainees Section
UEMS Psychiatry Section President Dr Marisa Casanova Dias and Swiss delegate Dr Ingo Butzke presenting the excellence award to Dr Sara Medved, president of Croatian Young Psychiatrists and Trainees Section, in Bern, Switzerland.