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Activity Dates: 04/18/2023 - 04/18/2026

Session Time and Location

The live session is complete.

Target Audience

If you are a pharmacist, nurse practitioner, or other health care professional involved in the comprehensive medication management of individuals living with mental health and/or substance use disorders, we invite you to participate in this online course.

Session Summary

Psychiatric symptoms may present as the primary symptomatology in medical conditions, creating a complex diagnostic situation in which medical practitioners may refer the patient to psychiatry. Symptoms may then be treated without full evaluation of potential medical causes, delaying treatment of the underlying condition and potentially worsening outcomes for the patient. Knowledge and understanding in recognizing medical conditions with psychiatric symptomatology will allow the psychiatric pharmacist to ensure safe and effective psychopharmacological interventions in patients with medical mimic conditions.

Published Research Related to this Session:

  • McKee J, Brahm N. Medical mimics: Differential diagnostic considerations for psychiatric symptoms. Ment Health Clin. 2016 Nov 3;6(6):289-296. doi: 10.9740/mhc.2016.11.289. PMID: 29955484; PMCID: PMC6007536.
  • Freudenreich O. . Differential diagnosis of psychotic symptoms: medical mimics. Psychiatr Times. 2010; 27: 56- 61. [Google Scholar]
  • Welch KA, Carson AJ. When psychiatric symptoms reflect medical conditions. Clin Med (Lond). 2018 Feb;18(1):80-87. doi: 10.7861/clinmedicine.18-1-80. PMID: 29436444; PMCID: PMC6330910.

Course Requirements

To receive ACPE credit for this session, you must:

  • Sign in (or create a FREE account).
  • Register for this course.
  • Review the full content of the activity and reflect upon its teachings.
  • Complete the post-test at the end of the activity no later than the closing activity date.
  • Complete the evaluation at the end of the activity.
  • If necessary, complete the post-test retest no later than the closing activity date.
  • Receive a passing grade (70%).
  • Provide the necessary details in your profile to ensure correct reporting by AAPP to CPE Monitor.

Upon successful completion, ACPE credit is reported within 24 hours to CPE Monitor although transcripts can be retrieved by participants online in their ACPE Transcript.

Faculty Information

Jerry McKee, PharmD, MS, BCPP

View biographical information

Learning Objectives

  1. Describe medical conditions that may present with psychiatric symptoms predominating.                          
  2. Explain the pharmacist's role in the differential diagnosis and management of medical conditions which masquerade as psychiatric conditions.
  3. Review management strategies of psychiatric symptoms associated with medical “mimic” conditions to prevent or minimize unnecessary or harmful treatment, unintended delay in treatment, increased length of hospitalization, and increased costs to the health care system and payers.

Continuing Education Credit and Disclosures

Activity Dates: 04/18/2023 - 04/18/2026
ACPE Contact Hours: 1.25
ACPE Number: 0284-0000-23-033-H01-P (Knowledge)
Nursing Credit Reminder: Note that ACPE credit is accepted for ANCC Certification Renewal and AANPCB advanced practice provider content. For specific questions related to your organization's acceptance of ACPE continuing education units, please contact your organization directly.

ACPEThe American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education.

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