About The Course
This on-demand course in psychiatric diagnostic formulation, designed at the level of a consultant psychiatrist, provides a comprehensive, evidence-based framework for structured assessment and formulation.
By integrating phenomenology, neurobiology, psychodynamics, and clinical narratives, this course offers a structured approach to diagnosis that moves beyond checklists to a hypothesis-driven, patient-centred model.
Participants will develop hierarchical reasoning skills, refine their case formulation techniques, and strengthen clinical synthesis through case-based learning, avoiding common diagnostic pitfalls.
Equip yourself with the tools to navigate complex psychiatric presentations and enhance individualised patient care with precision and confidence.
Who Is This Course For?
This course is suitable for:
- Consultant psychiatrists refining their diagnostic models
- General Practitioners (GPs) working in mental health
- Registrars preparing for long case and written exams
- Psychologists
- Mental health professionals
- Nurse practitioners, mental health nurses, and allied health professionals seeking to enhance clinical reasoning
Accreditation Information:
- Psychiatry Accreditation: This course is available for self-accreditation with the RANZCP and other relevant psychiatric and mental health organisations.
- Upon completion, participants will receive 3.5 CPD hours (EA 3.5) and a certificate of completion, which can be used to claim CPD.
The art of diagnostic formulation forms the foundation for Episode 2, where psychopharmacology, neurobiology, and psychological models guide strategic treatment planning. Episode 3 brings it all together, refining advanced assessment and problem-solving in complex cases. This masterclass equips psychiatrists with structured yet intuitive skills to enhance clinical decisions and patient outcomes.
What You'll Learn
- Implement a structured, hypothesis-driven approach to psychiatric formulation beyond DSM/ICD classifications.
- Apply phenomenological, neurobiological, and psychodynamic principles to complex case formulations.
- Enhance diagnostic precision through hypothesis testing and personalised treatment strategies.
- Identify key clinical indicators from patient history to support comprehensive assessment.
- Utilise the diagnostic hierarchy to refine differential diagnoses and optimise clinical decision-making.
- Integrate biological, psychodynamic, cognitive, and sociocultural models for a multidimensional formulation.
- Develop advanced clinical narratives that align formulation with strategic management planning.
Course Programme
6 Modules | 23 Units | 3.5 hours total length
- William Osler’s Approach
- Psychiatry is an exploratory art rather than a reductionist exercise
- Moving beyond DSM/ICD constructs to a hypothesis-driven, dynamic approach
- Phenomenology
- Daniel Kahneman’s System 1 & System 2 Thinking
- The role of reward prediction errors (RPEs) and Bayesian brain models in psychiatric learning
- A stepwise, Sherlock Holmes-style approach to psychiatric diagnosis.
- The Diagnostic Hierarchy
- The Diagnostic Formulation - Bio-Psycho-Socio-Cultural-Diet-Lifestyle Model
- Recognising implicit patterns in narratives
- Heuristic Traps in Psychiatry
- Why AI cannot replace psychiatric formulation – the human factor in diagnostics.
- Phenomenology in Action: The PACES model
- Predictive Coding & Bayesian Psychiatry – How the brain constructs meaning from fragmented information.
- The Three-Layered Approach to Diagnosis
- Diagnostic Flexibility in Psychiatry
- The Iterative Formulation Model – Deconstruct, Understand, Integrate, Strategize, Revise, Repeat.
- 5P Model vs. Advanced Formulation Models
- Clinical Decision-Making as a Bayesian Process
- Case Studies and Formulation Narratives
- Therapeutic Targets Based on Formulation
- Developing an Individualised Treatment Plan Based on Formulation
Course Description
Welcome to The Art of Diagnostic Formulation in Psychiatry – From Patient History To Diagnostic Perspectives.
This on-demand course offers mental health professionals, including consultant psychiatrists, registrars, nurse practitioners, and allied health professionals, a comprehensive approach to mastering diagnostic formulation in psychiatry. You will refine your diagnostic skills and enhance patient care through a structured, dynamic approach to psychiatric diagnosis.
Module 1: The Foundation of Psychiatric Formulation
Explore the foundation behind the psychiatric formulation. This perspective challenges you to move beyond labels and consider the person behind the diagnosis. It encourages a dynamic, hypothesis-driven approach rather than a rigid, reductionist mindset. Gain insights into phenomenology and how Kahneman’s System 1 & 2 thinking shapes decision-making.
Module 2: The Hierarchical Model of Diagnosis & Clinical Reasoning
This module introduces a Sherlock Holmes-style stepwise approach to psychiatric diagnosis and guides you through a structured formulation hierarchy.
Diagnostic Hierarchy:
- Organic & Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Substance-Induced & Medication-Related Conditions
- Mesolimbic System & Psychotic Spectrum
- Depressive Spectrum (ACE Model)
- Anxiety, Trauma & Stress Dysregulation
- Eating Disorders & OCD Personality Structure & Psychodynamic Theories
Module 3: Mastering the Psychiatric Interview – Beyond History Taking
Refine your psychiatric interview skills by recognising implicit patterns in narratives, such as cognitive biases and emotional clues. Learn to avoid common heuristic traps, premature closure, and diagnostic overshadowing. Learn the PACES model and differentiate between cognitive and affective patterns to sharpen your diagnostic intuition.
Module 4: From Data to Diagnosis: The Process of Clinical Synthesis
Explore the clinical synthesis process by integrating diagnostic data. Learn the predictive coding framework, Bayesian psychiatry, and a three-layered diagnostic approach, focusing on surface-level descriptive diagnosis, phenomenological & Cognitive Hypothesis and neurobiological understanding. Emphasis is placed on diagnostic flexibility, helping clinicians refine diagnoses and reduce treatment resistance.
Module 5: The Art of Hypothesis Generation & Formulation
This module emphasizes the iterative process of diagnostic formulation. Using the 5P model, you will identify key factors that influence diagnosis and treatment, including genetic risks, stress diathesis, cognitive entrenchment, and more. The iterative nature of formulation allows for refined diagnostic thinking and personalized treatment strategies, ultimately improving patient outcomes.
Module 6: Linking Formulation to Management – The Bridge to Part 2
Learn how to link diagnostic formulation directly to treatment planning. By applying Bayesian decision-making principles, you will reassess hypotheses with new data, explore therapeutic targets based on formulation, and explore case studies to develop personalised treatment plans based on individual patient formulations.
By the end of this course, you will have mastered the complex process of psychiatric formulation, from understanding patient history to applying diagnostic perspectives in clinical practice. Enrol now to gain the skills necessary to enhance patient care and refine your clinical decision-making in psychiatry.
Upon completion of this course, participants will receive a course completion certificate and 3.5 CPD hours towards educational activities. This course supports Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in accordance with the CAPE Framework. It aligns with the domains of Addressing Health Inequities, Professionalism, and Ethics.
While our Academy members enjoy exclusive access to a range of courses and webinars—including this one—through their annual membership, we’re pleased to offer the option to purchase this course individually!
- Purchase Part 1 – The Art of Diagnostic Formulation in Psychiatry for $167
- Purchase Part 2 – The Art of Strategic Problem Solving in Psychiatry for $167
- Or save with the full curriculum, which includes both Part 1 and Part 2 for a discounted rate of $297
👉 Click here to purchase the full curriculum
For details, scroll down to the Pricing section below.


