Department of Psychiatry

1. Goals and Alignment

The Department of Psychiatry at Shalamar Hospital, established in 1996, is dedicated to providing compassionate, evidence-based mental health care.

• Mission: Deliver personalized treatment tailored to individual needs, addressing conditions from mild emotional challenges to severe psychiatric disorders.
• Vision: Promote recovery, resilience, and long-term well-being while reducing stigma around mental health.
• Alignment with Institutional Priorities:
  • Supporting the mental health of medical students, faculty, and doctors, thereby improving overall institutional well-being.
  • Strengthening medical education at Shalamar Medical & Dental College through teaching, mentorship, and training programs.
  • Raising awareness about mental health in the community, aligned with the hospital’s broader mission of public health.

1. Programs and Offerings (Faculty Development Activities)

Workshops / Trainings Conducted by Psychiatry Department:

• 7 March 2023 – Stress Management for Doctors
• 2 May 2023 – Effective Communication Skills
• 4 July 2023 – Managing Negative Emotions (Anger, Anxiety, Depression)
• 5 September 2023 – Managing Relationships
• 7 November 2023 – How to Achieve Emotional Wellbeing
• 10 October 2023 – Mental Health Day: “No Health Without Mental Health” Awareness Session
• 2 January 2024 – Doctor–Patient Relationship
• 15 October 2024 – World Mental Health Day: “Role of Mental Stability in Our Lives”
• 17 December 2024 – Mental Health & Stress Management Session at RUDA
• 25 February 2025 – Faculty Workshop: “Learn the Art of Mentoring”
• 15 April 2025 – Mental Wellbeing among Medical Professionals – International Conference at Shalamar College
• 13 August 2025 – Clinicopathological Conference on OCD

Faculty Development Trainings:

• Advanced Teaching Methodologies Workshop
• Leadership and Management Skills for Educators
• Bioethics in Clinical Practice Seminar
• Research Methodology Workshop
• Curriculum Design and Assessment Strategies Workshop
• Mental Health Education CME / Webinars

1. Inclusivity and Accessibility

• All activities were open to students, faculty, and clinicians across departments.
• Workshops ensured participation of both male and female faculty; the department maintains a no gender pay gap and no gender-based barriers policy.
• Several workshops addressed universal challenges (e.g., stress, burnout, relationships), ensuring broad accessibility for healthcare professionals.

1. Community of Practice

• The department plays a pivotal role in safeguarding the mental health of doctors, supporting colleagues at risk of burnout, depression, or anxiety.
• Structured mentorship for medical students fosters resilience, academic growth, and career development.
• Clinicopathological conferences and awareness events foster collaboration with other specialties, nurturing a shared culture of support and learning.

1. Resources and Support

• No fixed departmental budget is available; however, the department effectively utilizes hospital-provided spaces, IT resources, and logistical support to conduct programs.
• Activities are sustained largely through faculty initiative and voluntary commitment.

1. Faculty Expertise

• Faculty are actively engaged in teaching, mentoring, and research.
• Regular participation in training workshops (teaching skills, bioethics, communication) has enhanced their effectiveness as educators and mentors.
• Psychiatry faculty provide both academic and personal mentoring to students, focusing on stress management, study–life balance, and emotional well-being.

1. Evaluation and Impact

• Participant feedback consistently indicated high levels of satisfaction with workshops.
• Students reported improved communication skills, coping strategies, and mental well-being.
• Growing student interest in psychiatry-related research and electives has been observed over the past five years.
• Faculty refined their teaching methods based on feedback, adopting more interactive and student-centered approaches.

1. Innovation and Scholarship

• Research Publications:
  • Relationship of Self-esteem with Depression, Anxiety and Stress among Pakistani Medical Students – Pakistan Journal of Medical and Health Sciences, Vol. 16, No. 2 (2022). Link
  • The Relationship of Coping Strategies with Stress, Anxiety and Depression among Medical Students – Journal of Pakistan Psychiatric Society, Vol. 19, No. 1 (2022). Link
• Innovative Teaching Approaches: Use of role-play for doctor–patient communication, reflective learning sessions, and case-based teaching in psychiatry.
• Contribution to Institutional Well-being: Positioned as a support system for healthcare workers’ mental health, integrating psychiatry into a healthier institutional culture.